need tips on space bags or ziploc bags

[Leesie6351]

Hi-- we started using self sealing space bags several years ago and won't travel without them. Here are the main advantages:

1. helps keep clothes from wrinkling

2. when sealed and rolled to get the air out, you can pack more clothes in the same space-you save valuable space in the suitcase (we use the kind you seal like a baggie and roll to get the air out not the kind you need to use a vacuum cleaner hose)

3.keeps clothes from being handled by TSA-if your suitcase is opened for inspection, they pick up the see through bag not your clothes

4. you can pack bags with specific clothing types or for pre-nights or postnights so you don't have to rummage through the suitcase to find the right clothes. Bags come in different sizes and hold several pieces of clothing

5. no danger of clothes getting dirty or having liquids or even rain get them wet and ruined.

 

I'm a believer. They sell them in Bed, Bath and Beyond

[MrsPete]

I am a packing nut case! I am OCD packer. I put everything in bags to organize and to look pretty. Avon had these great packing cubes this past fall that worked great. They are 3 diff colors and they certainly helped with organization.

 

We drove down a few days before our cruise.

We had change of clothes for that leg of the trip in one color.

Then we went to a precruise hotel for another day, so another color for that one.

Then post cruise for another color.

 

We did this to avoid pulling out the big cruise suitcase and flipping thru all the neat piles in there that were neatly packed for the weeklong cruise.

 

I guess folks use the baggies/dry cleaning bags/space bags mostly for organization and to save some wrinkles. :D I love all of them! Glad to hear the interesting ways everyone uses them. Keep 'em coming!

We do something similar, but it's not all in one suitcase:

 

We always drive down a night ahead of time, and instead of bringing ALL the suitcases into the hotel, we pack one large tote bag for the whole family (it's the BIG LL Bean tote, so it can hold some stuff!). We pack JUST something to sleep in, an outfit to wear for boarding, and our toiletries. We don't have a bunch of stuff to trip over in the pre-cruise hotel room, and the tote bag (with dirty clothes from the ride to Florida) stays in the car while we cruise -- no need to bring dirty items onboard.

 

We leave a spot in the "real suitcase" for toiletries, and we transfer them over (and pop on the cable ties) before we leave the hotel.

 

If I were doing a few days of Florida beach time before the cruise, I'd pack two entire separate suitcases: One for the beach vacation, one for the cruise.

[annecolorgreen]

We leave a spot in the "real suitcase" for toiletries, and we transfer them over (and pop on the cable ties) before we leave the hotel.

quote]

 

cable ties?

[MrsPete]

We leave a spot in the "real suitcase" for toiletries, and we transfer them over (and pop on the cable ties) before we leave the hotel.

quote]

 

cable ties?

Disposable locks.

 

 

[shelle007]

We do something similar, but it's not all in one suitcase:

 

We always drive down a night ahead of time, and instead of bringing ALL the suitcases into the hotel, we pack one large tote bag for the whole family (it's the BIG LL Bean tote, so it can hold some stuff!). We pack JUST something to sleep in, an outfit to wear for boarding, and our toiletries. We don't have a bunch of stuff to trip over in the pre-cruise hotel room, and the tote bag (with dirty clothes from the ride to Florida) stays in the car while we cruise -- no need to bring dirty items onboard.

 

We leave a spot in the "real suitcase" for toiletries, and we transfer them over (and pop on the cable ties) before we leave the hotel.

 

If I were doing a few days of Florida beach time before the cruise, I'd pack two entire separate suitcases: One for the beach vacation, one for the cruise.

 

Im really liking the idea of leaving the dirty clothing from precruise in the car! So simple but just didnt think about it. Love to use the ziplocks for underwear, socks, swimsuits ect.....I tend to roll the rest of my stuff but since we are driving to port this time. I might try to use more ziplocks and get more in my suitcases....weight wont be an issue since we are driving! Another thing Im going to do is to bring a few of those cheap ecofriendly shopping bags for any excess such as souveiners that wont fit in the suitcase. I think that these bags would also work great for port days when we are going to be shopping. Last time I packed a flat duffle in the bottom of my suitcase for the excess stuff and that was great for the trip home on the Airplane.

[MICHLEV1974]

We are driving down this year again too. We are stopping at 3 different locations before we board the cruise in Miami. I love the suggestions on this board!

 

This might help a family of 4 on a road trip or precruise trip. So, here goes: We are 4 people (2 moms and 2 boys age 13) and we are going on a 3 day precruise road trip, 8 day cruise, and 2 day return road trip. We pack 2 big suitcases, and have 3 colored packing cubes from Avon (about the size of a sports ball bag for a basketball/soccer ball) for each person, and one big toiletry bag (like the kind from LL Bean that has all the pouches and plastic travel gadgets).

 

Here's how to keep organized with the stuff:

The big suitcases (2) go into the trunk -- this is all the cruise clothes. The 4 of us each have one duffle bag that we put 3 colored packing cubes in. In each of the packing cubes is one days worth of stuff for the stops along the way and will double for the trip back home. These go in the trunk ontop of the big suitcases.

