Similar to the pillow case idea, I find those mesh laundry bags with zipper extremely useful in packing. It's good for both keeping the clean undies/socks together, and the dirty ones on the way back. You can see what's inside because it's mesh, it has a zipper, and again it doesn't take up much space :)

I'm a convert to the Metalicus, and similar products, that are crease-friendly, fold up small and dry almost instantly, and therefore only ever take carry-on when I travel.
I have the vacuum backs that you just squash the air out of. Great for underwear and "things that can be creased" - read: almost my whole travel wardrobe.
For the kids stuff, I compartmentalise.... a bag for underwear, undershirts, shirts, dresses, pants, swimwear etc. Their stuff is still too small to need vacuum bags.
Everyone in our family has their own carry-on suitcase (incl the baby) and the rule is start filling essentials first, then semi-essentials, then 'nice to haves' and then luxuries. When you run out of space, you run out of space, but at least you know you have everything you'll need.

oops... I meant vacuum bags.

I need a steamer trunk...
...It would be easier than the 5 pieces of luggage I currently bring on my cruises!

How about cutting down on the clothes, shoes, and other stuff you think you need? I thought there would be at least one tip about multi-tasking clothes or the like, but vacuum-packing clothes?

Whenever I travel, I take note of the things I never wear and try to cut them out the next time.

The problem with the vacuum bags isn't needing an iron when you get there. It's finding a vacuum at your hotel to shrink your clothes back down for the trip home. Otherwise they won't fit and you're looking at either shipping it, or throwing stuff out.

@Kodak - I use vacuum bags where you roll them tightly, and it forces the air out. No vacuum needed! They're not as flatpack as ones that use a vacuum, but they're still mighty useful.

@AustinSarah - you're so right... i nearly went on about how we all put what we want to take on the bed, and then it's cut by at least half (by me!) but thought I'd said enough! It's so tempting to pack 3 cardigans, but 1 is usually enough. I'm a layers person, so I take a few key versatile items, and then some basics to mix and match with them, a couple of scarves and jewellery.

I also thought there'd be a section about cosmetics? I invested in a travel pack from the Aesop brand... one for husband, one for me. I have the kids shampoo/soap in travel bottles as well, always packed and ready to go. All the kids have their own cosmetic bags with combs, hair ties for the girls and toothbrushes just for travel, because they're so easy to forget. Husband and I also keep toothbrushes/paste in our cosmetic bags for travel. I restock the cosmetic bags after each trip and then they're put away, so next trip we just throw them in without thinking.

We also have the 'driving holiday' box, for when we go to the beach (most school holidays). It stays stocked with dishwasher powder, detergent, laundry powder, toilet rolls, garbage bags, paper towels, non-perishables like tea, milo, oil, tomato sauce etc. A few holidays of forgetting different things and having to go out and buy them, and then taking them home only to have doubles led to this solution. It sits in the bottom of the pantry, and makes leaving for each holiday a breeze!

Like others before me, I was expecting a bit more of what to pack, etc rather than how to pack it. I like to learn new tricks.

@hnhkt - I do the same thing with my cosmetic bag. It has everything already packed, except for the couple items of daily make up.

My last trip was 2 1/2 weeks and I did it with one carry on. I always fold up a duffel bag in my suitcase for those items I buy while on vacation that don't fit in my carry on.

ooooh! I may not need that dress but I want it!

I've used method #1 before -- the rolling of clothes into small bundles. It worked fine...for a time. One time a TSA/international agent decided to go digging through my bag. The neatly stacked rolls were no longer. I had 30 things scattered about the inspection point. Also, during a 5 week trip, I grew tired of sifting through all of the rolls.

I now swear by pack cubes (zippered mesh/nylon bags). The agent can pull them out, visually check them, and place them back inside. I have one for underwear, t-shirts, PJs, one for pants, and one for shirts. I still roll the clothes within them. Pack cubes are the equivalent of having a small drawers with you :)

onebag.com has some good packing lists. I tend to not like the vacuum bags because they don't inspire me to pack less. I am a genius at packing more and sqooshing it down. I need to be more comfortable with packing LESS!

For me the trick was buying a duffle bag with backpack straps (REI). Since there are no wheels, I'm very careful about weight, and it seems just the ticket for truly packing lighter. I also bought a smaller toiletry kit. I repeat the following mantra: "I am going to another civilized city... I am going to another civilized city..." If you are really going to the boondocks where there are no stores, you already have a specialized packing list.

