For many people, packing for a trip is the most dreaded part of their vacation. It doesn’t have to be that way, if you have a plan. Follow these steps to pack a suitcase in 20 minutes or less.

How To Pack A Suitcase In 20 Minutes
Step One
Lay out everything you plan on packing on your bed. This makes it easy to do a quick check to see if you’re forgetting anything. Make a checklist of each item you lay out. This makes it super easy to remember all your belongings when it’s time to pack up to come home.
Step Two
Tightly roll-up thicker fabrics, such as underwear, jeans and t-shirts. Tuck these rolled-up clothes neatly into the bottom of the bag. I use packing cubes for these. You can get them on Amazon like I did (affiliate link in the image below) If you have delicate cargo such as electronic devices or shampoo bottles, lay them on top of the rolled-up clothes so that they have a nice layer of padding.
Step Three
Delicate clothing such as dress shirts need to be neatly folded to avoid wrinkles. Fold them up and lay them on top of the fragile items you place on top of the bottom layer. Alternate which end of the bag you place the collar of each shirt, so that this layer is even and the suitcase is easier to close.
Step Four
Line up your shoes and place them along the edges of the bag, so that the soles are facing the outside. Fill each one with smaller items you don’t want to get tossed around, such as jewelry and sunglasses.
Then, lay a folded towel across the top and tuck the edges into the bag so that it covers everything and keeps things like shirt sleeves from poking out when you’re trying to zip up the suitcase.
These are just a few easy steps to take, allowing you to pack a suitcase in 20 minutes or less. As you can see, it isn’t a matter of rocket science. It’s really just a matter of taking the time to do it right the first time. Bon voyage!


Corinne! Lày out everything on the bed!!!!! That’s the hardest part. Hehehehe
Really? Why? Tell me more, please. 🙂
Love the post! No matter how much I used to plan my packing for a trip, I’d always forget something! LOL
I know – unless like me, you over pack, like I used to.
I have my suitcases all over my living room floor at the moment prepping for a trip. Great timing, Corinne. Thank you!
I saw your picture just now and you look really excited. Have a great trip.
These are great tips to pack for a trip. I make list of everything that I need to carry, 2-3 days prior to the trip and then pack as per the list. I liked the idea of packing cubes, will check them out. Placing a folded towel is a great idea too. Thanks for sharing, Corinne 🙂
I can only imagine how organized you are, Shilpa. I find the cubes are a great storage idea for smaller garments at home too.
Very handy tips Corinne! Packing can become quite a nightmare if you are packing for all the ‘contingencies’ you imagine! I think it is a good idea to restrict your time to just 20 minutes so that you don’t over pack. Happy travels if you have a bag packed!
I am slowly working towards not over packing, Sunita. And this does help.
“laying a folded towel across the top”, is a great idea! I wonder why I haven’t thought about it. The fancy bunches of silk threads on the borders of saris and dupattas often get into the zip of my suitcases.
Yes and sometimes I even put a plastic bag over that to take care of unexpected rain.
Corinne
This is how I pack my suitcase… my sister taught me some tricks & due to my frequent travels in past life I perfected the system… Things become little tough when you are blind & traveling alone… so I need to be more organized than rest of those able bodies.
Makes perfect sense, Raghav. Getting the system in place makes sure you don’t leave anything out on both ends of your trip!
Great tips for quick packing Corinne! My daughter rather loves rolling clothes into neat tight bundles to increase space and it is incredible to see how much you can pack by this technique. For me it is not the packing that is a chore, it is the unpacking!