Life

The Best Way To Pack A Suitcase

by Megan Grant
mixetto/E+/Getty Images

If you've ever set foot on a plane, you know what an absolute pain in the can it is to abide by luggage guidelines (and they seem to be getting stricter every year). Space is often an issue, and you usually end up leaving something behind because you couldn't fit it in your baggage. Well, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is this suitcase packing hack shows that you've been packing wrong your entire life; it turns out there's actually a genius way to fit way more clothing into your luggage. The bad news is... you've been packing your suitcase wrong your whole life. But hey, at least we can remedy the problem now, right?

The hack, which was tecently posted to Facebook in a video by Anacleto, involves laying clothes out flat and layering them in a particular manner — facing opposite ways. The trick works for tops of all kinds (long-sleeved shirts, short sleeves, tanks, turtlenecks, even hoodies) and pants; you can even shove socks and undies in the middle. Once you have all your clothes laid out, you start the folding process, tucking in one item at a time starting from the top layer. In the end, you're left with what looks like a giant pillow made of clothes, and it fits perfectly into your suitcase. Not only that, but this method prevents wrinkles! Easy, relatively quick, and a major help for frequent travelers. Check it out in action below:

I know you're probably overcome with emotion right now, so let's break it down into a few steps:

1. Strategically Layer Your Clothing Items

Lay the first shirt out flat in front of you, sleeves at the top. Take the next shirt, turn it so the sleeves are pointing in the opposite direction, and lay it on top of the first shirt. The shoulders of the shirts should overlap.

2. Don't Forget Your Pants

You can add jeans, leggings, and more into the mix by laying them out horizontally so they line up with the sleeves of your shirts.

3. Toss In The Extras

There's also a place for socks, panties, and other miscellaneous items in this brilliant packing hack.

4. Begin The Folding Process

Starting with any pants you may have included, begin by folding the legs in toward the center so they overlap one another.

Then, repeat this process with the shirts. Fold one sleeve across the center, followed by the other sleeve, followed by the torso part of the shirt. Make sure you're smoothing the wrinkles out of everything as you go along.

5. Place Your Perfect Clothes-Pillow Into Your Suitcase

It should be illegal to look this good.

Have fun unpacking that, airport TSA.

Don't forget to buckle it in tight.

Boom. Done. That's the suitcase of a chick who knows how to travel.

Images: mixetto/E+/Getty Images; Anacleto/Facebook (10)