Packing for your trip can be difficult, particularly if you’ve got an exciting one planned. How on earth do you choose what to take, let alone fit everything you need into just one bag? Learning how to pack like a pro is a great skill for any traveler to have, and one of the best packing hacks out there is the humble vacuum bag. Today, I’m going to show you how using a vacuum-sealed bag as luggage is the best way to save space.
Traveling is one of the great joys of life. From the moment you begin planning your vacation to the very last thing you see before heading home, traveling the world and discovering new sights and experiences is a great thing to do.
But before you set off to explore Alaska on a cruise or road trip down the Pacific Coast, there is one thing that must be done that almost all travelers find a challenge. Packing! And vacuum-sealed bags are the best way to do it.
These simple but immensely effective items help make packing for your next adventure a breeze, and will give you enough space in your suitcase to take absolutely everything you want, and still leave room for souvenirs! You’ll be able to pack so easily that you may end up fitting everything into your travel bag.
What are vacuum bags?
Vacuum bags or compression bags are plastic bags that help you maximize space in your luggage by reducing the size of your packed clothes. Vacuum bags work by removing the air from the bag, pushing the air out of your soft items, and compressing them so they take up less space.
How to use vacuum bags
- Fold your clothes and place them in your vacuum bag. Folding clothes helps take up less space in the bag, and gives you a good foundation to work from
- Seal the bag at the top, using the clip that is provided. Make sure the bag is sealed completely by running your two fingers back along the seal. If your bag isn’t fully sealed, it will re-inflate gradually in your suitcase.
- Remove the air by placing the nozzle of your vacuum cleaner over the airlock and turning it on! Once all the air is removed and the bag is fully compressed you can turn off your vacuum cleaner and pack your bag in your luggage.
What size bags do I need?
Vacuum bags come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and getting the right size bag for your trip and luggage will help maximize the space you have.
For a standard 22” carry-on you will probably want to go for a 20” x 20” vacuum bag – this will leave you a little room for extras like toiletries.
For a larger suitcase you might want a 20” x “28 or even a 24” x 32” bag, so you can fit absolutely everything in. Vacuum bags larger than this will almost always be too big to travel with and are better used for home storage.
What if I don’t have a vacuum cleaner?
Even if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner at home, you can still use compression bags to save space in your luggage. There are plenty of brands that work using the same idea, but where you remove the air in the bag by hand, rolling or folding the bag, so the air is forced out of the one-way airlock.
What are the disadvantages of vacuum bags?
The main disadvantage to using vacuum bags is that your clothes tend to come out creased. You can help reduce this by rolling rather than folding your clothes, but at the end of the day, you are unlikely to be able to avoid creases entirely.
However, when packing for a vacation, space-saving is the most important consideration, and vacuum bags are one of the best travel packing hacks around!
