Whether you are going on a vacation, business trip or visiting family, you want to look your best. Not every place has an iron and an ironing board, but more importantly, we don’t always have the time for that. The trick in wearing wrinkle free clothing is in the art of packing your bag. Packing your bag properly will also allow you to fit more items in your luggage.
There are several different ways to protect your clothes against wrinkling. Jamming your clothes into a bag or duffel is going to cause serious creases. Also, if you don’t separate liquids from your clothes you run the risk of unwanted stains. While these methods do take a little more time than the jamming method, it will save you time and headache later on. Listed below are the methods in which you can use to prevent unwanted creases during your travels.
The roll-up method
The rollup method is by far the most effective way to avoid wrinkles. I personally have used this method many times and I may get one or two unnoticeable creases when unpacking my clothes.
When folding using this method be sure not to fold too tightly. It is important that they are not compacted to avoid wrinkles. This method allows you to store many more clothes into the same amount of space. This method may take you a few times to master.
Step 1: Lay the shirt out flat face down
Step 2: Fold your shirt hot dog style, having the edges of the shirt meet.
Step 3: Start rolling your shirt from the bottom to the top
Step 4: Lay neatly in the duffle or suitcase and apply this method to each item of clothing
This same technique will apply to dresses and dress shirts as well. For pants, simply fold them like you were going to hang them up and then roll.
The Retail Fold Method
The downside to this method is you might wind up with creases along the edges of your shirt, kind of like if you were to buy it new at a store. The good news is that these wrinkles will not be as noticeable as the ones in a retail store because they are not mass folded by machines that purposefully crease them. (The more they are compacted, the easier it is to ship in bulk).
This method is more difficult than the roll method and requires more skill. Also I personally find it more inconvenient because unlike the roll method, the clothes don't fit between the rods in the suitcase. This technique is ideal for duffel bags.
Step 1: Lay the shirt out flat face down
Step 2: Fold your shirt hot dog style, having the edges of the shirt meet.
Step 3: Fold Your shirt ⅓ of the way up
Step 4: Fold the top of the shirt over the folded bottom portion.
The Wrinkle Spray Method
For those who haven’t heard of this method or are simply too rushed to pack these items, you can always use wrinkle release sprays. These will not get out heavy-duty creases nor creases in heavier fabrics. However, they are ideal for thinner materials and small creases.
With these methods, you don’t have to worry about wrinkled clothing during your next travels. Each method is tried and true, so during your next trip you can ditch the ironing board.