Packing tips (space bags)

[NJporkroll]

I'm looking to order those vacuum bags for packing our suitcases. There are several that can use a vacuum hose or by pressing down on them.

 

Curious to know if anyone recommends and particular brand. Thanks

 

 

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[lucymorgan]

I am a fan of packing cubes but the ones that need a vacuum are a trap for travelling as you won't have a vacuum in your stateroom and it would be easy to overpack. It isn't fun trying to repack your luggage at the end of the cruise and not being able to fit everything in :)

[Lionesss]

My DH wants to try these to be more organized when travelling.

 

After 10 years of cruising, I think I am pretty organized, and this would just rock the boat for me.

 

I take what I need and have done quite well so far.

 

Would love to hear how this helped others though.

 

Thanks

[waterbugohio]

I use the ones that you don't have to vacuum. They just get rolled tight.

 

I don't really use them for space saving reasons. As you have to really watch. If you were to use all space bags and completely fill a suitcase. I would assume it would be over the weight limit!!!

 

I use them as an easy/stress free way to pack for going home. Just bring 3-4 space bags. Each day if the clothes I wore are dirty and won't be worn again. I put them in a bag. After two days and a full bag. I seal it and roll it shut. Stick it under the bed with the luggage. On the last day. Almost all clothes is in bags and ready for the suitcase. And if there is anything I didn't wear (which there always is coz I overpack). I can keep clean and dirty clothing separate from each other

 

Makes packing to go home lots quicker so I can enjoy my last day on the ship.

 

If you do the vacuum ones. People on here say that the room steward will bring you a vacuum to use

 

 

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[NJporkroll]

I use the ones that you don't have to vacuum. They just get rolled tight.

 

I don't really use them for space saving reasons. As you have to really watch. If you were to use all space bags and completely fill a suitcase. I would assume it would be over the weight limit!!!

 

I use them as an easy/stress free way to pack for going home. Just bring 3-4 space bags. Each day if the clothes I wore are dirty and won't be worn again. I put them in a bag. After two days and a full bag. I seal it and roll it shut. Stick it under the bed with the luggage. On the last day. Almost all clothes is in bags and ready for the suitcase. And if there is anything I didn't wear (which there always is coz I overpack). I can keep clean and dirty clothing separate from each other

 

Makes packing to go home lots quicker so I can enjoy my last day on the ship.

 

If you do the vacuum ones. People on here say that the room steward will bring you a vacuum to use

 

What a great tip.

 

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[lovesthebeach2]

I'm looking to order those vacuum bags for packing our suitcases. There are several that can use a vacuum hose or by pressing down on them.

 

Curious to know if anyone recommends and particular brand. Thanks

 

 

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We used space bags I bought at Walmart for our 12 night cruise. They don't require a vacuum to use. They were perfect, everything stayed neat and we had room for everything.

[MichaelCMTX]

I am a fan of packing cubes but the ones that need a vacuum are a trap for travelling as you won't have a vacuum in your stateroom and it would be easy to overpack. It isn't fun trying to repack your luggage at the end of the cruise and not being able to fit everything in :)

 

Our solution to this for 10+ years, even before cruises, has been a hockey bag. We call it the "body bag", it's a duffle large enough to literally put a person in. It's wasted time trying to properly fold, fit and organize the used clothes for the trip home, so in one of the suitcases we have this thing all rolled up. When we unpack we unroll it, stash it behind a chair or at the bottom of the closet and it becomes the "Hamper" for the week.

 

For the trip home we nest a smaller rolling suitcase into a bigger one so we have the same number of bags to check.

 

We have yet to exceed the lower 40s with the bag's weight. It's bulky, but never seems to end up that heavy.

 

We get it home, open it wide and hang it in the attic for the next 6 to 9 months to freshen up between uses.

 

So if you're plotting something with space bags that could result in you needing more space to come home than when you left, it's worth a thought.

