Stop Stuffing Your Luggage: Try This Smarter Method To Avoid Overpacking

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It's easy to overpack, even if you start with the best of plans. While the first thought may be that you're only going to pack necessary items, it's really tempting to just add one more shirt. Then you need the right shoes for that shirt, and maybe different pants in case it's colder than expected. Oh, and then there is that jacket that it would look so good with — it's a slippery slope. Having a packing method with restrictions can be incredibly helpful if you, like me, know this inner monologue by heart. Maybe you've tried the 54321 capsule wardrobe technique or rolling all your clothing. Perhaps you've written down travel pro Rick Steves' rule about one suitcase and one day bag to pack light. However, the "sudoku" method for packing might be just what you were looking for. This strategy uses nine items to give you up to 27 outfits — enough for both long and short trips.

You may have stumbled across this method on social media or heard about it from friends, but if you haven't tried it, you may not fully be able to appreciate its genius. If you've ever played the number game of sudoku, you know that the numbers are listed in a box grid divided into nine equal squares. Similarly, this packing method puts tops, bottoms, and layering pieces in each of the nine "squares" and allows you to mix and match easily. Of course, there are things to add, like pajamas (if you wear them), accessories, shoes, socks, and underwear — but your major clothing items are limited to three tops, three bottoms, and three layering pieces.

When following the sudoku packing method, it's best to choose neutral garments for the bottoms, tops, and layering pieces so they all work together. Then, you lay them all out in a square. The first horizontal line has — in this order — a bottom, a layer, and a top. The second line has a top, a bottom, and a layer. Finally, the third line has a layer, a top, and a bottom. Each horizontal, vertical, and diagonal line is an outfit. You can wear tops and bottoms without the layer as well. You can switch these lines up, as long as each vertical and horizontal row has one of each item. However, the trick is to take a picture of the square and keep it on your phone so picking outfits doesn't mean rummaging through your suitcase for ideas. You may also want to do a fashion show for yourself in each outfit to make sure they all work for you. (Test them out with whichever shoes you're bringing as well.) You can add in color with accessories, such as scarves and jewelry. Plus, scarves can double as shoulder covers if you're sightseeing at a church that requires it. 

I've used this method myself, though I've tailored it for the weather, taking away two layers and adding in two shirts when it's hot. I've also thrown in gym clothes, assuming I'll do laundry. (You can bring travel laundry soap sheets like Poesie Travel Laundry Sheets on Amazon, as well as dryer sheets that will make your suitcase smell nice.) To make things easier on myself, I put underwear, socks, and pajamas in packing cubes to keep the main items more accessible. Finally, since this method frees up space, here are five additional items you should always pack in your carry-on bag.