I save clothes that are ready for the donation box and wear those on the plane, and throw them out when I arrive. You'll need a change of clothes anyways after being on an airplane and if you wear something good you've already got laundry and you've only just arrived. I also hold onto old socks and underwear and wear them, and just throw them out as I use them, instead of bringing them home. I bring laundry soap and wash out every night. It only takes a minute to fill up a sink and let stuff soak. This way, I've only used carry on luggage for years. I can get by with 3 tops and 2 pants for a week-10-day trip. Some would argue it's wasteful to throw clothing out, but I do it anyways. However, if it's a car-trip, I bring eveything but the kitchen sink.

the bundling method (via onebag.com) is really worth a look. it seems counterintuitive, but it really works!

I pack coordinating pieces, or versatile ones, which i find cuts way down on the number of items that go into the bag. Also, I try to wear bulkier items on the plane, ie: wear the boots, pack the shoes.

I think it's really down to what you pack. I travel a lot for work and buy stuff that's thin and light to wear -- crepe tops and the like from Travelsmith. For winter, I have a thin down jacket from Eddie Bauer that will actually fit in my purse when I roll it up and is warm enough (since I'm not going to spend hours outside during a business trip). If you have to use vacuum bags to get all of your stuff into a case, I think you're taking way too much with you.

I'll wear boots if weather calls for that on the trip -- effort at the security gate is better than trying to wedge them into my bag, but in the other seasons I pack flats to wear.

i am a chronic underpacker and have yet to feel i've missed out. sure, i don't have six different outfits for every day, but if i'm travelling, i'm usually too busy doing fun stuff to be playing the diva.

sometimes i wish i packed more pretties, but since i tend to walk A LOT, it's unlikely that stiletto heels and a minidress would've made much sense.

and yes, it hurts to hear of someone throwing clothes out.

this couldn't come at a more appropriate time! i'm trying to pack for a 3 week trip to ireland, and am totally flummoxed! we're staying in hostels, and traveling by bus so we don't want to lug too much around.....but i also want to be as, um, "fashionable" as i am here.

i was also hoping that this was going to be more about "what" to pack, but there have been many helpful tips.

Black and white. I have a favorite brand of white t-shirt and I can pack a stack of them--tank, sleeveless, short and long-sleeve-- in just a couple of inches of space. With a few pieces of costume jewelry, a black-and-white skirt, black pants, and ballet-flats (wear jacket, jeans, and walking shoes on the plane), I'm good to go.

Some tips on WHAT to pack:

FIRST, always check weather forecasts, even the day before cuz they can change. This will help determine what to leave out.

If it's going to be warm and not rainy, just pack 1 or 2 pairs of flip flops. They go with everything, take up little space, and I've never been uncomfortable walking for long periods in them.

If there's potential for rain, bring 2 pairs of versatile flats or vans shoes (in case 1 gets wet, it can dry). Or 1 pair flats and 1 pair sneakers if you'll be hiking or doing activities like that.
Don't bother packing heels.
Stuff socks inside shoes to utilize space.

If you're travelling with a group, you don't each need to bring blowdryers, straighteners, even soap (liquid), shampoo, hairspray, & shave gel (unless you're very picky). Get together and decide who will bring what. There's probably not room or power for more than one of you at a time to plug stuff in anyway. Also, buy MINI's of everything of all that stuff! And call that person before they leave home to double check they have the item packed if it's electrical (toiletries you can always buy).

If you're going somewhere for a week, you don't need 7 pairs of jeans unless you expect them to get very dirty or very sweaty. Pack 2-3 pairs and just re-wear them.

I take a plastic bag or garbage bag for dirty laundry. I can just throw it out when I get home and if anything is wet it won't seep through (vs a pillow case).
I also put shoes in plastic grocery bags cuz I don't want the germs from the bottom on my other stuff.

Take a couple extra plastic & ziploc bags in case something leaks.

If you're prone to head aches or nausea, carry a pillbox with 4-6 of each rather than several bottles/boxes of medicines. You won't need the whole bottle on your trip.

Course, every situation is different depending on season/weather, the types of activities you do on trips and if you prefer style or comfort.

