Do You Fold Your Clothes or Roll Your Clothes for a Trip?

Updated on July 31, 2012
A.E. asks from Waukee, IA
15 answers

I have seen many things that people roll their clothes for a trip, I do this with my towels but I wasn't sure if it really took up less space in a bag or while traveling?
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J.S.

answers from Columbia on

When I traveled for work (2 weeks out of every month on average), I rolled.

I rolled dress shirts, dress slacks, and all the other casual clothes. Dress shirts should be hung in the shower at the hotel for about 10-15 with the shower running full on hot. Everything else comes out ready to wear!

I did this at least 100-200 times - still do when I pack my own suitcase - but Mrs. is convinced she packs us together better than I can pack my own.

Oh, and yes, less space. It's not a ton of extra space, but in the world of luggage it was enough to matter. My stuff was no longer crushed together, and I had extra room for a pair of shoes (in an airport carryon size upright suitcase)

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S.R.

answers from El Paso on

Depends on the trip! For me, clothes in a suitcase generally get folded. If I'm running out of room, I might roll or fold differently to fit something in a small space. If I'm backpacking, everything going in the backpack gets rolled and shoved in the smallest crevice I can find!

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I roll up a lot of stuff but do take hanging things so I don't have to iron anything. I take the kids clothes, hubby's clothes, and mine and carry them on the hanging rack that is over the 3rd seat. I fold it down so they hang better.

Then when we get where we're going, if we're going to be there for a few days I unpack and hang some knit stuff in the bathroom during shower time to get them less wrinkled.

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I roll, put in ziplock, sit & squish out the air, seal.

I can get 10 outfits in a backpack this way.

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M.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I roll. I started doing that when I heard that it reduces the amount of wrinkles in the packed clothing. I found it to be true.

M.L.

answers from Chicago on

I roll - I feel I can get more things in a suitcase if I do so. The clothes tend to not wrinkle as much either.

That's how I roll.......

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K.B.

answers from Detroit on

If it's only a few things, I will fold...but if it's a lot, I roll...it really does save space!

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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

It depends on the size of the bag, and the number of items of clothing I'm taking. I do whichever will allow me to get everything in one bag. And I take an iron.

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M.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

I actually do neither. I lay them across the suitcase, hanging over the sides. I do this on all four sides, with a few garments on each side, laying maybe 3-4 articles in a stack on each side, with the bottom covering the bottom of the suitcase. Then, I put my other things, like jeans, toiletry bag, hair appliances,shoes (in a bag) in the center on top of the clothes. Then, I fold the clothes over onto those items, towards the opposite sides of the suitcase, one side at a time. I pretty much never have wrinkles. We have traveled a ton in our lives, and this has been the most effective way to keep my clothes wrinkle free. I'm somewhat obsessive about not having wrinkles. ;)

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

I do cheat and fold some things to fit them in for our annual long trip, but....

My dear old Southern mama taught me: Iron everything (lays flatter -- wrinkled things take up more room! Truly!), then roll it up in white tissue paper if you really want to be able to take clothes out and have them look good right out of the suitcase. Lay one layer of tissue on the flat clothes, roll it up inside and if you feel very ambitious, roll another layer of tissue outside. Now, I don't go that far but I do try to roll the outfits I'll be taking out first and need to look nice early on! And the tissue does help, I think!

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

i'm a roller, even things that are delicate; they seem to not get any wrinkles

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I roll swim wear, underwear, and socks.

I hang hang up clothes like suits and dress pants and dress shirts.

Rolling tight takes up less space.

Good luck to you and yours.

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I roll each item, and a friend recently commented she rolls each item in tissue paper, I've had no wrinkles, her either, and we both noticed we can fit way more items in.

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

Husband being former military - we roll.

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V.P.

answers from Columbus on

If I'll be living out of the suitcase, I fold (hard to get to rolled things) -- If I'm unpacking into drawers or hanging things once I get there, I roll.

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