Our Favorite Packing Tips, as Seen on Reddit

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Reddit is an online community platform that happens to be a goldmine for travel advice, particularly when it comes to hacks and packing. After landing on a subreddit (the name for an individual topic forum) when researching a story, I often find myself checking back for more great ideas. Here are some of the best packing tips I’ve found while researching on Reddit.

For more minimalist packing advice and hacks from Reddit, follow the subreddit, r/onebag. You’ll be hooked too.

Packing Tip #1: Dry Bags Can Do It All

“Always carry a dry bag ~20L to do laundry on the road, as detailed here. Throw in clothes, add detergent (or a spoonful of dishwashing liquid), and shake or let soak for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Wring clothes out with a towel to speed up drying. This is the easiest way to wash clothes on the road – hotel, hostel, or wherever – without hogging an entire sink. Plus, the dry bag comes in handy for adventures and protecting your laptop in storms.” – ABrotherAbroad

Packing Tip #2: Migrate to One Cable

“All in all, I went from seven different charging cables (or battery) to just a single one. All devices are at least an upgrade from the previous one, with some offering a major upgrade. The devices include:

• Action Camera
• Mirrorless Camera
• Cellphone
• Laptop
• Bluetooth Earphones
• Portable Battery
• Portable Storage
• Bluetooth Keyboard
• Bluetooth Mouse
• Wireless Charger
• Travel Adapter
• Flashlight/Headlamp
• Electric Razor/Beard Trimmer

13 devices that make use [of] the same type of cable

I can charge all devices from a single power adapter that offers three USB-A outputs and 1 USB-C output but it never happens – at worst I have to charge two at the same time as most devices have a fast charge.” – MarcusForrest

Packing Tip #3: Pack Like You Can’t Buy Anything for 24hrs

“What would you want/need? Personally, I’ve lost track of the number of endless bus rides, delayed flights, power outages, and rental car breakdowns I’ve had to deal with. I wouldn’t carry a huge first aid kit, but I would absolutely carry a mini-bottle of Advil and a roll of antacids. I carry a Vapur bottle that I fill and use all the time. I usually have a Cliff bar in my bag somewhere.” – Hakote

Packing Tip #4: Fabrics Are Your Friends

“Always pack at least one quick-dry outfit. Ideally, pack ALL quick-dry items. Nothing you take should require more than 12 hours to dry.” – Hakote

“In my opinion, the combination of merino and bamboo is really nice. Makes the merino stronger, softer and airy. I tend to sweat in it less and just like the feel. My favorite shirt of last year was a Pally’Hi with 60 percent merino and 40 percent bamboo. There is a discussion going on that the bamboo origin doesn’t really matter since it is merely the source for the cellulose to create viscose (meaning things that are often called modal or bamboo are simply viscose) but there is a difference in the way the fibers are treated after spinning. Which means that with a better-quality viscose you get a stronger and lighter fiber.” – ormagon_89

“Invest in at least one item of merino wool. T-shirt, socks, underwear, or button-up shirt. Merino is a game-changer for packing light. They are wrinkle-resistant, and don’t smell after wearing it multiple days.” – GeoffMeetsWorld

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Packing Tip #5: Make a Decoy Wallet

“I always pack a fancy looking wallet with a 20 Euro bill and old credit cards. If somebody mugs me that’s what I give them.” – inthenameofmine

Packing Tip #6: Have a Travel Drawer at Home

“I travel enough for work and often with so little notice that I have a ‘Travel Drawer’, with my pre-packed toiletry bag, a pouch with charging cables and other handy stuff, and a packing cube with leggings, a t-shirt, and some socks and underwear in it. I basically corralled that stuff together because on a couple of occasions I had to ask my boyfriend to grab my stuff and meet me at work or the airport, and it was easier to say ‘grab the stuff from the travel drawer’ than to give him a full packing list … Eventually, I added a document folder to that drawer with my passport, social security card, some cash, and other stuff.” – Hakote

Packing Tip #7: Swap Your Liquid Toiletries for Bars

“I use the Neogen green-tea face stick when I travel as a joint face/body wash. It comes in a tube-like a large stick of lip balm, it’s easy to use with or without a washrag, and it lasts forever. It’s also very affordable and doesn’t count as a liquid for TSA purposes. I use one in my gym bag as well.” – violtetviceroy

“I just bought my first Lush shampoo bar and love it, but plan [on] buying a bar of dr. Bronner’s for my body. I personally love the tea tree one, and both bars will fit in my stainless-steel soapbox.  Someone else mentioned their soap turning to mush; I don’t store my soap in the shower and keep the box on the outside edge so water doesn’t get in it, or place it outside of the watered-down area right after using it and it stays together fine.” –bohemianmarie

Packing Tip #8: Rolling vs. Folding

“Folding lacks organization unless I put them in packing cubes. Ranger roll is too finicky and doesn’t save me any space. The bundle method is ok for wrinkles but is a pain for getting individual items out. It would work better for me in situations where I stay in one place for longer periods of time, I.e. long enough to unpack and live out of a dresser/closet instead of my suitcase. I think my new go-to might be a combination of rolling with rubber bands or hair ties and packing cubes or clear bags.” – katmndoo

Packing Tip #9: The One Item That Surprised Even Us … The Linen Towel

“As for linen itself, I greatly prefer my towels to both cotton and also to the microfiber camping towel I used before my linen towel. It’s not as soft as a plush cotton towel but it dries me well, dries itself quickly, and folds down much smaller. Linen is also supposed to be much more durable than cotton although I can’t say I ever wore out a cotton towel.” – chackoc

“Basically, this thing folds up so thin, doesn’t take much space, and most importantly dries up quickly (ie. no bad smell). I tried the microfiber quick-dry towel, and they were not quick-drying, especially in humid weather. They also smell really horrible if not dried properly, and I could never get used to the grippiness of the towel. The only drawback I say for the linen towel is the price and that you have to get used to the roughness initially. After a few uses, the roughness will be gone and it will become smooth.” – polarium

You Tell Us: What are your favorite lesser-known packing tips?

More from SmarterTravel:

• Ingenious Packing Tips Every Traveler Should Know
• The Essential International Packing List
• The Essential Carry-on Bag Packing List

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

Editor’s note: Some posts have been edited for clarity.

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