Edited October 22, 2016 by MichaelCMTX

[ColoradoGurl]

Our solution to this has been a hockey bag. We call it the "body bag", it's a duffle large enough to literally put a person in. It's wasted time trying to properly fold, fit and organize the used clothes for the trip home, so in one of the suitcases we have this thing all rolled up. When we unpack we unroll it, stash it behind a chair or at the bottom of the closet and it becomes the "Hamper" for the week.

 

 

 

For the trip home we nest a smaller rolling suitcase into a bigger one so we have the same number of bags to check.

 

 

 

We have yet to exceed the lower 40s with the bag's weight. It's bulky, but never seems to end up that heavy.

 

 

 

We get it home, open it wide and hang it in the attic for the next 6 to 9 months to freshen up between uses.

 

 

 

So if you're plotting something with space bags that could result in you needing more space to come home than when you left, it's worth a thought.

 

 

This is a good idea!

 

 

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[knittinggirl]

We like the Spectre Compression bags from Eagle Creek. I've also got one of those clean/dirty cubes (bag w/ two sections). Put all the clean items in the first section, then move the dirty ones to the dirty section. If you're taking carry-ons, and don't plan to open the main bags before boarding the ship, the Eagle Creek Clean/dirty cubes separate clean and dirty, and you only have the one bag. Bought it in a moment of weekness, but learned I really liked it during our first trip.

 

All compression bags tend to be thin near the edge and fat in the middle. We did the clear plastic compression bags first, and like them but about ten years ago, we switched to packing cubes. Their shape fits better into the suitcase. We put everything in our packing cubes, even those odds and ends. So much easier to pack and find them when they're not all migrating around the bag. Before packing cubes, we had security personnel literally remove everything from our bag. With the packing cubes, they had a pretty good idea where to look.

 

I also like the eagle creek folding envelopes for shirts and pants.

Edited October 22, 2016 by knittinggirl

[rkkunk]

We use American Tourister compression bags. I usually get them at our Wal-Mart, although they are getting harder to find. They used to have 1 X-Lrg, 2 Lrg, and 1 Med bag in the package, but now only have 1 Lrg. and 3 Med. bags.

The X-Lrg were great for dirty clothes as they were pretty big. The Lrg size are good for packing your clothes in, but the Med size are small.

You do have to be careful about weight when using them. You don't need a vacuum because you just roll them to get the air out. We take some empty ones and fill them up during the week with dirty clothes and hardly need to pack anything at the end of the week.

We also pack our clothes in them and you don't need as many bags and you don't have to worry about you clothes getting wet if something happens on the way to your cruise or on the way home.

 

 

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[Desert Cruizers]

I use the packing cubes and for me I am better able to organize my packing and take less clothes. I plan my evening slacks based upon number of formal Nights vs casual then mix & match my tops to go with each. By rolling my slacks in a cube it makes it easier to locate a specific pair especially if stopping pre cruise. I also pack my Carry On with a 4 day supply of clothes in case the checked back gets delayed.

[knittinggirl]

I use the packing cubes and for me I am better able to organize my packing and take less clothes. I plan my evening slacks based upon number of formal Nights vs casual then mix & match my tops to go with each. By rolling my slacks in a cube it makes it easier to locate a specific pair especially if stopping pre cruise. I also pack my Carry On with a 4 day supply of clothes in case the checked back gets delayed.

We do three days of clothes, but also plan on doing laundry if possible. Our carry-on underwear are quick dry, so if needed we can wash in the sink w/ tide sink packs. We also cross pack our checked luggage. DH has decreed that complete sets of underwear & socks in each cube. Too many times, he's gotten to wherever we travel only to learn not enough socks.

