How to: Bundle Wrap Your Clothes

Photo by Trinity, feature photo by wanderingone

One Bag claims to specialize in “the art and science of traveling light,” and after reading their recommendations on bundle wrapping, I can see why; it sounds pretty logical, and definitely useful if a duffel bag or backpack is all you’ve got to work with. The most common method of packing is folding or rolling clothes, which One Bag declares to be the worst thing you can do. According to their website, folding results in:

• folds that will “set”, producing creases, and
• garments moving (rubbing) against one another, producing wrinkles (tiny folds) in the fabric, that will also “set”

Their solution is bundle wrapping, which involves wrapping clothes around a soft, stuffed core object. So what’s the process?

Photo by Ben Brown

1. Stuff a small bag or pouch with smaller clothing items like socks, underwear, or bathing suits.
2. Order is important; you want the garments more prone to wrinkling towards the outside of the bundle. Start with button or zipped-up coats and jackets. Lay one out on a flat surface face-down in a way that’s natural and will not lead to creases and smooth out any wrinkles.
3. Lay out any skirts or dresses flat on top of the jacket(s).
4. Buttoned up shirts are next, face-up one by one on the dresses, alternating up and down (collar to hem). Long-sleeved shirts are first, followed by short-sleeved.
5. Continue through with pants, followed by sweaters, and shorts last. Constantly smooth everything out as you go, alternating with waistbands to cuffs to achieve equal thickness.
6. Place the pouch in the center of the stack and begin wrapping each item around firmly, one at a time. Don’t stretch the fabric, but pulling tightly will help avoid wrinkles.
7. Place the bundle in your bag, and be sure to secure it with straps so it can’t move around during travel.

Have you tried bundle wrapping, or do you have any other packing tips? Let us know about it in the comments section!