• Meet Me
  • Media Kit
  • U.S. Destinations
    • California
    • Chicago
    • Florida
    • New Mexico
    • Road Trips
    • Seattle
    • Seasonal
  • Worldwide Destinations
    • Camino de Santiago
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Cuba
    • England
    • France
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Other
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin
TravelSmart Woman
  • Meet Me
  • Media Kit
  • U.S. Destinations
    • California
    • Chicago
    • Florida
    • New Mexico
    • Road Trips
    • Seattle
    • Seasonal
  • Worldwide Destinations
    • Camino de Santiago
    • Canada
    • Costa Rica
    • Cuba
    • England
    • France
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Other
Home » How-To » Packing–Fold or Roll? (Hint: It’s Really Up to YOU!)
How-ToTravel Tips

Packing–Fold or Roll? (Hint: It’s Really Up to YOU!)

travelsmartwoman January 17, 2018 Packing, Travel tips, vacations Comments are off
Packing: Fold or roll? Your choice! Making a good list is probably more important. (Photo credit: Pixabay)

Packing–Fold or roll? The traveler’s dilemma. There you are, getting ready for your trip. You’ve given careful thought to what to bring. Perhaps you’re committed to doing carry-on, so your suitcase is small. Maybe you’ve even googled tips to make the most of the limited space.

Suddenly, your packing confidence evaporates: Travel experts offer conflicting advice on how to pack. Some say that layers of clothing not only work well, but also reduce wrinkles. Others are firm in their opinion that folding is for amateurs–rolling is the only way to go.

So, when you’re packing, should you roll or fold? I’m here to help. Let’s look at both methods…it really comes down to preference.

Packing--Fold or roll? It's up to you. As long as you're organized and everything fits in, all is well! (Photo credit: Pixabay)
Packing–Fold or roll? It’s up to you. As long as you’re organized and everything fits in, all is well! (Photo credit: Pixabay)

Folding and Layers: The Classic Method

There’s a definite order to this technique, so if you’re a “casual” packer, this may not be your best bet. But there are plenty of advocates willing to share their tips, including Martha Stewart, who seems to know everything about anything.

I like the practical advice in this article from RealSimple magazine. It walks you through the entire process, from choosing what to bring to handling dirty clothes. It does mention rolling a few things (underwear, t-shirts, jeans) but mostly, clothes are layered.

Folding clothes often involves extra precautions, such as using tissue paper or plastic bags to prevent wrinkles. Packing cubes can be helpful, too, especially for items like dress shirts. The key to successful folding is to make sure there isn’t room for the contents to shift around in transit. Use straps to hold everything in place.

I’ll be honest: folding isn’t efficient or practical. But since I know there are people out there who will never, ever roll their clothing, I’m trying to be supportive. And I’ll also be honest: in an informal experiment by Conde Nast Traveler staff, folding won. Read about it here.

Packing--Fold or roll? If you prefer to fold your clothes, packing cubes can be helpful. Just make sure everything fits snugly to prevent items from shifting.
Packing–Fold or roll? If you prefer to fold your clothes, packing cubes can be helpful. Just make sure everything fits snugly to prevent items from shifting. (Photo credit: Pixabay)

Rolling: Pack More in the Same Space

Over the years, I’ve migrated to the rolling method. Clothing has become wrinkle-resistant and travel itineraries more casual in terms of what to wear. USA Today has a quick explanation of how to pack a carry-on suitcase by rolling items.

Rolling lets you organize several ways:

  • Roll individual items, such as shirts, and keep them together
  • Roll similar items together–all the shirts in a single roll
  • Roll outfits together, including a couple of shirts with each pair of pants

You get the idea. Of course, you can still use packing cubes for even more organization.

Is there a downside to rolling? Well, you have to be careful not to overpack. And you still have to be careful about folding, to avoid wrinkles. Hector Cervantes has a popular YouTube demonstration on how to do an “Army roll” for t-shirts. It’s worth the 1 minute 39 seconds to learn how.