[griffy116]

I use the 3-gallon size zip lock bags. They're big enough to put a complete outfit in like capri slacks, underwear, t-shirt, or shoes. If you would rather separate things, you can put all your underwear in one, shorts in another, swimsuits, cover-ups in another, etc. I press the air out. When I get to the cabin, I just toss them on a shelf in the closet or in the drawers. They're see-thru so I can easily see what I'm looking for. I can hang the outfit up the night before and any are gone by morning. When I use a clean outfit, the dirty outfit goes in the baggie and I mark a big X on it with a sharpie and toss it into the suitcase (under the bed). On the final day, almost all my packing is already done. I put my formal outfit in a dry cleaning bag to prevent wrinkles and it just goes back into the suitcase, along with the shoes. Dirty clothes don't contaminate my clean clothes, damp clothes don't get thrown in on top of dry things. Everything fits right back in just the way it did when I packed at home and I have room for souvenirs. I even use a zip lock for all the things I put in the safe, just to make sure that nothing gets left behind in the dark safe. I use smaller ones for OTC meds that get tossed in a drawer. I use smaller ones for cash for private excursions and my confirmations with phone numbers. I toss these in the safe with the name of the excursion on the outside. The morning of the excursion, all I have to do is grab the baggie. I stick a sandwich size baggie in the desk with my tips for room service, porters, tips for taxi or car, etc. BEST tip I ever got from this forum years ago. I use it for every cruise and I actually look organized and don't have to waste any time.

[boscobeans]

After 23 or so cruises averaging about 10 nights in length we manage very well with 1 checked bag and 2 carry on bags.

 

Granted we only cruise to the Caribbean so aside from attire to satisfy the requirements in the MDR it is mostly shorts and other light weight casual garments. There is always the option of sending out a bag of laundry while on board if needed and that also reduces what you have to bring.

 

Our checked bag is always just under the 50 pound limit and that is with a combination of careful rolling and folding. If we filled the same bag with vacuumed garments I think the weight might exceed 50 pounds even though the volume is greatly reduced.

 

We used the vacuum bags for seasonal storage of garments at home and find that they are great but wrinkles MUST be washed or pressed out.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[Desert Cruizers]

Last Oct, if I hadn't had to bring so much extra stuff for our Room Crawl, & name tags, I could have easily gotten by with 1 checked bag & a carry on.We did 2 days pre cruise in NYC, spending one full day touring before flying to Quebec and had most all my clothes in the carry on except formal wear and misc items. i don't bring a lot of shoes, a couple pair for evening, rest of time I am in tennies or walking shoes. Our TA next Aug I will bring the carry On & 25" I have lunch name tags I am bringing & something for the tables.

[eac001]

I've used space bags a few times but only the ones wher you roll the air out. I prefer packing cubes that provide compression. They don't pack down as small but keep things organized and are easier to pack because of how they open.

 

First time I used them a space bag a seam ripped which I blamed on me trying to cram way too much stuff into it. You must leave some room for things to compress. I ended up using 2 which packed down much better and added an extra bag in case one failed again (never did). I do find the space bags harder to pack because you need to slide things in from the side so now I only used them for damp swimwear or changes of clothes that don't make it into my main bag.

[maryup]

I fully support space bags. When on the cruise I leave everything in bags and everything stay neat. I have one color for me and one color for husband. That take the stress away each time he is asks where something is

[debshomespun]

I use a 2 or 3 gallon zip lock bags for undies, socks, swimsuits and nighties. Also, cross pack our things in case 1case would go missing. And, each one of us takes a carry on with about 3 change of clothes. I have several packing cubes I use occasionally. Our checked bags are the 26 inng size to avoid over packing and being too heavy. Works well for us. Keep the luggage organized and if TSA needs to rummage through our suitcases, keeps our clothes away from those grimmy gloves.

[gfd201]

My wife and I keep it simple. We both check one bag, taking a carry-on for essentials. Both bags are emptied upon embarkation. Both are slid under the bed, one with the lid open. This one receives all the spoiled clothes; just grab the end, pull it out a little and throw in the clothes with any degree of neatness you desire. At the end of the cruise we always seem to have one bag full of dirty clothes that go straight to the laundry at home, and the other with clean clothes plus any souvenirs we may have acquired. Its helpful if the bags are not completely stuffed to begin with. I always feel a little sorry for the TSA or customs inspector that may feel the need to search that bag.

