I wrote a few months ago about my love of checking a dang suitcase. I don't see the point in wrestling a carry-on around a tiny plane when you can just...not. I do make an exception for nonstop flights. I firmly hate the idea of bringing a very large suitcase anywhere. I often have to walk with my suitcase, and there's no way to hulk a giant thing around. As such, it's become important to save some space and bring just a carry-on size suitcase any time possible. 

Don't pack toiletries.

Okay, obviously I'm not leaving my makeup behind, but I will leave behind cheap things that are easy to pick up spares of. These are things like shampoo, body wash or soap, and contact lens solution. Places that I also go a lot, like my parents' house, also get a whole extra set of toiletries that live there permanently. 

Bring double-duty clothing.

As a lady, I really like to wear clothes that do multiple things so that I only pack one garment instead of two. Great examples...rompers or dresses. They take up less space than a pair of pants and a shirt. 

Roll wrinkle-free clothing, fold clothes that wrinkle.

There's a great debate raging about whether to fold or roll clothing to save the most space. This is the easiest answer. If the clothes don't wrinkle -- roll. Otherwise, fold. It also helps to pack som wrinkle-release. 

Packing cubes!

I was not into the packing cubes side of life for forever! I heard about them online and thought they were a total waste of money. Wrong. Wrong wrong. These have helped my suitcase become more organized and have helped make my already-compact packing even better.

Reduce shoes.

Shoes are some of the bulkiest items that I bring. I try to never bring more than two pairs of shoes. Often just one if I can help it. I know that a lot of lifestyle bloggers are all about having a new, unique look every day, but killing off extra shoes immediately reduces the amount of bulk. 

Happy packing! Tell me about your next trip, or your packing tips!