Does Rolling Your Clothes Save Space?

Q: Does rolling up your clothes really work when packing?
— Cody, Orange City, Iowa

A: It will depend on what you’re packing.

Try this: Empty a dresser drawer at home, and then fold and place your clothes inside until the drawer is full. Then take the clothes out and roll up each item tightly like you would your tent when breaking camp. Put them back in the drawer, and see how much room you gain.

Typically, you’ll save space by rolling. This method works well on T-shirts, shorts and socks, but not so much on puffy or bulky winter clothing. What might work best is to fold some clothes and roll others.

To better organize your clothes, try stuffing them in nylon bags or pack pods, like the ones offered in Six Moon Designs’ Pack Pods (set of 3 for $30, sixmoondesigns.com). These water-resistant bags keep loose items together and help separate clean and dirty clothes.