Is It Better to Fold or Roll Clothes in Your Luggage?

[Saladsamurai]

When you pack your luggage, what do you do?

Fold clothes? Roll them? Does it matter? Other?

(If I could figure out how to make a poll, this would be one )

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I scrunch. Oops. Wrong poll.

 

[Saladsamurai]

I scrunch. Oops. Wrong poll.

Dammit Jimmy!

I am packing now for Ghana. I think what I usually wind up doing is packing once; seeing how things fit and then unpacking and re-packing with some improvements.

 

[Pengwuino]

How many articles of clothing and how long until you have to leave? I should be able to create a computer model that will give you an answer 8 hours after you have to leave.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Definitely a combination. I usually fold shirts and pants, but anything else is rolled.

 

[turbo]

I used to travel a lot for business. I found that I could get a lot more clothing into my bags if I folded stuff neatly and did a bit of planning as I packed. Rolling clothing could have negated some wrinkle problems, but would have left voids that I would not have wanted to deal with when traveling with a carry-on and minimal checked baggage.

 

[Evo]

I've found that rolling clothes will actually use less room, it's only that you don't want to badly wrinkle clothes by rolling them, so I do a mix.

 

[BobG]

If you're seriously packing your luggage, folding is almost certain to leave creases. You'll definitely have to iron as soon as you reach your hotel.

Rolling at least prevents major creases, but it's going to take some careful rolling to eliminate all wrinkles. You'll probably still have to iron, but at least you won't be ironing out major creases.

Best bet - mix your categories of clothes in each roll. Stuff you don't care about having wrinkles in should be rolled first (underwear, T-shirts, jeans, etc) with the clothes you hope to have arrive wrinkle free rolled around your rolled underwear, T-shirts, etc. You're still going to either have to get lucky or else recalibrate your standard of wrinkle free to "meh, not that bad".

 

[Drakkith]

Folding? Rolling? Ironing? What are these strange words?

 

[drizzle]

When you pack your luggage, what do you do?

Fold clothes? Roll them? Does it matter? Other?

(If I could figure out how to make a poll, this would be one )

Are you serious? Why isn't there an option for those who just throw all of their stuff in their luggage?

 

[drizzle]

If you're seriously packing your luggage, folding is almost certain to leave creases. You'll definitely have to iron as soon as you reach your hotel.

Rolling at least prevents major creases, but it's going to take some careful rolling to eliminate all wrinkles. You'll probably still have to iron, but at least you won't be ironing out major creases.

Best bet - mix your categories of clothes in each roll. Stuff you don't care about having wrinkles in should be rolled first (underwear, T-shirts, jeans, etc) with the clothes you hope to have arrive wrinkle free rolled around your rolled underwear, T-shirts, etc. You're still going to either have to get lucky or else recalibrate your standard of wrinkle free to "meh, not that bad".

I used to roll cloths, but I found it time consuming, AND no matter how hard I try to have wrinkle free cloths, I always end up doing the ironing/steaming. I now shift to folding, and I use the whole area of the luggage--make as less folds as possible.

 

[WannabeNewton]

Wow you guys sure do go the extra mile. I just stuff them all in as I take them out of the laundry bag and sit on the suitcase until it closes. =D

 

[Evo]

Anything like suits are hung in a suit bag, If you're traveling for business, you don't have much choice unless you will be arriving in time to have the hotel dry cleaner press everything. Traveling for leisure, not as important.

 

[lisab]

I scrunch. Oops. Wrong poll.

Oh wow, that goes back some years!

 

[lisab]

I used to roll cloths, but I found it time consuming, AND no matter how hard I try to have wrinkle free cloths, I always end up doing the ironing/steaming. I now shift to folding, and I use the whole area of the luggage--make as less folds as possible.

An excellent solution. Your luggage will be like geologic strata.

 

[Saladsamurai]

I wound up doing a combination. I am packing all of my stuff into a hiker's backpack. No irons, no steamers where I'm going. Just dirt roads and rain-forests. We might have electricity this year; we'll see!

 

[drizzle]

I wound up doing a combination. I am packing all of my stuff into a hiker's backpack. No irons, no steamers where I'm going. Just dirt roads and rain-forests. We might have electricity this year; we'll see!

Meh, just throw in a couple of jeans and shirts.. and lots of insecticides.

Btw, if you don't mind me sking, what are you doing there in Ghana?

 

[gravenewworld]

Roll, also stuff stock and underwear into shoes to save space. Many people overpack, for two weeks all you need is 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of shorts, one pair of extra shoes, 5 pairs of underwear, 5 pairs of socks, one nice shirt, one pair of nice pants, 3-4 T shirts, and 2 shirts w/ collar.

 

[DiracPool]

I fold each item neatly and hermetically seal them in one of those food sealers where you suck the air out. Each item is individually packaged. Except socks where there's 2 to a package. Saves a lot of space. That way I have room to take the 40 pound sealer and extra sealer bags with me and do the same for the trip back!

 

[Drakkith]

I fold each item neatly and hermetically seal them in one of those food sealers where you suck the air out. Each item is individually packaged. Except socks where there's 2 to a package. Saves a lot of space. That way I have room to take the 40 pound sealer and extra sealer bags with me and do the same for the trip back!

I...who...what...

*does math*
*math fails*
How does this work?!

 

[Saladsamurai]

Meh, just throw in a couple of jeans and shirts.. and lots of insecticides.

Btw, if you don't mind me sking, what are you doing there in Ghana?

Hey Gad! My girlfriend and I will be heading there for our second time. Last time, we went for 6 weeks to volunteer and, of course, adventure! This time is only for 3 weeks and we will be doing the same.

Roll, also stuff stock and underwear into shoes to save space. Many people overpack, for two weeks all you need is 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of shorts, one pair of extra shoes, 5 pairs of underwear, 5 pairs of socks, one nice shirt, one pair of nice pants, 3-4 T shirts, and 2 shirts w/ collar.

I did similar for 3 weeks: 7 pairs of socks; 7 underwear; 5 t-shirts; 1 long-sleeve t-shirt; 1 long-sleeve collared shirt; 2 jeans; 3 shorts; 1 swim trunks.

In addition, since it is a developing nation, I brought an array of medicines and anti-biotics; my own set of sheets; insect repellents.

I...who...what...

*does math*
*math fails*
How does this work?!

 

[Astronuc]

Definitely a combination. I usually fold shirts and pants, but anything else is rolled.

More or less the same. Underwear is folded, socks are just tossed in.

 

[drizzle]

That's so nice, Saladsamurai. Wish you a trip full of thoughtfulness and joy.