To help you lay it out properly, grasp the shirt by the top of the shoulders and shake it a little before flopping it down onto a flat surface.
The seam at the base of the shirt should now be upside down on top of the front of the shirt (as if you’re turning the shirt inside out by a few inches). Note that this isn’t recommended for dress shirts with stiff collars. You’re better off folding those flat and placing them at the base of the packing cube.
If the shirt has long sleeves, fold those into the center at a diagonal angle before folding in the entire sides. If the long-sleeved shirt has cuffs, fold them back upwards so the cuff is pressed against the bottom section of the sleeve.
If any bulges start to stick out from the sides (distorting the rectangular shape) stop and fold that section inwards (to reinstate the rectangular shape) before rolling that section.
If it’s a tight fit, don’t try to force it because you could stretch the fabric. Unroll it, make a bigger cuff, and try again.
Lay the pants on a surface that allows you to access the jeans from both sides. The floor, a bed, or a large countertop will work.
Note that the cuff-and-stuff technique will work for sweatpants, leggings, slacks, shorts, and jeans. If you’re afraid of stretching out the waistline of your dress slacks, skip the cuff and secure the roll with a rubber band instead.
The idea is to get as much air and bunched material out of the pant legs as possible to ensure a tight roll.
If you’re rolling jeans, you may notice side bulges sticking out just above where you’re rolling the pant legs. Stop to tuck in any extra fabric and bulges so it’s easier to stuff the pants into the cuff.
Stuffing bulky pants and jeans into the cuff can be tricky, so it’s okay if you can only get the sides in. As long as stays rolled up, you’re good to go! If you can’t fully tuck the pants or jeans into the cuff, secure the bundle with a rubber band. [11] X Research source
As you’re rolling the heel area, it may help to slightly fold the heels in to avoid them bulging out of the side of the roll.
This cuff-roll-and-tuck technique will work for briefs, boxers, bikini-style panties, and boyshorts. If you’re rolling underwear made of thin material (like lace, rayon, or spandex, feel free to roll 2 to 4 pairs into a single bundle by making a giant cuff with the waistline of the underwear at the base of the pile.
Rolling your ties can prevent wrinkles and creases. Depending on the width of the scarf, you may want to fold it in half lengthwise before folding it widthwise. If your scarf has tassels on each end, fold in the tassels before you do anything else.
Depending on the shape of the gloves, you may need to fold the thumbs in before you fold each side of the gloves in towards the center.
For puffy parkas, avoid making an “X” because it might add extra bulk—fold the sleeves in so the base of the sleeves are almost touching at the bottom of the jacket. If the sleeves hang down below the base of the item, fold the base of the sleeves back up so they won’t hang out of the bundle.
Note that the more the folds overlap, the bulkier the rolled bundle will be, so if you’d rather have a long, less bulky roll, fold in each side so they’re just touching in the center. If you’re working with a puffer jacket or bulky parka, you may need to roll the sides inward and have a helper hold them in place while you roll it up.
You may need to press air out of the garment multiple times as you roll it up.
If you’re working with a camping parka that came with a packing strap, use that to keep the bundle together. If the sweater or jacket has a large hood, tuck the roll into the hood if you can. Or, wrap the hood around the bundle and secure it with heavy-duty string or a strap.
You’ll have more usable space in a large packing cube if you save room for rolled items on top of any flat-folded items.
If you have a few extra-bulky items like parka jackets, try rolling and putting them in large cubes or folding them flat and laying them at the bottom of your suitcase. You may need to experiment to see which method takes up less space. Small and medium cubes are more versatile than larger ones because they can fit into a variety of bags (from backpacks and duffle bags to massive suitcases).
If you’re traveling with children, organizing the cubes by outfits can make getting them dressed easier and faster. Organizing by color is helpful if you build outfits according to color schemes.
Some cubes have extra compression zippers that allow the cube to be overstuffed then zipped again to decrease the size of the overall cube. If you’ve packed a large or medium packing cube and there’s room for the clothes to move around or unroll, transfer the items into 2 or 3 small packing cubes so they stay put.