HeyNowTex has the right idea, but one pair of jeans (a nice pair) will do you with a second pair of pants like chinos or if it is summer capris. You can hostel (I do it all the time for weeks on end) with a minimum of items because most hostels- except those in remote areas- have washing machines. And if they do not, there is always a sink. I like black jeans because they do not show the dirt. This was my packing list for clothing items when I led a group of students around England and Wales last May for close to 4 weeks:
one pair black jeans
one pair hiking pants [dark grey] that had zip off legs to become shorts
one rain jacket
one purple fleece zip up jacket [lightweight with no hood]
one purple fleece vest
one white long sleeve tee
two purple short sleeve tees
one black and white print 3/4 sleeve tee
one long sleeve black tee
one dressy white and purple tunic [which I only wore once and would not bring again]
4 pairs of ankle socks
3 bras
4 pairs of underwear
shower shoes (those from Magellan's take up a fraction of the space of flip flops)
2 scarves [one black, one purple] to dress up the tees
one pair loafers
one pair waterproof walking shoes

I packed items by category into packing cubes and bags (Eagle Creek) and as recommended above filled inthe empty spaces with socks and small things and then I stuffed it all into my Eagle Creek backpack that is carry-on size. With the books and papers I needed for the group it came to just over 20 lbs.

i think it is strange that people suggest everyone should pack into a carry-on....has no one ever had their carry-on bag weighed? there are weight restrictions on carry-on baggage. I suggest that you check the weight restrictions for carry-ons for any flight you are taking. especially now that airlines are looking to nickel and dime everything.

i have one rolling carry-on that just fits into one of those metal crates that are the maximum size allowed and i've had that bag weighed at least twice now (out of more than a dozen times...which is low but the potential risk is there). the person at the desk told me that if the weight is over the permitted amount, they make the person check the carry-on which means you just paid an excess baggage fee for an extremely small piece of what is now checked luggage...

I fly a few times a month and am a chronic over-packer! Usually, I'll pack a few days early so I can unpack everything the night before and take out the things I know I won't need. I also pack my outfits in layers, lots of cardigans and suit jackets that can be dressed up or down and try to limit myself to 1 pair of black shoes and one pair of brown. I bring a lot of day-to-night dresses - extra points if they don't need ironing. I travel with a laundry bag so the dirty clothes don't get mixed in with the clean on the way home.

Space bags and the rolling method only work for me on the way there - on the way home I can never get things back in the way they were. I usually try to leave at least 25% empty space in my suitcase to accommodate anything that I've accumulated during the trip.

I always pack the things in my carry on that would be the hardest to replace - jewelry, makeup, bras, shoes, etc.

@niche - we always weigh our bags before leaving.... with a tribe of kids in tow, we don't have the time or patience to get pulled up at the airport. most people are very aware of the weight restrictions. waiting for baggage at the end of a flight is just way too hard. no thank you!

@diydame - i'd suggest layers - look for brands that specialise in travel wear (my go to's are Metalicus, Mesop and Vigorella) and pick some key pieces and then flesh them out. the best bits of clothing are ones you can wash, and that dry almost instantly.
the person who suggested black and white has a good point. I'm generally a black, grey and white girl anyway... and I prefer to look travel-chic, not travel-geek so that colour trio works for me. everything goes together, and I add colour with scarves and jewellery. I plan outfits before I leave, which helps

@valerie - i use vacuum bags to condense even more.... even without them, the amount of things i pack is fairly light-on

@cathie - can't believe you throw as you go!!

OMG..As a serial overpacker for years, I once decided that for a particular trip, I'd be smart and pack light.

For reasons I won't go into, my 10 day trip to Calgary (in September) involuntarily turned into a three month stay. So much for packing well.

Luckily, I had a friend at home whom I could trust to go through my closet and send me things as I needed them. Whilst on the phone, I'd ask her to start at one end of the closet and describe what she saw...from there, I could pick the clothes I'd need. The last package (of three that she sent) included my ski clothes and boots as the seasons had gone from summer to winter and I'd be damned if I didn't get in at least one day at Lake Louise before heading back to Toronto!

I laugh at the whole thing now, but at the time it merely taught me to "be prepared"!!! LOL

Excellent advice. I simply loved the pillowcase technique – such a simple solution for separating dirty laundry from clean clothes. I generally use the lid pocket of my Briggs & Riley luggage to stow away dirty clothes. So, it’s usually no problem for me to separate dirty laundry from the clean clothes.