[Pstreet12]

We purchase a box of 2 1/2 gal. zip lock bags at the grocery store and use them. They don't compress quite as much as the compression bags that you press the air out of--but it's close. We've found over the years that the regular compression bags don't last very long: one or two cruises and we find one letting air in, and with the zip locks, we have a ready supply. We both use them for everything, and stuff arrives pretty much wrinkle free, and since all we do to unpack is put them on the closet shelf (or into a drawer for underwear, socks, etc.), our unpacking is a total non-event. As we need things, we take them out, wear them, and hang them, or put them into the empty bag or two we bring for dirty clothes, etc.

 

We love the fact that if TSA opens our bag, nothing is rumbled; they can see everything without opening anything.

 

On the last cruise, we were taking a special bottle of wine for a special occasion, and hubby sealed it into a food-saver bag and wrapped bubble wrap around that.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Pstreet12

[jamesr3939]

I bought mine at REI. I went the zip lock and space bag route, but they tore after a few trips.

 

The ones from REI are much stronger. My only word of caution is get the SM or MED size as if you fully pack the LG you won't be able to lift your luggage.

 

We also plan to send out some small washable items early in the week, especially like this cruise on the 30th we are going in four days early.

 

I know this is probably TMI, but sometimes I also take my older underwear and just toss it when done.

Edited October 22, 2016 by jamesr3939

[awhfy]

I love my Eagle Creek packing cubes, never have wrinkles (roll the clothes). Also use 3-4 gal zip lock bags (that I get at dollar store. I cross pack 3 complete outfits in the zip lock bags with DH (just in case).

 

I tried the vacuum bags once & didn't think I'd ever get the wrinkles out, never again

 

It's nice to know that TSA isn't digging thru my lingerie

 

 

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[ColoradoGurl]

Wow, you all have converted me to packing cubes. I've spent my day reading reviews on Amazon and sorting through all the options. I never really understood them, but my over-organizing inner self has decided that I want some of these. Thanks guys.

 

 

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[sweetlove13]

I used to use the space bags where you squeeze the air out. I really liked that I could fit a lot of clothes in a small bag, especially when I was traveling with my ex & had to pack for both of us. Problem was after I was done packing my knuckles were always sore from squeezing the air out of all the bags. And once we got to our destination it seemed like our clothes were always wrinkled then it was a total pain to get our dirty clothes back in there because who wants to fold up dirty clothes, stuff them in little bags & repeat the process of squeezing the air out of the bags?? So I bought two sets of packing cubes in different colors so I can distinguish by color what's in which bags, like pants & shorts in the big green bag & underwear in the little purple one for example. I always pack a medium one for my carry on bag & the cubes make it super easy to pack & super easy to just unzip them, throw dirty clothes in & repack at the end of the trip, then when I get home I just throw them in the laundry, easy peasy. It's best to roll your clothes before putting them in the cubes to save room & avoid wrinkles. I got mine cheap on Amazon.

 

 

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[westerngardener]

I'm looking to order those vacuum bags for packing our suitcases. There are several that can use a vacuum hose or by pressing down on them.

 

Curious to know if anyone recommends and particular brand. Thanks

 

 

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I use Rick Steves' Flat Pack. You can buy them online on his website. They have a 3 pack for $19.99. One large measures 27 1/2 x 18" and 2 medium which measure 19 1/2 x 14". Wouldn't go anywhere without them. Similar ones I buy in the stores don't seem to last as long. See below for the info.

 

Our Flat Pack™ 3-Pack includes one large and two medium bags — the perfect combination for most trips.

Best Value: This set costs less than three Flat Packs™ purchased separately.

Easy Success: Pack twice as much in the same space!

1. Fill your Flat Pack™ with bulky clothing.

2. Zip it closed with the handy zipper slider.

3. Roll out the air through the one-way valves.

4. Figure out what to do with all the extra space you've created!

 

Clearly Practical: One side is transparent so you (and airport security staff) can easily see what's inside. And they're durable enough to last for years of easy-packing travel!