Wear Your Bulky Items

From boots to puffy coats, wearing your bulkiest items on the plane means less stuff to cram into your luggage. You don't have to wear the coat the whole time, but if you keep it on your person it won't be taking up a ton of space in your suitcase. Plus, a fluffy coat or big sweater can make a great makeshift blanket or pillow Just don't be that person who crams their coat in the overhead bin during boarding, creating less space for everyone else's luggage.

If you'd rather not wear your bulky pieces on the plane or carry them along, there are ways to pack them. Lay bulky clothing items like sweaters with a thinner shirt on top and rolling them together for packing. To keep the bundle together, you can secure it in its shape with a rubber band. Not everything saves space by rolling, however. So it's OK to try rolling or folding to see what works best for your pieces. Different modes of condensing your clothes are particularly important if you use organizational products like packing cubes because your items have to fit into that confined space with everything else. So experiment with techniques to see what works for your unique packing style.

Pack Items That Do Double Duty

Bringing reversible clothes, multi-functional tools, or shoes that work for daytime outfits or night-out excursions are ways savvy travelers cut down on packing. When you utilize items that pull double duty, you're freeing up room for something else in your suitcase. Some of those items could also include multi-functional swimwear pieces, using a fluffy jacket as a pillow instead of bringing a travel pillow, or bringing an oversized scarf or pashmina as a travel blanket.

Clothes are far from the only double-duty items that could be in your arsenal, however, so don't discount your hygiene products. Utilize items like face tints that you can use for your cheeks or lips or ointments that can go on everything from chapped lips to sunburned features. Coconut oil is another great option with myriad applications from skin nourishment to even makeup removal. Anytime items can pull double duty, you're saving space in your luggage. So if you have a skin product that you feel is good for everything, that might be your best travel skin item.

Plan To Dress With Layers

Packing clothes that can be mixed and matched means also having pieces you can layer together. Even if you're going somewhere warm, consider packing a coverup or something you can put on if it gets chilly or the air conditioner is too much. Layering is a great way to utilize what you already have instead of packing a whole separate outfit. Not to mention that you'll be more prepared for the unexpected.

Choosing something like a long sleeve shirt to wear over what you already have on or a lightweight jacket can take up much less space than a bulky sweater. It can be easy to pack a layer or two without doubling the number of clothes in your luggage. Choosing a bonus layer to bring based on its material is also a great idea. A thin, merino wool sweater, for example, will keep you cozy even if it isn't thick. Packing with layers in mind may also save you from spending an exorbitant amount of money for a sweatshirt at the hotel gift shop, which would definitely add to your suitcase's bulk.

House Items In Other Items

Anytime you pack something like an empty shoe or boot in your suitcase, you're wasting valuable space. These items are the easiest to repurpose inside your luggage because they have space to give. Have you considered storing some or your small items, like socks, inside your shoes or boots? The space stays the same either way.

Even if you aren't putting anything inside your shoe, you can fill the gaps between the heel or around the shoe with other things like a tightly packed shirt. Placing objects like socks inside the shoes saves space, but it also protects the shoe's shape as well so you don't end up with squashed sneakers or boots. Depending on the size of your shoe, you might be able to fit a small pouch in there too or a miniature jewelry case. When trying to pack efficiently, every little space counts, so stuff those shoes!