Are you tired of trying to fit all your sh*t into a tiny suitcase, only to end up with a disorganized mess and a bunch of wrinkled clothes? Girl, it’s time to upgrade your packing game with these sassy hacks that’ll have you traveling like a boss! Roll those clothes up tight and pack them into some chic packing cubes, or use compression bags to squeeze every last inch of space out of that suitcase. And don’t even get me started on the shoes – use the inside of those babies to store all your little knick-knacks. And for the love of all things fabulous, don’t forget to make a packing list so you don’t forget any of your must-haves. Trust me, with these hacks in your back pocket (or, you know, in your suitcase), you’ll be traveling in style.

But wait, that’s just the tip of the iceberg – let’s get into all of my favorite packing hacks that have saved me time and lots of stress whether I’m traveling solo or with the family.

Hack 1: Roll Your Clothes

I know this is a well-known hack but honestly, I ignored it for many years before my 2-week road trip I took out west in the summer of 2021. I knew I needed to accommodate a lot of stuff, in one suitcase and decided it was the perfect time to try the roll method.

I used the Kon-Mari method and let me tell you, it really DID make a huge difference. I was able to get so many clothes into my suitcase and I didn’t have to flip through a bunch of stuff to find the item I needed, while on the road. This ensured my suitcase stayed perfectly organized and ready to pick up and go since we were staying in several different places over the course of 2 weeks. 

The method works for suitcases, backpacks, and even weekender or duffel bags. If you’re packing it, roll it.

Combined with my next hack, this rolling method gets even MORE elevated.

Hack 2: Packing Cubes

Another popular method is packing cubes. These cubes are brilliant for making packing, organizing, and grabbing your outfits really simple. However, I see a lot of people using them without a real system in place which means you’re barely scraping the surface of the magic of the packing cube.

So how do I use them?

It really depends on if I’m traveling solo or not, but for the most part, I like to put the same type of clothing in each cube. So I’ll roll up all of my basic tees and put them in one cube. Then, I can just open it up and see all of my tees, their colors, and textures and grab what I need without ruffling through anything. I’ll do the same for pants/shorts etc. 

The cubes make everything so easy to pull out and then just pop right back into your suitcase. No one wants to spend time unpacking and re-packing on a trip. Using these tools keeps that process quick and simple, which is exactly how I like it.

You can also take some empty packing cubes to put your dirty clothes in. So when you’re done with one shirt, roll it up and put it in the next cube so that it doesn’t smell up your other clothes and will already be re-packed and ready to go. 

Hack 3: Think Outside the Suitcase

Most of us just look at the room we have in the suitcase and don’t think about the items we are packing ALSO have valuable space. Hats, shoes, cosmetic bags, etc all have little spaces that can be vital to fit extra things in the suitcase – so don’t waste it.

You can put jewelry or socks, shower caps, hair accessories, etc into your shoes. You can put a scarf or swimsuit cover-up, socks/bras in the open portion of a hat. I love using my socks in my cosmetic bags as protection if I’m bringing a glass bottle of serum or something. I can just stuff and loop the socks around to create padding and protection, ensuring my glass bottles don’t break. Get creative and think about the multi-purpose use of everything.

Hack 4: Use Bags to Sort Outfits

Okay, so this is especially crucial when you’re traveling with kids. I don’t do this for my solo travels but SWEAR by this method when I am traveling with all 4 of my boys. 

We cruise a lot and so packing has to be done correctly and you have to ensure you’ve brought everything you need.

Getting kids dressed for the pool, dinner or activities means there can be a lot of outfit changes in one given day, no matter where you’re vacationing. So in order to not lose my mind, and keep everything organized in the process – I use plastic retail clothing bags to sort everything.

**I want to pause and say that I know this is not the most eco-friendly packing tip and while I try to create less waste and watch my plastic consumption, this is one area where I really just allow myself to use this method for stress-free travel. If you can find individual small linen bags or can sew some yourself – you could 100% use those for this as well. **

Okay, now that I have that out of the way.

So I use these bags to separate out outfits for each day. So I’ll put a swim outfit together, a dinner outfit, and/or an activity outfit and put each one in a separate bag. This will include underwear and socks for that day. I will then label the bag with the child’s name and the day of the week they’ll be wearing it. 

Once I have everyone’s outfits picked out, folded, in bags, and labeled – I then pack them in the suitcase like you would put files in a filing cabinet. That way when I open up the suitcase I can start at the front, pull out the bag and it’ll be for that day. 

I save the bag and later that night all of those day’s clothes go back in that bag and that bag gets put at the back of the suitcase to keep the next day’s outfit in the front.

So basically by doing this you’re getting a system plus the bags serve as dirty clothes bags for that outfit at the end of the day.

Seriously, this is a lifesaver system and if you have kids you’ll understand the magic of this when you use it. 

Plus, you can re-use these bags for your next travel, just mark out the label and create a new one next time.

Hack 5: Pair Down Your Beauty Products

I used to be the type of girl that brought everything in my bathroom when I traveled. My skin is very sensitive to changes and so I would be petrified of having skin irritation if I got off my routine. However, I quickly realized that it was such a pain in the ass and that all of those cosmetics and skincare products are heavy – and the weight of that suitcase adds up fast.

So I have learned to pair down my skincare routine and also focus on makeup that can be used for multiple things.

I like to skin cycle and so use different products throughout the week. So instead of bringing everything – I just stick with the products I use on most days and leave the retinol and face masks and exfoliants at home. I just stick with my serum and moisturizer and that saves a TON of room in my bag.

For makeup, I like to think about what can be multi-purposed. For example, a bronzer can be used as not just a bronzer but also as an eye shadow. A blush could also be used as lipstick or visa-versa. Mascara can technically be used as an eye-liner, if you’re really short on space. So just think creatively about what you can ditch and what is essential for travel. 

Alright, let’s wrap this sh*t up with some sassy words of wisdom. When it comes to packing like a boss, you’ve gotta remember these killer hacks. Roll those clothes tight, use packing cubes or compression bags to save space, and don’t forget to utilize the inside of your shoes. And for the love of all things fabulous, pair down your beauty bag. With these tips in your back pocket (or, you know, in your suitcase), you’ll be traveling in style and strutting your stuff like the boss babe you are. So go ahead and make packing for your next trip a breeze with these killer hacks. Happy travels, girl!

**Full transparency, there are affiliate links included in this post. Meaning, if you click on my links, I will get a small compensation for the referral. However, this does not change your final price in any way at all. This is simply a way to support this blog. All opinions and recommendations are my own and I do not recommend anything I haven’t bought, used, and loved for myself.