Daily life. Going on vacation: five tips to save space in your suitcase

As you prepare for your vacation, you face the dilemma of packing your suitcase, which, as always, turns out to be far too small for what you planned to take with you. In addition to not forgetting anything, you also have to fit everything in. This problem is even more significant if you plan to go by plane and the size and weight of your luggage will be limited . These few tips for optimizing the space in your bag could well save your trip .

Before you even try to pack your suitcase, you have to choose your outfits. The 3-3-3 method is quite simple and will allow you to avoid overloading yourself with clothes by only packing the essentials. The idea is to take three different tops, three bottoms, and three pairs of shoes and then combine them to create several outfits.

For example, pants, shorts, a skirt, a t-shirt, a tank top, a shirt, a pair of sneakers, a pair of sandals, and dressier shoes. With this method and by combining your clothes, you can easily create 10 to 15 different outfits: from the most casual to the most dressy, including beachwear. And above all, avoid "just in case" clothes; a sweater or jacket is enough if you are going to a warm place for a few days.

Once you've chosen your outfits, it's time to pack. To maximize the space in your suitcase, organizers—small pockets of varying sizes—allow you to group your belongings by category (tops, bottoms, underwear, beauty products, electronics) before packing them in your luggage. With this system, not only does it save space, but you'll also be able to easily find your belongings without having to unpack everything. This saves both space and time.

The Marie Kondo method has been proven effective for several years. This Japanese tidying expert's technique involves folding and rolling your clothes so they take up as little space as possible, then placing them upright in your suitcase. Once you try this technique, you'll never again be able to pile piles of clothes flat in your suitcase.

Vacuum storage bags will allow you to save considerable space while protecting your clothes from cosmetic product leaks. Simply fill these bags and then suck out the air inside, which will compress your clothes or other items as much as possible. These bags usually come with a hand pump. If you don't have one, you can use your vacuum cleaner.

For the return trip, if you're renting a car, you'll likely find a vacuum cleaner available. If you're staying in a hotel, ask at reception for one. External compression bags with zippers work on a similar principle: they also allow you to release as much air as possible without a vacuum cleaner. All you have to do is stack the compressed bags in your luggage.

Every empty space needs to be filled! For example, you can slip socks, a charger, or a case with sunglasses into your sneakers. You can fill every gap between your clothes or extra pockets with a book, a cap, or an adapter plug.