How to Properly Pack Your Suitcase (It’s Harder Than You Think!)

Packing efficiently and perfectly is a fine art. While usually it’s only mastered with experience, by following our tips, you can jump ahead and starting packing right and right now. Make a list (and check it twice). It’s important to make a list of what you need to bring. Always start your list with the items that are the most easily forgotten. These tend to be pajamas, a toothbrush, sunscreen, phone charger, and any medication/medicine. Check out our camp checklist so you know what to bring to camp. Use the right sized luggage. Your suitcase size shouldn’t just depend on the length of your trip. It should also be based on how frequently you need to change outfits. For example, if you’re traveling for a week, but will mainly be wearing the same outfit or style of clothing, you can pack less than if you travel for four days but require different styles of clothing (dressy and casual). If you’re headed to camp, you’ll mainly only be packing practice wear and pajamas. For a competition, you may need a dressy outfit for a celebratory outing. Don’t pack an unnecessary number of outfits. You have a dozen cute practice wear items but your camp is only three days long. While you may be tempted to bring them all anyway, don’t. Save them for another practice (there will be plenty of them!). If you’ve packed enough practice wear to change twice a day, you’ve over packed. Pack one outfit for each day and, tops, bring one or two extras, in case of an emergency. Fold your clothing properly. For an event like camp, it’s okay if your practice wear is slightly more wrinkled than your uniform. For camp items, like tank tops and shorts, roll the items like you would a tortilla. This saves a lot more space than you would expect. You shouldn’t do this for items like your uniform. To de-wrinkle, pack a travel-sized spray that releases wrinkles. Pack your uniform separately. Because you should pack your cheer uniform delicately, keep it separate from the rest of your gear. Hang it on a hangar and carry it in a garment bag. This prevents wrinkles and will keep it clean and spot-free. It will also clear up a good amount of space in your suitcase. Pack shoes and heavy items at the bottom, with the lightest and easily damageable items at the top. While this may seem obvious, when you’re in the middle of packing, it’s easy to forget the order of things. At the bottom of your bag (or preferably in a separate shoe compartment), pack all of your shoes. If you’re headed to camp, you may want to bring two pairs, so you have one as a backup. Pack items like bows at the very top and, preferably, in a separate small bag so they don’t get crushed. If you pack makeup, make sure it is securely sealed. The last thing you want is glitter all over your clothing!