Brittany's Travel Hacks: How to Never Check a Bag Again

Here’s the deal. I’m going to Vienna for six whole days which is very exciting. But there’s one small problem—I don’t want to check a bag.

Why not? First of all, I don’t want to pay to check a bag because I am very cheap. And secondly, I’m afraid that the airline will lose my luggage on the international flight. I don’t want to end up in Austria without my clothes or flat iron. Believe me, no one wants to see that.

So in an attempt to only take a carry-on, I went to the Container Store to find a packing space-saver. That’s where I discovered the Ziploc Space Bags. I’ve seen them around, but never used them to help with packing. Turns out, they are an amazing tool.

Essentially all you do is pile your clothes in the bag, zip it closed, and then roll out all of the air. This process makes your clothes more compact and therefore easier to pack. And they’re affordable too! A pack of two bags will cost you $6.99 or $7.99 depending on the size.

My final packing masterpiece (Photo: Brittany Jones-Cooper)

Here are a few tips for using the Ziploc Space Bags:

1. Don’t overstuff the bag

If you put too many clothes in the bag, it won’t get flatter—no matter how hard you roll!

2. Bring extras

I got a little excited when I was removing my clothes from the bag and ended up ripping one. The bags are pretty strong, but you never know. Be sure to pack a few extra in your carry-on.

3. Unpack immediately

As with anything, if you’re cramming your clothes into a small space, they are going to get wrinkled. Take your clothes out of the bag as soon as you get to your destination to prevent deeper creases.

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