How to pack a suitcase (the most space-efficient way)

Vacuum roll bags and packing cubes promise to help us pack a suitcase space-efficiently.

Read manufacturers’ claims, and these are miracle products. Packing cubes will help you ‘pack more in less space’ while one brand of vacuum roll bags boasts it will help you fit three times as many clothes into your suitcase.

Head to TikTok and you’ll find video after video of users raving about ‘the sorcery’ of compression cubes and how they help them to cram more into their bags. 

We wanted to put these claims to the test. To do it, we packed four suitcases using compression packing cubes and vacuum roll bags, as well as simply folding or rolling clothing to see which approach fitted the most items in.

Ryanair suitcase size put to the test

Since Ryanair’s allowance for its under-seat carry-on and larger paid-for cabin bag is especially stingy, we used bags that fitted the budget carrier’s restrictions. 

We used two under-seat bags with the dimensions 40x25x25cm: a tiny wheelie case by a brand called Travel Ready and a squishy holdall by Kono that went viral on social media for being the ideal Ryanair-sized carry-on you can fill to the brim without going over the strict dimensions. And then two pieces of larger carry-on luggage: a hard-shelled suitcase and a rucksack (50x40x20cm), both Cabin Max.

Under-seat 40x25x20cm cabin bags for Ryanair used:

• Travel ready wheelie suitcase on Amazon
• Kono holdall on Amazon

Note: We have not tested these bags in-house so cannot comment on their quality

Ryanair-sized cabin luggage 55x40x20cm used:

• Cabin Max Metz backpack - buy direct
• Cabin Max Metz backpack - buy on Amazon
• Cabin Max Velocity cabin suitcase - buy direct
• Cabin Max Velocity suitcase - buy on Amazon

Note: We have not tested these bags in-house so cannot comment on their quality

How we packed the suitcases

We approached the test as scientifically as possible. We packed each bag with exactly the same clothing items in precisely the same order. Then, just like you would do, stuffed any small spaces left with pairs of socks.

To ensure the soft bags didn’t gain an unfair advantage over hard cases, we used a measuring tape to avoid exceeding the dimensions permitted on board. Even going over an airline’s allowance by a few centimetres could end up costing you.

The best way to pack a suitcase space-efficiently

Total number of items packed by method in each bag

Our results show you can forget the hype around vacuum packing and compression cubes. Even rolling our clothes didn’t give us an advantage.

Instead, we found that folding was best. We fitted 129 garments across all four bags using this technique – that’s 16 more pieces of clothing than vacuum packing.

The compression cubes social media influencers sometimes promote also failed to impress in our test. They fitted in 11 items fewer than folding, although they were useful for stuffing in lots and lots of socks because there were plenty of gaps left around each cube. But considering we spent over £50 on these cubes, we expected them to work miracles. But since some brands that sell compression cubes will pay influencers en masse to promote items on their social media channels, who then make exaggerated claims, it was perhaps to be expected. At Which?, we don’t accept freebies: we always buy products for testing.

Pros and cons of folding clothes for packing

The easiest, most time-efficient method triumphed. Folding was best in suitcases that opened fully and had square corners. In the rucksacks that only unzipped halfway, we had to slide the folded squares of clothing inside. This left our outfits looking less neat and more like we’d packed in a hurry. Still, packing was the best or joint best approach for all four bag types we tested for fitting in the most clothes (see table).

Verdict: No faff and free

Is it better to roll or fold clothes in a suitcase? Pros and cons of rolling

The technique of rolling clothes into a sausage is the popular alternative to folding. While it came second in terms of storage, it had a crucial advantage: rolling creased clothing less than other methods. Rolling is harder work than folding. If the rolled-up clothing was too long or wide to neatly slot into the case, we either had to reroll or curve it to fit the bag’s shape. This felt like Tetris – especially in the hard-sided rectangle suitcase.

Verdict: Worked best in squishy bags, such as the holdall

Vacuum bags for clothes - do they work?

Some vacuum bags require a vacuum or pump for decompression, but the ones we bought simply needed to be rolled up by hand to expel the air. We were impressed by just how well they shrank from hand-rolling, but it did cause us to break into a sweat on larger bags. The problem is that once vacuum-packed, it’s bulky to fit in, leaving holes in the case. Plus, vacuum packs themselves take up space, and the clothes inside get wrinkled.

Verdict: Not useful for holiday packing

Pros and cons of compression packing cubes 

Cubes are useful for separating each category of clothing, enabling you to find items more easily. However, they didn’t help us get more into our case. They’re not the easiest to use, either. Once you’ve zipped your clothes inside, another zip compresses the cubes. They’re easy to overfill, too, which makes it difficult to close them fully. This meant we often had to remove clothes and start the laborious process again.

Verdict: Useful if you appreciate the separation and organisation

What’s the difference between packing cubes and compression packing cubes?

Both regular packing cubes and compression packing cubes help to keep your suitcase organised. This is particularly helpful if you tend to live out of your bag on holiday or travel around a lot - so you know where to find everything. 

While both are good for organising, compression packing cubes differ because they have a second zip closure. This aims to expel the air out of the cube and compress a 3D cube down into a much flatter one to save space. However, we weren’t impressed with their space-saving abilities. If you plan to use packing cubes for organisational purposes, don’t pay out for pricey compression ones.

Shop packing cubes on Amazon

Overall verdict on the best way to pack a suitcase

When it comes to packing, you don’t need to spend £50 on compression packing cubes or vacuum roll bags – just get folding.