Think about what type of weather you're likely to experience on your trip. Determine how much and what kinds of clothes you need to pack based on weather predictions and what activities you plan to do. If you're going on a ski trip, you know you'll need more than one jacket. If you're traveling to Seattle for business, you may want to pack at least two pairs of dress pants or two suits in case one is ruined in the rain. If you're going on a simple trip to a place with mild weather, you should pack as light as possible, and maybe bring just one jacket.
Lay out your clothes on a bed or counter. Begin with the heaviest items, namely jackets and coats, and work your way down. Continue doing this until all the clothes you plan to bring are spread out in front of you.
Review your selections. Think about the number of days you will be gone and what you really must take with you to avoid any unnecessary inconveniences. Begin eliminating duplicate items and clothing that you're not certain you plan to wear. For example, if you're thinking of bringing V-neck sweaters in two colors just because you'd like to have options once you're at your destination, this is unnecessary. Choose your favorite one and move on.
Plan a rough guideline of what outfit(s) you plan to wear every day. Take into account any points during your trip where you will need to change from day or outdoor wear to nighttime wear. Eliminate many of the items you had originally laid out that are not in your current outfit guidelines.
Begin packing your suitcase. Tightly fold all of your jackets and place them in the bottom of your suitcase. Place any bulky jackets on the very bottom, such as ski or snow jackets.
Fold all your pants, again placing any bulky items at the bottom of the pile, which allows the items on top of them to weigh them down, thereby "deflating" them. Place the pants on top of the jackets.
Follow this same pattern with your sweaters, long-sleeved shirts and T-shirts.
Fold any undershirts, tank tops or sleeveless tops as many times as you can. You can do this by folding the shoulders of these shirts together, then folding it horizontally and folding that once more horizontally. Place these items between the various stacks of clothing in your suitcase. They can usually fit on the very sides of your suitcase, acting as buffers between other folded items and the material of the suitcase.
Place your shoes on top of your folded clothes if a separate zippered compartment isn't present. Place your shoes on top of one another, alternating heel to toe. Remember to also go through your shoes when you're reviewing your clothes to ensure that you don't pack too many pairs.
Fold your underwear and stuff them wherever you can find room, as it shouldn't matter whether they wrinkle. Some people like to put their underwear in their carry-on in case their luggage is lost.
Designate an additional small bag to hold all of your toiletries. Also remember to review your toiletries for items that you can delete. You may also want to buy travel or mini versions of your favorite toiletries.
