Packing and unpacking a suitcase is without doubt one of the worst parts of a holiday. You spend time carefully planning outfits only to find out you're unable to squeeze them into your carry-on luggage. It's an all-too common problem.
Thankfully, Marie Kondo, the Japanese organisation guru who recently shot to fame on Netflix, has shared some useful packing tips.
Just make sure you remember them next time you're struggling to fully close the zip on your suitcase.
- Make sure you're packing the best suitcase
- Or the best cabin luggage
- Or maybe the best travel bag
- Yes, you can even spark joy while doing the dishes!
The video shares techniques very similar to the advice in Kondo's Netflix series.
The first step to efficiently packing a suitcase is to lay everything out, then only taking what you really need, or items that "spark joy". You need to be shrewd, and discard any unnecessary items.
Once you've discarded all of the excess, it's time to sort what you have left and begin to fold them.
If you follow Kondo's vertical folding method (as demonstrated in the video), your clothes should be taking up as little space as possible.
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Anything that can't be folded, such as dresses or linen shirts, should be rolled.
The video is full of other useful space-saving tips, such as tucking your underwear into a bra, or using pouches to separate charging wires.
Check out the full video, created by Apartment Therapy, below:
Follow the tips above and you'll have yourself a perfectly packed suitcase with enough space to bring back souvenirs!
One vital tip Kondo missed, however, was to make sure you're using a great suitcase, because they're not all created equal.
Below are three of the best suitcases you can buy:
Tumi V3 International 56CM Expandable Carry-on | £445
Available in either Black or Pacific Blue, the Tumi V3 International Slim is the perfect carry-on case for a short trip away. It comes with four double wheels for stability, a telescopic aluminium handle and is lightweight at just 2.9kg. It’s also made from tough polycarbonate so should be able to clock up as many air miles as you do.
Samsonite Tunes 69CM Suitcase | £225
In order to meet the needs of the frequent traveller, the Tunes interior is fully lined and comes with two zipped divider pads. The distinct design is finished in a high-end matte finish with refined silver accents. The fresh modern lining emphasises the balanced yet distinct overall design.
American Tourister Soundbox 77CM Suitcase | £145
Ideal for longer trips away, the American Tourister Soundbox 77cm Suitcase is a large suitcase with a hard polypropylene shell and TSA-ready locks. The big draw here is that, rather unusually for a hard case, it is expandable on all sides, allowing for that extra bit of wriggle room when returning home with those holiday souvenirs.
Looking for more recommendations? Check out the guides below:
- These are the best suitcase
- Check out the best cabin luggage
- Or maybe consider the best travel bag
As the Style and Travel Editor at T3, Spencer covers everything from clothes to cars and watches to hotels. Everything that's cool, stylish, and interesting, basically. He's been a part of T3 for over seven years, and in that time covered every industry event known to man, from CES and MWC to the Geneva Motorshow and Baselworld. When he's driving up and down the country in search of the greatest driving roads, he can be found messing around on an electric scooter, playing with luxury watches, or testing the latest fragrances.