Are you a light packer or a heavy packer? Do you stuff several weeks’ worth of clothing into your bag for a long weekend or do you find yourself leaving important items at home? Traveling is stressful enough without worrying over your luggage, whether you’re going to incur overweight baggage fees or leave items behind. Savvy travelers learn to find the perfect balance of items…and with some help from Independent Traveler, you can too.
Packing methods. It’s important to avoid neatly folding your clothes when packing, like you would if putting them into a dresser, as they will become badly creased. A few alternatives are rolling your clothes, a method that works especially well with pants, skirts, and sports shirts and folding clothes together. Folding items together provides more cushion so clothes are less likely to crease. Packing delicate items in tissue paper also is a viable option.
Airport security.
- Make sure all your liquid or gel items are in individual containers of 3.4 ounces of less and that they are all together in one clear, quart-sized Ziploc bag.
- Be aware of the restrictions for size and baggage and weigh your bag before heading to the airport to avoid overweight baggage fees.
- Don’t lock your bag unless it is with a TSA-approved lock
- Make sure you carry all film on board with you, as the screening equipment can damage undeveloped film.
- If you are uncomfortable with strangers handling certain items, make sure you place those items in clear plastic bags.
- Spread your documents and books out throughout your bag, rather than stacking them on top of one another.
- Make a list before you travel rather than waiting until the last moment, when you might forget something.
For more travel tips or to take a look at our selection of carry-on luggage, visit us online at TamperSeal.com.