 

On our first stop, we pop the trunk, each grab our blue bag of stuff out of the duffle bags for that stop and someone grabs the toiletries bag. Our next stop, we each grab our green bag and someone grabs the infamous toiletries bag. Last stop is the red bag, etc.... When we board the cruise, we leave the colored bags in the car w/the dirties, and take the one carryon size with us on the ship with the one toiletries bag for everyone.

 

Maybe this method is crazy, too over the top, or just plain nuts, but it works for me. :D

[suezyq50]

I also use them toplace wet suits into.

[saturn5]

The Dollar Stores carry 3 or 4 sizes of 'space type' bags that have worked out good.

[travelpeon]

My packing aides of choice are 2.5 gallon Hefty zip bags, Gusseted ziplocks (esp. 1 quart for toiletries), and packing cubes.

 

2.5 gallon bags are big enough for a few pairs of pants and can do double duty for the dirties.

Gusseted ziplocks will stand on their own. This makes the 1 quart ones great for toiletries as they'll actually stay upright on the bathroom counter.

Packing cubes are zippered fabric "blocks". eBags, Rick Steves, Eagle Creek, and other companies produce these. I find them to be sturdier and a bit faster to pack than ziplocks. More of a block configuration which makes it easier to live out of a suitcase without unpacking than sandwich style that ziplocks necessitate. It's also easy to repack a suitcase if it is opened for inspection/retrieval and fit the cubes into space efficient configurations.

 

For those considering the shopping bag as a portable tote- Look for some with zippered tops or perhaps stick some velcro on the top to keep strange fingers out and your stuff in the bag if it takes a tumble. It'll also keep whatever you've packed in it instead of under an airplane or car seat.

[STARFISH*4]

i started using the 2.5 gallon zips a couple of cruises ago...so convenient..

all day clothes, lingere everything practically to wear but the DRESS things (dry-cleaner) bags go in the zips hardly any to no wrinkles...makes unpacking easy and too 'no one' is touching my stuff if my bags are gone thru..each bag is labled for which day and saves the hassel of trying to find what you want!

i even put my jewelry in them then in another makeup type bag..they work out great for everything

i tried those space bags once and then can become to compact and weighty and mine "blew out and tore" the first time we used...never had a problem with the 2.5 gallon zips...

.i use every size of zips for everything...down to those little snack size and always take extra with me--never without my zips:D

[Bowie MeMe]

DH and I usually take longer cruises/vacations with pre and post both.(about 3 weeks.) We carry clothes for up to 10 days We use one 25 inch suitcase (roller) each and one rolling tote bag as a carryon. My current suitcase is an ultralight polycarbonate clamshell. There is the problem -- stuff falls out so zip-locks are absolutely mandatory. I tried the large zippered storage bag (5 gals) but they concentrated the stuff too much. I use gal and 2 gal bags now. One for each kind of underwear (bras, undies, socks) sometimes T-shirts. Jewlery by sets in small cloth bags (given by one of the mall shops) then into a zip or cosmetic bag. earrings in a small coin purse. shoes in plastic sleeves that the newspaper comes in! (perfect size). medicine cabinet is in quart bags (one tummy, skin, cold/fever/, bandage, coffee/tea,) then into a large zippered bag got at target. (This bag sits on bathroom shelf and serves as medicine cabinet at home also). Prescriptions (I take alot) go in snack bags with each RX (I use the reorder form) taped on the bag and enough for the time plus one week. My weekly pill containers are filled from the bags and these are kept in a tall zippered plastic bag that first held pillowcases. All medicines go in handluggage. Dirty clothes bag is a nylon duffle bag that folds/zippers into a small square. If no extra bag fee we load the shoes and spare lotions/drinks/etc into the duffle and sent it through as luggage (they have been on over 100 trips and still doing well - not bad for a free bag). Laundry day just grab the bag and go to laundry room. (I use Purex 3 in 1 sheets which fit in the side pocket). Toss the laundry bag in with the clothes and after dryer throw clothes back into bag and carry to room to fold. So from my 40 years of trying to master packing -- those are my suggestions.

 

If you are using ziplocks and have long fingernails be careful -- nails cut right through the zippies.

[caronrichard13]

I use ziplock bags for bringing and marinading larger amounts of meat or vegetables. They also work well for storing large amounts of cleaned and cut greens in the refrigerator until ready to use.

[middlehaitch]

I never knew others used zip lock bags. I do and the whole family laugh at me.

Mine are the medium freezer bags an I tend to do like items together. 2 dresses usually to a bag. Why I use them? It helps me organize my packing for the cruise, and once an item has been worn it is packed up and put back in the suit case to await the washing machine once we get home. This also keeps the small closet in they cabin tidier and leaves me time on the last day to socialize.

Couldn't travel any other way now.

Cheers, h

[Sue Do-Over]

I fold shirts carefully and slide a stack into the ziploc, zip it most of the way, and then put a pillow on top and sit to squeeze out the air. I pack them too full to roll, and stuff wrinkles more that way.

 

I do roll tshirts, pj pants, swimsuits, underwear, paired socks and then line them up in rows like a pack of sausages.

 

Look at Walmart, Meijer, etc. for the big bags -- I won't spend the extra for space bags.