Packing Clothes - Any tricks to prevent wrinkling

[Pacolovestacos]

So one thing I've never been quite able to figure out is how to prevent clothes (especially nicer dress shirts) from wrinkling when I pack. Any tricks?

What I've been forced to do is basically unpack everything when I arrive, hang it all up, then be forced to fold it all again when I leave hotel. This works fine if I'm staying at a property for 4+ nights. But really a pain in the butt if I'm only in a place for a few nights before I move on to the next destination.

 

[Nohal]

I'd like to know the secret also. I hang my clothes up and run the shower to steam the bathroom then hang the clothes in there. Works just ok not great but better than ironing.

 

[Marchand63]

I use tissue paper it really does work

 

[lorimay]

Downey Wrinkle Release spray works pretty good. I don't travel without it.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Downey Wrinkle Release spray works pretty good. I don't travel without it.

I've read about this but most of the reviews mentioned it was better as an aid to ironing rather than being able to remove the wrinkles as a stand alone spray.

 

[lorimay]

I've read about this but most of the reviews mentioned it was better as an aid to ironing rather than being able to remove the wrinkles as a stand alone spray.

I have never used it with an iron, just put the shirts on a hangar spray them and lightly pull the sides and then take your hands flat and rub up and down the shirt. one hand is the front and one in the back.........

ETA: my husband uses the method of laying the item flat on the bed spraying and rubbing and that works too.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sometimes fabrics are just prone to wrinkles but I have found that rolling my clothes rather than folding has helped a lot. I do also use the shower steam if something did get a little wrinkled though from my experience rolling seems to reduce or eliminate most wrinkles from forming.

 

[ronandannette]

I'm a freak about not wanting to wear or having DH wear, wrinkled clothes - I simply can't stand it. I've never found any method that actually keeps things nice enough to wear them straight out of a suitcase. DH is not quite so fussy though, and he is happy enough with his dress shirts if he keeps them in the cleaners' plastic and packs them on hangers in a garment bag, rather than a suitcase. (P.S. sending his shirts out to be laundered and pressed has been life-changing for me!! )

 

[maxiesmom]

I roll or use a packing envelope, depending on the clothes. I also take along Downy Wrinkle Release. But some stuff, I just have to iron, no help for it.

 

[Hikergirl]

I roll my clothes. One trick is to not overpack your suitcase.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

I roll my clothes. One trick is to not overpack your suitcase.

Yes this is hard though if I'm traveling 2+ weeks.

 

[melanielll]

Tissue paper is magical when it comes to this.

 

[Sandy51]

I have found that Dollar General wrinkle release works just as well as Downy, and much cheaper, too. I never travel without it.


Sandy

 

[low-key]

roll

 

[kimblebee]

I have never used it with an iron, just put the shirts on a hangar spray them and lightly pull the sides and then take your hands flat and rub up and down the shirt. one hand is the front and one in the back.........

ETA: my husband uses the method of laying the item flat on the bed spraying and rubbing and that works too.

Your description makes it seem like you are using your hands as a cold iron.

 

[lorimay]

Your description makes it seem like you are using your hands as a cold iron.

Well thats pretty much the directions on the bottle.

 

[ronandannette]

Yes this is hard though if I'm traveling 2+ weeks.

Anytime you jam a lot in there, you can't keep them from crushing one another. Since airlines started charging for luggage, we take the minimum number of pieces and pack them as heavy as is allowable. Wrinkle-city - no getting around it.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

Anytime you jam a lot in there, you can't keep them from crushing one another. Since airlines started charging for luggage, we take the minimum number of pieces and pack them as heavy as is allowable. Wrinkle-city - no getting around it.

What about tissue and packing cubes? Then bring the Downy Wrinkle Release as a backup.

 

[ronandannette]

What about tissue and packing cubes? Then bring the Downy Wrinkle Release as a backup.

I think tissue paper theoretically has a shot at working (the same way dry-cleaning bags work) but only if you've packed lightly enough that the weight of the clothes don't compress one another. As for the packing cubes, those have never made sense to me - the smaller you make something the harder the wrinkles are "pressed" in.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I tried Downy wrinkle release and to me it was a joke. I always read to roll. Ok, so I rolled. I couldn't believe how absolutely horrible they turned out. I'm sure I did something wrong even though I watched a video. My next thing was the packing cube (I suppose is the term). It has a plastic piece that you use to aid in the folding. Much like stores use. Then it goes into a velcro sleeve with the plastic piece on top. That has been a lifesaver for me. It's not perfect but much better than folding them and sticking it loose in the suitcase.