So you finally got a duffel bag. Good on you, because you obviously know they’re the premier method of schlepping, but do you know how to pack a duffel bag the right way? Clearly not (at least not yet), because we found you here. A lot of the time, duffel bags have just one cavernous opening that makes it hard to figure out how to best make the most out of the space. Compartments are great, but they’re best for organizing your bits and bobs and not the seven pairs of heavyweight denim you want to bring on your travels. We’ve done our fair share of traveling, and throughout our testing of duffel bags, we’ve had to haul serious weight. And yet, we manage each and every time. How do we do it? Well, travelers, here’s how to pack a duffel bag to elicit as little stress as possible.
Heavy Stuff Goes in First
Jeans, shoes, sweaters—all of that stuff goes on the bottom. (Keep heavy items that you need easy access to, like your laptop, on top though.) Putting all of the heavier, bulkier items at the base of the duffel will give the bag its structure, making it easier to haul, and it gives everything else the support because most bags tend to fall into themselves because they lack structure. Once all of your heavy goods are in, then you can introduce the rest of your items.
Army Roll Your T-Shirts
You don’t need to enlist to know how to army roll a shirt. This is simply a way to compress your clothes so that there’s less wasted space because of excess air. All you have to do is fold your shirts like you normally would, then roll them so that they look like a burrito. Doing so will mean you can pack maybe 20% (a statistic we made up) more stuff into your bag—and if you do it correctly, your shirts won’t end up looking like a wrinkled mess when it’s time to get dressed.
Fill the Gaps With Small Stuff
We’re almost there, we promise! Now that the majority of your items are packed, it’s all about filling in the gaps—literally. Use your socks, underwear, dopp kitt, and whatever’s remaining to literally fill in the gaps that you’ve created. The idea is to utilize every single square inch of space because there’s no way in hell you’re going to pay for a checked bag. Now, zip that bad boy up, and off you go to your final destination.