How to Pack A Garment Bag So Clothes Actually Arrive Wrinkle-Free

A garment bag seems like an obvious choice for traveling with formal dresses, tailored jackets, and other pieces that need extra care. But simple mistakes, like cramming too many items together or hanging clothes incorrectly, can leave them looking worse for wear when you arrive. A few easy packing techniques can help keep clothes relatively wrinkle-free, from choosing the right hangers to knowing what to do when you reach your destination.

​Katie McClure, co-owner of Mirth, a travel-inspired clothing brand, knows the importance of packing versatile pieces with natural fibers and easy-to-wear silhouettes. McClure shares her advice on packing clothes, reducing wrinkles, and getting outfits ready to wear after a long travel day.

Prepare Before Packing

Preparing each item of clothing before you pack gives it the best chance of arriving wrinkle-free. Fastening the top button on shirts and the middle button on suit jackets can help garments keep their shape. Choose hangers that support the shoulders without taking up too much room, instead of flimsy hangers that can leave structured pieces droopy and misshapen.

​McClure has perfected the art of packing, especially when traveling with clothing for photo shoots. “I pack my clothes on hangers. I bring a lot of clothing with me for shoots, so being able to hang everything up, see what I have, and let pieces de-wrinkle is key,” she says.

Don’t Overpack Your Bag

Although having one more outfit “just in case” is always tempting, overpacking can easily wrinkle clothes. “One of the biggest mistakes is packing too much into a garment bag and expecting everything to arrive perfectly pressed,” McClure says. “Overcrowding creates creases and makes it harder for garments to hang naturally with plenty of breathing room.” Instead, she recommends using a garment bag only for pieces that benefit most from hanging.

​Layer Clothes Strategically

​Always hang the heaviest items, like jackets and blazers, toward the back of the garment bag. Next, hang lightweight trousers, dresses, and shirts. Hang dresses freely, and secure the straps so they don’t slip off the hanger. If long dresses must be folded to fit in the garment bag, do your best to fold them along an existing seam to avoid creating new creases.

​Try to Pack Natural Fibers

The type of fabrics you pack affects how clothes look when you pull them out of the suitcase. Although synthetic materials can be wrinkle-resistant, McClure prefers natural fibers, including cotton, silk, and linen, which are breathable and travel well.

“I’m a champion of natural fabrics, so I’m happy to put in a little extra effort when traveling with them,” she says. “Linen will naturally wrinkle, but I don’t mind that lived-in look.” Instead of trying to eliminate every wrinkle, she focuses on keeping garments looking fresh without losing their character.

Try the Tissue Paper Trick

For clothing that needs more attention, taking extra care with packing may be worth it. For delicate silk dresses and other special pieces, tissue paper placed between each garment can help reduce friction between folds and minimize deep creases. “My grandmother wrapped every item in tissue paper when she packed, and she always looked so elegant when she traveled,” McClure says. “I have tried her method myself, and I do think it can help especially with delicate pieces.” A plastic dry-cleaning bag can also help garments slide against one another instead of bunching up.

​Unpack as Soon as You Arrive

One of the easiest ways to deal with travel wrinkles is to hang garments as soon as you arrive so creases can release on their own before you need to wear them. Hanging lightweight fabrics might do the trick, but stubborn wrinkles may need a little steam.

​McClure recommends using natural steam. “You have to accept that you’ll get some wrinkles, but don’t underestimate the magic of hanging your clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot steamy shower,” she says. “It really does work.”

​McClure also suggests asking the hotel for help when an outfit needs special attention. “Many times housekeeping can iron or steam clothing for you, which is not as expensive as laundry service, so it might be worth the splurge for those extra special occasions.”

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Read the original article on Southern Living