ZipLoc Bag Packing Method?

[3DisneyBuggs]

I hear a lot of people putting outfits in ziploc bags. Do you use the gallon size or those oversized ones? Do the outfits stay neater in the bag as opposed to just in the suitcase? I am planning on packing soon and would like an idea of how to pack. I usually just fold and place in the luggage but last time all the outfits were mixed up. I'm going to try to pack for all of us using one big luggage. I doubt it will be doable but I always try! Thanks!

 

[4lilpoohs]

For my boys I used a gallon size bag. I put a whole outfit in each bag including socks and underwear. It made it very easy getting them ready in the morning.

 

[sukhakuli]

What do you do with the bags afterwards? We try not to throw stuff away as much as possible.

When I pack, I roll all of the clothes up like a jelly roll. This keeps them from wrinkling, and it really compacts them. You'll be surprised how many more clothes you can get in a bag when you roll instead of fold!

 

[powellrj]

I think it keeps the clothes neater. Also if your luggage gets hand inspection it just made me feel better knowing that strangers weren't going through my underwear! They just lifted the bags without opening them.

I usually never unpacked our suitcases, but now I assign everyone a drawer and just place their bags in there. I use the 2 gallon size and they hold a complete adult outfit.

As we empty the bags I just put them in an empty suitcase and bring them home to use on the next trip.

It really makes packing to go home easy because I just use an empty suitcase as a dirty clothes hamper and then its ready to go!

 

[Tinker53]

I am not a travel so to speak this is our first BIG trip ever and there are 6 of us and when I heard people saying they put clothes in Ziplock bags I went and got one out and said man this is crazy I can't put clothes in one of these it just won't fit, these people must be talking about something else. But I gave it a try and to my surprise it worked it really worked. I got 2 beach towels which I hate packing even for day trips they are so bulky. In one 2 gallon bag and 2 sweatshirts for 2 of my DS's in a gallon size.

Man the things I havel learned here, Just Amazing
Thanks all you Dissers. Your are great

 

[bartleby1]

I don't pack my clothes or DH's in ziplocs (mainly because I mix and match and rewear, etc), but it is a lifesaver doing the kids clothes in ziplocs! I can just throw my two older kids a bag in the morning and they can get ready by themselves (they are 4 and 6). Then, while I'm getting ready, DH can grab a bag for our little one and he can get her ready. He has a terrible time find what goes together, lol! It really is a great way to pack for the kids.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

We teach our Girl Scouts to pack this way...

The younger girls just use gallon sized- but in winter and once they start getting older they move up to the oversized bags.

We have them label them with the day they will be wearing the clothes-and their names. They end up with a bag for day clothes and bag for night clothes- for each day.

We started the method because when camping in the rain it is a sure way to make sure that your clothes stay dry- but for little kids it is fantastic. We teach them to put the dirty items back in the empty bag- that the clean clothes were in- so the clothes they arrive in- go into the pj bag for that night- the pj's go into the next morning's day clothes bag...

Not only do they know what they wear each time but the put away the dirty stuff too.

My then 4yo attended summer camp that I was at as well- we packed with this method and when I'd go to her dorm to help her get dressed for bed or for the day- the unit leaders would laugh and tell me she was already done and had picked everything up...

 

[mommy*RN]

I loved packing DS's stuff in zipped baggies for our last trip! It made the morning routine so easy! Grab a bag...grab the kid and get him dressed! I will never travel another way! We used the bags for many different things. We didn't toss them. I used them to bring home our opened shampoos and such. Wet stuff from our last day (swim suits, trunks) went in another "used bag". I think our last trip we also used one of the bags for ice because DS bumped his head! All in all I find it very useful and you can find 1001 ways to reuse the bags either when you return or before you leave...

HTH

 

[aldisneygrl]

I pack my kids that way for church camp. Then I label the bags Monday, Tuesday, etc. I also include an extra one for wet items, and another for extra clothes. I include a shirt, pants, socks, and underwear in each bag. After they wear the clothes that day, they just put them back in that days bag. I also include an empty bag for the day they arrive, so they can put the clothes that they wore to camp that day in that bag. Say they go on Sunday. I put in an empty bag labeled Sunday. Then Sunday night they take the clothes off that they wore to camp, and put them in that bag.

They have yet to leave anything behind. It helps that you don't have a big lumpy bag of dirty clothes to try and cram in your suitcase. It also helps to have everything in the bathroom, and waterproof. Nothing worse than wet underwear!

I use the 2 gallon size bags. It gives you a little more room. I think you can fit more clothes in the suitcase this way.

I never thought about doing it on vacation, but I think it would be a great idea.

 

[aldisneygrl]

One thing I forgot.

