When I am traveling, the last thing I want to think about is laundry. Luckily over time, I have accumulated a few tips and tricks that help my clothes to smell and look their best. Whether you’re packing light for a weekend getaway or embarking on a long-awaited adventure, this post is packed (pun intended!) with practical fabric care tips to help you minimize wrinkles, prevent stains, and maintain the quality of your garments during your trip. Here are 5 easy fabric care tips for travel that I hope you can take to your next adventure!
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Hardshell Suitcase from Monos. Similar Affordable Alternative: Carry-On 1 | Carry-On 2 (with Pocket) | Travel Duffel | Leggings (similar) | Sweater
Fabric Care Tip for Travel Tip #1: Pack Your Heaviest Pieces at the Bottom.
While it can be tempting to shove our thinnest layers into the little crevices of our suitcase, they will almost always come out crumpled. The best way to prevent wrinkles is to pack the heaviest layers at the bottom. If I am traveling in the winter, that usually means storing my sweaters and jeans at the bottom. These weightier pieces also create a ‘stable base’ for more delicate ones to layer on top of, and prevents them from getting crushed in transit.
Tip 2: Pack Delicate Pieces in a Garment Bag.
I am a firm believer in buying nothing new unless I really need to. So if you don’t own a garment bag, don’t fret! I save package mailers all the time, and they work just fine with storing my more fragile pieces. You can also use a Ziploc bag (size dependent), or packing cubes. Garment bags prevent thin fabrics from hitting a snag, but also create an extra barrier that reduces friction and creases. For extra protection, you can also use a layer of tissue paper.
Tip 3: Bring a Travel Iron / Steamer.
Am I the only one who doesn’t trust a hotel iron? Using an unfamiliar appliance on my clothes is a risk because the heat settings can vary a lot. I generally pack clothes that don’t require much ironing, but if it’s unavoidable, here is a travel-friendly convertible iron / steamer that I use. It is compact, and gets the job done!
Similar: Carry-On 1 | Carry-On 2 (with Pocket) | Travel Duffel | Leggings (similar) | Sweater
Tip 4: Add a Lavender Sachet to Your Suitcase.
Unfortunately, airplanes don’t have the best air circulation. So when your clothes are trapped in a confined space for a long period of time, they can smell stale. I normally find that the smell goes away once I can air my clothes out. However, one of my favorite fabric care tips for travel is adding a lavender sachet to your suitcase. I get mine from Trader Joe’s, and use them to fend off moths when I store my cashmere sweaters at home – read my FULL GUIDE here.
Expandable Hard Shell Suitcase | Packing Cubes | Handheld Steamer | Handheld Steamer & Iron | Packable Garment Bag | Travel Duffel | Lavender Sachet | Travel Detergent Sheets
Tip 5: Bring Travel Laundry Detergent ‘Sheets’
Sometimes, laundry can be inevitable during a trip (for example, if you need to pack light for luggage constraints). So I always like to bring travel laundry detergent ‘sheets’ with me. These thin, dissolvable sheets are lightweight, and TSA-friendly. When I am in a pinch, I can hand-wash a few pieces in the shower with these sheets and they work fine for smaller garments.
Fabric Care Tips for Travel: Additional Points to Consider
Although the above 5 tips are my most utilized tricks for keeping my clothes fresh during travel, below are some other practical ones you can incorporate into your packing:
- Roll, don’t fold! Rolling minimizes wrinkles, and saves more space too. However, I find this approach to be harder for thicker garments.
- Use Packing Cubes: This one is a great alternative to garment bags, and is a great way to organize your clothes by fabric or outfit type.
- Pack Quick-Drying & Odor Resistant Fabrics: Activewear fabrics and synthetics are great for wicking moisture away from the skin, and drying quickly, so this option works great for warmer weather trips. For cold weather trips, I love packing thin wool sweaters while layering an undershirt underneath. Wool is an odor-resistant fiber, so it is perfect for rewearing!
I also use those trader joe’s lavender sachets for storing clothes, but never thought to put one in my suitcase. Great tip.