Packing--fold or roll? A "well-rolled" suitcase is a work of art. Read the article about packing for London to learn more. (Photo Credit: London Connection)
Packing–fold or roll? A “well-rolled” suitcase is a work of art. Read the article about packing for London to learn more. (Photo Credit: London Connection)

My favorite travel guru, Rick Steves, offers a quick rundown on packing light. If you’ve ever taken a Rick Steves tour, you know that it’s a must. In fact, you must agree to bring a carry-on size suitcase or backpack that you can handle by yourself.

In the end, it’s your trip, your suitcase, and your belongings. Do as you wish–to hell with the experts. But now you can wisely defend your choice!

Need more packing and travel tips?

5 Things Women Should Always Pack

Solo Travel Safety: Packing Light

8 OTC Medications Every Traveler Should Pack

Packing Advice Quote

Previous Article Where to Go in 2018: 7 Places to Consider
Next Article Travel Show Tips: 7 Steps to a Fabulous Day

About Author

travelsmartwoman

Related Posts

  • Street photography is taking candid photos of strangers.

    The Etiquette of Street Photography

    July 12, 2020
  • TravelSmart Woman wants you to explore the world! And there are other travel bloggers who can help you get there, exactly the way you want.

    15 Travel Bloggers to Follow

    February 23, 2020
  • How exactly can we go about turning our kids into travelers?

    Turning Kids into Travelers

    November 3, 2019

Worth 1,000 Words…

A labyrinth can reset our mind and intention. Can we do the same with how we travel? (Photo by Suzanne Ball)
Flower Vendor at sSeattle Pike Place Market
Seattle’s Pike Place Market is one of the nation’s treasures. (Photo by Suzanne Ball)
The World's Largest Rocking Chair in Casey, Illinois.
Going to Seattle? Of course you'll want to visit the Space Needle. Fresh from a renovation, here's what to know!
"Becoming Human" by Christian Ristow welcomes you to Meow Wolf.The flower-sniffing robot is 30 feet tell. (Photo by Suzanne Ball)
A "young man" of 70+ years leads the band in Santa Clara. (Photo by Suzanne Ball)
Sandia Peak Tram was a challenge to build.
After your selfie at The Bean, visit one of the Chicago food halls!
The passage to the stadium was once covered entirely by a stone arch roof. Today, only one section remains. It's easy to imagine how athletes felt as they ran down the narrow entry into the stadium
The wooden roof is what burned on 15 April 2019, taking the spire with it. When it was built, Notre Dame Cathedral required 52 acres of forest to complete the roof.
Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, NM: The Mysterious and Miraculous Staircase
Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times..
Solo travel doesn't really have many downsides
Unclaimed Baggage Center is easy to find in Scottsboro, AL.
Milwaukee Art Museum: Architect Santiago Calatrava designed MOM to resemble a ship. Given its location on the Lake Michigan waterfront, his idea was brilliant. (Photo credit: Suzanne Ball. All rights reserved.)
Peace solo travel by eating at a nice restaurant
Rome-Colosseum
U.S. Destinations-Seattle-Pike Place
Window shopping in Florence: Silk ties
The Acropolis in Athens awaits!
Craving Europe? There are some surprising European destinations in the US!

Use Tags to Find a Topic

Airlines architecture Books budget travel Camino de Santiago Canada Chicago Covid-19 cruise Cuba England Europe Food Greece Health history Holidays Hotels hotel tips inspiration Italy Markets museum New Mexico Packing Quotes recipes Rick Steves road trips safety Seattle single supplement solo travel Thoughts & Opinions tours Train Travel Travel Insurance Travel Planning Travel tips U.S. Destinations US travel vacations walks World Views Worldwide Destinations
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Instagram
© Copyright 2014-2018. Theme by BloomPixel.