I keep the bags rolled up in the top of their closet, and reuse them every year.

 

[mom_of_5]

I personally bought the oversized because some days we would either have a chage of shirt, shorts or both in the bag. I labled on the front name, what was to be worn when and day. It worked great, just make sure you get all the air out before you put in suitcase, otherwise it will take up needless space. I am all about making life easier especially on vacation. Funny I thought I came up with that brilliant idea on my own!!

 

[lntsmom]

One benefit is that this saves room. You can pack the bag, then squeeze all the air out as you zip it.

Each evening you can refold the dirty clothing, putting stick stain treater on any spots that need it, put it back in the bag, and zip it up again. This way the dirty clothing never touches the clean clothing. The only time this method doesn't work is if your clothing is wet...then you have to let it dry completely before putting it back in the bag. (My son got mildew on one t-shirt because he put it away wet. Luckily, the t-shirt was mostly white and I saved it by using a bleach pen.)

After you get home you can open the bags, dump the clothes in the washer, and throw the bags back in the suitcase to be stored for the next trip.

They are also useful for times when your kids have to take extra clothing to school. The bottom of a backpack is hard on clothing...the bag protects it from stray pens and pencils, juice spills, etc!

The thing I love about this system is that I preselect outfits. My older son went to camp this year and I packed everything this way. I didn't have to worry about him looking as if he'd dressed in the dark...I knew his outfits would be coordinating even if I wasn't there to check them each day.

 

[ekball]

I'm seriously considering packing this way for the kiddos for our trip (love organization and this is the ultimate!!!), however I have a question (and please don't laugh or think I'm nuts ).....

Do the clothes smell funny after being packed in the baggies?? I can't help but think they will smell.....plastic-y?? Love the idea of being organized and the idea of saving time by packing this way, but I don't want my kids to smell like a plastic bag.

OK - enjoy a laugh at my expense!

 

[aldisneygrl]

I'm seriously considering packing this way for the kiddos for our trip (love organization and this is the ultimate!!!), however I have a question (and please don't laugh or think I'm nuts ).....

Do the clothes smell funny after being packed in the baggies?? I can't help but think they will smell.....plastic-y?? Love the idea of being organized and the idea of saving time by packing this way, but I don't want my kids to smell like a plastic bag.

OK - enjoy a laugh at my expense!

I would use name brand (i.e. Ziploc, Hefty, etc.) plastic bags. The no name bags tend to leave a smell. Also, Ziploc is the only kind that I have found that has the 2 gallon size.

 

[ekball]

I would use name brand (i.e. Ziploc, Hefty, etc.) plastic bags. The no name bags tend to leave a smell. Also, Ziploc is the only kind that I have found that has the 2 gallon size.

Guess this wasn't a crazy thought afterall!! Ziploc is what we have so that's what I'll use. Thanks for the info.

 

[aldisneygrl]

Guess this wasn't a crazy thought afterall!! Ziploc is what we have so that's what I'll use. Thanks for the info.

IMO, no question is ever crazy. The people on these boards know so much, and they are a great resource.

I just noticed that your kids are young, so you could probably get away with using the gallon size bags. Their clothes will be smaller and will take up less room.

My DS is 13 and the same height as me, he needs the 2 gallon size. His clothes take up so much room.

 

[newtowdw1]

We've used gallon size for two years, and I love it! No one fusses or complains.
It's so convenient, too.
The night we were to leave my DH ended up being ambulanced to the ER. My best friend said she'd keep the kids the next day, and did I have any clothes for them ( I took them in their jammies). The van was packed, so I unzipped a bag, fished out a bag for DD, one for DS, two swimming suits and they were good to go. She got a good laugh out of the Dis system, but admitted that she'd be using it for their next vacation!

We find millions of uses. I take empty bags of all sizes and pack our stuff we take into the parks in the bag. All of squished coin stuff in one, our trading pins in another, extra and exposed film in a third....

I love zip bags!

 

[kidsicet]

We also packed with ziplock bags for our last trip, and I am hooked! It is such a nice, organized way to travel. It also is easy to pack, as I have DD's label bags ahead of time, and they know when all of their bags are filled up, they are packed. I can't say enough good things about this way to pack!

 

[PixiePop]

I tried this for DS on our last trip and I loved it. It was so easy to get him dressed in the morning. Just took out a bag and he was ready to go.

 

[AB&Me]

On our last family trip to Disney, I used this method for packing my dd3's princess gowns. I was pleasantly surprised at how flat those sucker's became! They took up NO room in our backpack and fluffed back out to princess-quality in just a second! I'll be doing that again this trip, no doubt! I probably won't pack every outfit this way, but I loved using it for the gowns.