Now that traveling for July Fourth weekend is behind us, there are a few things we could all learn to make traveling easier. The traffic headaches, packing missteps, and screaming children… I’m over it!

If you have a few more summer getaways planned, don’t fret. You can make packing easier.

Your clothes can all fit in a carry-on bag — it’s all in the technique. This is a trick I learned several years ago when my job required lots of travel. I call it the “roll." It saves room and also prevents your clothes from wrinkling. Since men can throw a few pants and shirts in a suitcase and call it a day, these tips are geared more toward you, ladies (but it does apply to men, as well).

The clothes

Mix and match outfits accordingly. Chose tops that work with multiple skirts, shorts or jeans, and vice versa. Pair a long sleeved button up over a dress for a chilly night out or pair it with shorts for warm days.

Pack no more than three pairs of shoes. Include comfy sneakers for walking, a pair of heels, and a pair of sandals. Extra points if you have a pair of sandals with a heel that can pull double duty.

Lay your shirts flat and stack them one on top of each other. Do the same with shorts, pants, dresses, etc. Stack similar clothing types together.

Start with shirts, fold the entire stack in half, lengthwise. Fold the sleeves in, so you end up with one, long, stacked, rectangular-shaped pile of clothing. Do the same thing for shorts and pants.

Starting at the top of the rectangle, begin rolling the stack towards you. You should end up with what looks like a burrito made of clothes. Do this with the pants stack as well.
You will end up with a few different “rolls” of clothing. Stack these “rolls” in your suitcase like a box of crayons. You should still have room for shoes and a toiletry bag.






The suitcase

If you have bulkier shoes such as wedges, espadrilles or hiking boots, pack those first, on the side-walls of your suitcase, opposite each other.

Place the “burrito clothes” in a line together, much like you are assembling a pan of enchiladas (I like Latin food analogies) until your bag is full.

You should be left with shoes. Place flats either right on top or in the cracks. Place heels heel-first into the cracks of the clothing rolls so they sit flush with the top of the clothes.

Additional accessories such as a curling iron can also be snugly placed in between the cracks of the clothing or along side the walls of your bag.

You should still have enough room for a toiletry bag and VOILA! You have successfully packed a carry on bag with out the fuss.

Happy summer travels!

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