Used to swear by detailed online packing tutorials, now I just shove clothes in a duffel

For years I watched fifteen minute videos on rolling techniques and folding hacks before any trip. Last month I had to pack for a flight to Austin in ten minutes and just stuffed everything into a carry on. Nothing wrinkled, I found everything fine, and I saved like an hour of my life. Am I missing out on some hidden benefit of organizing socks by color?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_baker14d ago

Wait, did you actually just shove everything in without rolling or folding at all? Like just tossed shirts and pants in a pile? I keep wondering if the whole folding thing is just a way for people to feel productive before a trip, like a pre-vacation ritual. But then again, I had a buddy who did the duffel stuff method and ended up with a broken zipper and a dirty sock stuck in his water bottle. So did you really not have any issues with wrinkling or finding stuff, or were you just lucky that one time?

cora51814d ago

Oh man, the broken zipper and dirty sock situation is exactly the kind of chaos I'm trying to avoid, but you know what, I actually didn't have any problems. I think the key is not caring too much about wrinkles if you're only gone for a few days, because honestly, who's really inspecting your shirt at a campsite. And for finding stuff, I just shove the stuff I need first on top, like a lazy man's packing system. But yeah, your buddy's nightmare story is definitely making me rethink my whole approach next time. Have you ever tried just rolling everything like a burrito, or are you a die hard folder?

piper77914d ago

Are you a burrito roller or folder? I have to say, I used to be a hardcore folder but I switched to rolling everything like a beach towel a few years ago. It's not perfect for preventing wrinkles on dress shirts or anything, but for tshirts and jeans, it works great. Plus I can see everything in my bag at once if I roll them tight enough. I still fold my socks and underwear into little squares though, I'm not a complete barbarian. But yeah, your lazy man system sounds pretty much like what I do for a weekend trip, just toss it all in and hope for the best.