A Professional Packer’s 15 Best Hacks for 2025

As I’m wrapping up my 2024 travels with a multi-mountain ski trip to Jackson Hole and Park City — packing list coming to my newsletter subscribers soon — I’m already thinking ahead to the new year. Along with planning where I want to go in 2025, I’m also strategizing my packing game plan, using any learnings from the last 12 months to inform my approach. After all, packing is an iterative process, one that shifts depending on the season, trip type, and personal style. 

A few best practices, or “hacks,” have remained central to my packing ethos this past year. Using compression cubes, stocking my bathroom cabinet with travel-sized toiletries, and formulating a packing list as soon as possible are tactics I’ll rely on for many trips to come. I’ve also started to leverage a couple of new-to-me packing tips that I’ve recently picked up, including the importance of following a color palette and the 3-3-3 packing rule (more on that below). 

With 2025 travels right around the corner, I’ve compiled my 15 favorite ways to streamline the packing process. That way, you’ll be able to master your “carry-on-only” New Year’s resolution with ease. 

Create a Packing List

Preparation is the key to what I describe as “successful” packing — otherwise known as a suitcase filled with exactly what you need. Nothing more, nothing less. I typically use the Notes app on my phone to flesh out everything I plan to bring with me (usually starting a few days prior to departure), but you can also use pen and paper to write down items as they come to mind. Remember, though, this is an always-changing list: feel free to add and remove until you’ve created the perfect packing list. 

Invest in a Roomy Suitcase

I’ve tried a number of different suitcase brands this year, and my biggest learning is how much carry-on sizes vary. Some will only fit two to three outfits, while others have room for additional layers and shoes. I continue to come back to my Away Bigger Carry-on — it has enough room for about a week’s worth of clothes — but this more affordable version from Ukein has a similar capacity. It also comes with a backpack and toiletry bag, which are helpful for my next two tips. 

Find a Spacious Toiletry Bag

As someone who loves skincare — and refuses to travel without my essentials — I spent several months searching for a toiletry bag with plenty of room. While I’ll routinely use the July Hanging Toiletry Bag, this under-$20 Amazon version does the same job. With four separate storage compartments, plus an exterior pocket, it has enough space for travel-sized makeup, skincare products, shampoo and conditioner, and any other items you may need (contact solution, toothpaste, etc).

Make the Most of Your Personal Item

Whenever I flew carry-on-only this year, I leaned heavily on my personal item bag. It almost always carried a pair of shoes and my Dopp kit, allowing me to fit at least two or three more pieces in my suitcase. I’ll usually alternate between a duffel, a backpack, or a tote as my personal item depending on the trip, but I always recommend using one that is deceptively roomy — like this Etronik weekender bag. 

Pack According to a Color Palette

I stumbled onto this trick by complete accident. When packing for a week in Geneva, Switzerland, I realized my clothes were mostly navy, white, and beige. Because nearly all of the pieces could be worn together — a navy turtleneck with navy slacks, a beige sweater with dark jeans, the navy slacks with the beige sweater — it resulted in an incredibly versatile travel capsule wardrobe, one I didn’t grow weary of throughout the entirety of the trip. Now, I always try to follow some sort of color scheme, no matter if I’m headed somewhere for two days or two weeks. 

Use the 3-3-3 Rule

I discovered the 3-3-3 rule by following content creator Krista Lavrusik on Instagram. She regularly posts the many outfit combinations she can create using three tops, three bottoms, and three pairs of shoes. To implement this idea into my own packing process, I lean on my wardrobe staples: basic T-shirts and long sleeves, denim, and layering pieces. This smart approach lets me pack fewer items without feeling like I’ll run out of things to wear. 

Put Everything in Compression Packing Cubes

I don’t think I’ve ever written a packing article that doesn’t include a mention of packing cubes — and there’s a very good reason for that. Packing cubes — and compression packing cubes, in particular — are the best way to keep your suitcase organized and cut down on bulk. I pack mine according to outfit or item type (shirts in one, pants in another, socks and underwear in a third), and their zipper system compresses the cubes’ contents, giving me extra space in my suitcase for a few more things.  

Prepare TSA-sized Toiletries

I used to dread prepping my toiletry bag with travel-sized products. It stressed me out so much, that I would use my toiletries as an excuse to check a bag, choosing to bring the full-sized bottles and containers with me instead. There are a few packing tips that finally allowed me to kick this habit — one of which is keeping my bathroom cabinet stocked with TSA-sized toiletries. Along with organized containers of Sephora samples and tester sizes of various products (moisturizers, serums, and cleaners), I have a basket of toothpaste and contact solution bottles that I can quickly grab and add to my toiletry bag before a trip. 

Invest in Leak-proof Toiletry Containers

For the toiletries I don’t have travel-sized versions of, I opt for the Cadence Capsules (which I’ve been using since 2022); they’re one of my favorite tricks for packing for short trips or weekend getaways. For the most part, I use mine to hold shampoo, conditioner, and face wash (three products I don’t have smaller TSA-approved sizes of). I love that they’re leakproof and magnetic; I’ve never had an unfortunate spill in my bag, and the magnetic quality keeps them organized and easy to find. 

Weigh Your Suitcase

This is another hack I’ve used for years, and it’s saved me from more than a handful of overweight luggage fees. If I’m checking a bag, the last step of my packing process is to weigh the suitcase with a luggage scale. This one hooks through the suitcase handle and reads the exact weight. I also appreciate that you can change the unit with just one click; this comes in handy if you’re flying with an international airline that uses kilograms.

Travel With a Laundry Bag

Like many travelers, I used to avoid unpacking my bag for as long as possible. It felt like an unsurmountable task, one that could wait until it was absolutely necessary (read: my next trip). However, in 2024, I did a full 180, which I credit to always packing some sort of extra bag for my dirty laundry. Sometimes, it’s an actual laundry bag, like this one, but it’s often just an extra packing cube. When I get home from a trip, I’ll immediately throw the contents of the bag into my laundry basket — and that’s at least 75 percent of the unpacking done. 

Buy a Hat Clip

I always travel with a big sunhat if I’m headed somewhere warm or tropical, like St. Barts or Anguilla. Packing said sunhat, however, isn’t the easiest task. Or, at least, it wasn’t until I found this magnetic hat clip. Designed to secure headgear to your bag or belt loop, the clip means you can avoid damaging your hat by packing it in your suitcase — and you don’t have to hold it in your hand (or wear it in the airport). 

Opt for an Airplane Head Strap

I refuse to travel with a bulky neck pillow, even if I’m on an overnight flight. It takes up too much space for something that is only used for a small percentage of the trip. Instead, I’ve started to use an adjustable airplane head strap. It attaches to the back of the airplane seat and keeps my head upright; that way, I can sleep without worrying about my head flopping all over the place. 

Dedicate a Drawer to Grab-and-go Clothing

If you travel frequently and have some extra space in your closet or dresser, I highly recommend finding a spot for what I call “grab-and-go clothing.” These are essential pieces (socks, underwear, tank tops, etc.) that you bring with you on every trip. It cuts down on the amount of thinking you have to do when packing and the total time spent tracking down the items you need. Pro tip: use one of these clothing organizers to keep you even more organized.

Look for Versatile Shoes

Shoes take up a significant amount of suitcase space, especially if you’re packing boots or heavier footwear. That said, I try to stick to a two-pair rule: I’ll wear one to the airport, and the other is packed in my personal item bag. But because I also deeply care about style, I still want to have the appropriate shoes for my outfits. So in order to nail traveling lightly and fashionably, I invested in comfortable shoes — these sneakers are a great example — that can work with a variety of looks.

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