This Is My Secret to a Totally Organized Suitcase, and It Costs Less than $10 (It’s Ingenious!)

Eight years ago, I packed for the ultimate honeymoon around Italy. My husband and I traveled from Venice through Florence and Rome before logging beach time around the Amalfi Coast. Being the fashion girl that I am, I planned my outfits, shoes, and accessories well in advance — all with a theme and carefully considering each day’s activities (like a farfalle print dress for a pasta-making class in Firenze). 

There was little room for error to nail the looks, and I had to find a way to keep myself organized and pack as lightly as possible to avoid lugging too much around for 14 days. I developed a system that would unknowingly become my go-to for the rest of my days as a serial traveler with a pension for theme dressing.

The concept is simple — and might I say ingenious? Before packing, I go to a dollar store and pick up a few packs of gallon-sized plastic zip bags. I plan my outfits, putting together each look from head to toe, including sunglasses, jewelry, clothes, and undergarments — anything I’ll be wearing on my body that day is grouped. I fold each item, lay the accessories on top of the pile, and slide the whole look into a bag. I let all the air out before sealing each one, which boasts its own space-saving quality. 

This method ensures that I don’t forget a single item before jetting off, and it helps small and fragile items travel safely without getting lost. Then, when I arrive at my destination, I pull a single bag out for the day before getting dressed and slip it all on accordingly. This is particularly brilliant for anyone who’s backpacking or moving hotels often, like we did. 

I never really unpacked my suitcase — rather than pulling out all my accessories and outfits to get dressed, I just sifted through my catalog of clear pouches. At the end of each day, I undress, slide everything back into its bag, and toss it in my suitcase. 

The best part, however, is that it keeps my clean and dirty clothes separated and worn items ready for the laundry when I get home. This particular trip to Europe was during one of Italy’s hottest heat waves in history, and our clothes were gross by the end of the day. Everything was sweaty and our suitcases were musty by the time we returned home, but my extra outfits were as fresh as the day I packed them. And because my clothes go right back into the bag at the end of the day, I never have to worry about packing the night before a return flight.

It’s been almost a decade since I first started doing this, and two kids later, I even do it for them. I’ve turned friends onto this hack, and it’s proven to be a godsend for anyone who’s tried it. I came up with this long before the days of packing cubes, so I had to get creative, but the idea is essentially the same — and at a fraction of the cost!