Buzz
A garment bag is an elongated, zippered bag designed for hanging clothes such as suits, jackets, and dresses, making it easier for travelers to pack these items. These bags are foldable, typically folding in half or thirds, ensuring easy portability. When packed correctly, garment bags can store multiple clothes and help keep them wrinkle-free by the time you reach your destination.
Steps
When to Choose a Garment Bag
Evaluate your travel plans carefully. Garment bags are generally used for formal or business attire, keeping them neat and wrinkle-free. Make a list of events or meetings you will attend to ensure you pack everything you need.
- Casual clothes are not ideal for a garment bag. Instead, fold them and pack them in a suitcase.
Minimize the number of items you pack in a garment bag. Garment bags tend to be bulky and may not be the most efficient option for packing your clothes. If you can fit your wardrobe into a carry-on or regular suitcase, opt for that instead.
- Dress shirts, ties, and accessories do not need to be hung in a garment bag.
- Business casual pants, such as khakis, can typically be folded and placed in a suitcase.
- Whenever possible, choose clothing that is wrinkle-free to minimize creasing during travel.
Choose a garment bag for business trips. Garment bags are best suited for short trips where most of your clothing will be for business purposes.
- The limited space in most garment bags makes them perfect for brief trips that don’t require a wide variety of outfits.
- If you're going on a longer trip that involves both business and leisure, use a garment bag alongside another suitcase to carry everything you need.
Consider hiring a professional to pack your wedding dress. If you’re traveling to an event like a wedding or award ceremony, your gown might be too large or intricate to fit in a standard garment bag. Visit a wedding dress specialist with a carry-on sized suitcase for professional packing.
- Using a carry-on ensures you can keep your special item close at hand.
- Some airlines have closets for flight attendants where you could potentially hang your gown, but this is not guaranteed. A carry-on is a safer option.
- Your dress may require steaming upon arrival.
How to Pack Your Garment Bag
Wash and iron your clothes before placing them in the garment bag. If needed, ensure any dry-clean-only items are taken to the cleaners ahead of time so they’re ready before your trip.
- Starting with clean, pressed clothing will reduce the amount of work you’ll need to do upon arrival.
- Test zippers and check for any missing buttons before packing to avoid having to deal with repairs while traveling.
Gently stuff the sleeves and legs of your clothing with white tissue paper to help retain their shape and prevent wrinkles.
- White tissue paper is preferred in case your bag gets wet, as colored tissue can transfer dye onto your clothes.
Organize your packing based on your itinerary. Review your schedule and place items you will need later in your trip at the back of the garment bag, while placing the ones you need sooner at the front.
- This strategy will help avoid the need to dig through your clothes, which could cause unwanted wrinkles.
Hang your clothes on hangers. Some garment bags come with built-in hangers, while others require you to use your own. If you provide your own hangers, opt for wire ones as they are lightweight and take up less space than wood or plastic hangers.
- Maximize space by hanging multiple items on a single hanger. For example, hang a shirt beneath a jacket or blazer, tucking the shirt's sleeves into the jacket sleeves. You can also slide a belt or scarf over the hanger.
- Use pants hangers to hold pants or skirts. The less movement, the fewer wrinkles you'll have.
Use the internal ribbons of formal garments to secure them to dress hangers. This helps prevent stretching from the weight of the clothing pulling on the shoulder straps. This is especially crucial for gowns with trains, beaded dresses, or other heavy garments.
Secure all garment fasteners. This ensures your clothes stay in place and minimizes wrinkles. Zip up the zippers, fasten the snaps, and button the buttons.
Cover each hanger with a plastic dry cleaning bag. The plastic helps prevent wrinkles by reducing the friction that occurs when garments rub against each other.
Utilize the interior pockets. Store smaller items like underwear, cosmetics, and handkerchiefs in the inside pockets of your garment bag.
- If you're also bringing a carry-on or additional suitcase, consider placing smaller items there instead.
- This approach helps keep small items from causing wrinkles in the clothing on the hangers.
Put your shoes in a cotton shoe bag or a plastic grocery bag. Save space by packing socks inside your shoes. Place the shoes at the bottom of the garment bag.
- Using a plastic bag is essential to keep dirt or shoe polish from staining your clothes.
Secure your garment bag. Most garment bags are designed to function as carry-ons. Depending on your bag, fold it carefully in half or thirds. Use the zippers or snaps provided to close it, so it resembles a briefcase.
- When you first open the bag, take note of how it works so you can fold it back properly when it's full.
- It might help to practice folding the bag before you start packing. Incorrect folding or fastening can lead to more wrinkles in your clothing.
Use a dry-cleaner bag. If you have a garment protector bag that hangs in your closet and is not designed to be a suitcase, you can still travel with it. Zip the bag shut and carefully fold it into thirds to fit neatly into your suitcase.
- Avoid using a duffel bag. A suitcase with rigid sides offers better support and protection.
- Pack enough items in the suitcase to prevent the garment bag from shifting and bunching, but don't overstuff it to avoid crushing your clothing.
- Place the garment bag at the top of the suitcase to prevent other items from pressing down and causing wrinkles in your suit or dress.
How to Unpack Your Garment Bag Upon Arrival
Take your garments out of the bag as soon as possible. Once you arrive at your destination, hang your clothes in the closet immediately to allow any wrinkles to smooth out naturally.
Iron your clothing if needed. Many hotels offer complimentary irons and ironing boards. If any garments need pressing, use this opportunity to iron them all at once, so you won't forget later when you're rushed.
- Be sure to check the care labels on your clothes and adjust the iron temperature accordingly.
- Start with a less visible area, like the shirt-tail, in case you accidentally damage the fabric.
- Avoid ironing delicate or irreplaceable items, such as evening gowns, which may be made from fragile fabrics or difficult to press.
Use steam to remove wrinkles. Steam is an effective method for getting rid of wrinkles. Hang your clothes in the bathroom and run a hot shower to relax the wrinkles. Alternatively, dampen the fabric with a washcloth and use a hairdryer to create steam.
- Natural fibers, such as silk, wool, and cotton, will absorb moisture, making this method effective for these materials.
- Synthetic fabrics like polyester and rayon don't absorb moisture, so steaming won't work for them. For these, you can wash and dry them or use an iron to remove wrinkles.
Remove lint from your clothing. Use a lint brush or roller to eliminate any dust or fuzz from your garments.
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Some larger garment bags come with wheels, making them easier to transport. However, these bigger, heavier bags may be too large for carry-on luggage and will need to be checked. Consequently, larger garment bags are often constructed from more durable materials than their lighter counterparts.
