Infographic: How to Pack Your Bags like a Pro

Always feel like your suitcase is completely overstuffed? Maybe it’s not—check out this infographic with handy packing tips to make more room in your luggage and travel like a pro!

The first step to any great adventure is to pack right. Just ask Batman: he has a utility belt. And you have a suitcase. Here are our basic tips to pack like a pro!

1: Clean Your Room

You don’t want to return to a messy place anyway, so go ahead and clean! It’ll help you take inventory of what you have and pack what you need—a disorganized space will make it more difficult to find the things that you need to bring with you, and can make you forget things that you should take along. Plus, having a clean and tidy space to come back to when you return is so much more welcoming, and can help you adjust more easily to your everyday routine.

2: Choose the Right Bag

Think about your bag’s weight and what sort of places you will be heading to—larger bags are more difficult to maneuver and can be more prone to damage, while smaller ones can fit into different spaces and compartments more easily and aren’t as much of a pain to carry around. Hard shell cases travel more hardily than canvas ones and can be better suited for longer trips, but they’re less forgiving with space constraints. Also consider what compartments you’ll need in your bag—will organizational pockets let you make the best use of the space, and help you find your belongings more easily?

3: Roll Your Clothes

Rolling your clothes helps you avoid wrinkles and pack everything tighter so it doesn’t feel like you’re overstuffing your suitcase. Plus, it saves space so that you can fit more into your suitcase if you need to.

4: Leave Room for Souvenirs

You’ll probably want to come back with tokens from your trip—or at least presents for friends and family! Saving a bit of extra room in your suitcase before you leave will ensure an easier trip back than needing to purchase another bag while you’re abroad.

5: Make a List so You Don’t Forget

Even frequent travelers forget some basics (how many times have we forgotten a toothbrush?). Make a list so you don’t leave without something you’ll need later.

6: Carry On Valuables

Especially if you’re checking a bag—it might go missing or get delayed, and you don’t want to have the worries of potentially losing your valuables while your bag is stuck who-knows-where.

Featured image via Unsplash.