We’ve all been there before – you need to run out to catch a flight for your vacation, all you have to do is close your suitcase. However, “closing your suitcase” can sometimes include a process of pushing the lid down and tugging the zipper, hoping you can get your suitcase closed.

If you take the time to organize your suitcase when you pack, though, it can make packing so much easier. In this article, we are going to look at some tips to help you keep your packing easy and your suitcase organized.

Plan Before You Pack

When you pack your suitcase, it’s tempting to throw everything you want or think you might need in your suitcase and then force it closed. However, a better idea would be to lay out everything you might need.

In fact, once you have everything that you need, you can even go a step further and narrow things down. Do you really need that extra item or are you just grabbing it? Once you have the things you want to pack chosen, then you can start to pack. This will help you to not overpack which always leads to a disorganized suitcase.

Roll and Fold Your Clothes

Another thought to keep in mind is to pack your clothes correctly. After all, even only a couple of outfits can take up space if you just haphazardly throw them in. Instead, take the time to carefully put your clothes in order.

There is a bit of a debate as to whether you should roll your clothes up or fold them when you are packing a suitcase. In the end, though, rolling your clothes up is a much more compact choice. For nicer clothes – like dresses – you might need more room to put them in hanger bags. In these instances, you should plan for the extra room.

Put Your Clothes In Order

When you do have your clothes folded and rolled up, make sure to put them in your suitcase correctly. To save room, it’s best to place the folded and laid-out clothes on the bottom of the suitcase because they take up the most surface area.

Alternatively, though, you can stack your clothes in the order that you are going to wear them. This is great for when you want to keep your suitcase organized throughout your trip as you won’t need to dig through the suitcase and disrupt organization to find things every time you need something.

Have A Toiletry Kit

Another organization tip that you will want to keep in mind is to have a toiletry bag. These are perfect because they keep all your toiletries in one place and you can simply keep the bag in the front of your suitcase so you don’t lose any of your necessities during your travels.

Once again, this simple organizational tip can save space. You can further save space by making sure your toiletries are travel sized. Even if you are going on a vacation for a week or so, a travel size shampoo or deodorant is plenty. Plus, if you keep a bag of travel toiletries, you are less likely to forget to grab something at the last minute when the stress of travel pushes in.