loisco

Has anyone had success packing with those jumbo ziplok bags?..

ellenem

Some people like them. They certainly make more room in your suitcase. However, if your intention is to be able to pack more, remember that your suitcase will also weigh more.

sandi_travelnut

I used the 2 gallon size on our 10 day Italy trip last January. I loved it. Get the kind that you close by pressing the top with your fingers and not the zipper kind. The latter does not seal well and it doesn't stay as flat as the ones you close yourself. Make sense? It was so easy to move things around and repack. The clothes stayed pretty wrinkle free. I started a thread about using bags versus bundling or rolling while I was getting ready for the trip. It's got a lot of great variations in it.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34923844

BlueSwimmer

I LOVE them! Ziplock really should hire me as their spokesperson. I now pack everything in various sized bags. It keeps the luggage organized and is great for security searches.

I always pack one entire clean outfit, socks and all, in a gallon size bag, for each family member. I keep these separate for the entire trip as the designated "homebound airplane outfit." (Discovered this one after a trip when my DH ended up with no clean clothes on the last day because I, um, perhaps did not assert my clothing plans for the trip strongly enough to him and he wore two shirts in one day!!!! The nerve!!)

On the return trip, I even separate the dirty clothes into bags by whites, colors, and delicates, so I can empty the bags straight into the washing machine (yes- nerd is my middle name!)

LowCountryIslander

BlueSwimmer and Sandi...I am right there with you! I use a variety of sizes and on my 4 week trip in Central Europe last year, it was great. The largest size I used was the 2 gallon bag, but I could fit several tee shirts in one and 4 pair of rolled up pants in another...would not want to pack any other way now!

Also, since I was traveling to 5 different countries and dealing with different currencies in each I used the little "snack" size zip locks for whatever currency I had left over from each country...that way I didn't get money mixed up from country to country!

Celticharper

I'm with Blueswimmer. We pack in the same style. The one & two gallon sizes are the most versatile. The jumbo bags that they advertise are better for storage of comforters really huge blankets. I think these would be much too large to be of any use for sorting clothes & items for a suitcase.
Even if you only do underthings in one baggie, nightclothes in another and socks in a third you will be surprised how much more organized the suitcase will be and how much easier it will be to find things.

Once you get used to packing each outfit into a seperate 2 gallon bag complete with socks & underthings you will be spoiled forever. Even my husband who is the worlds worst packer now asks me to pack his things this way.

I also use these for my carryon as well so that when we are searched, because we are always the ones pulled out for a full carryon pullapart, I don't have to worry about trying to refold & repack things I just toss the baggies back in.

suze

I use an assortment but the 1 gallon is the biggest size I use. They are great for organizing, but I don't care to pack my clothes into them (except maybe socks & undies).

loisco

Thanks...my husband got me some fancy plastic things (brand unknown?) and I found them annoying, if you know what I mean. Your comments are most helpful.

cupid1

My mom loved jumbo Ziplocs.

Until she saw how nice our clothes arrived using space bags. They vacuum pack (by hand, no vacuum cleaner needed) and get flatter than any Ziploc can. Clothing has few or no wrinkles at all since the contents can't shift or slide in the bags because they are a stiff pancake of clothing. I use a couple of sizes and they are absolutely necessary for bulky things like sweaters. They are very sturdy and like Ziplocs make it easy to organize so packing and unpacking goes quickly.

The folding and rolling tricks that worked in the past just don't cut it anymore in these days of Security pawing through your luggage and leaving it looking like a pile from a teenage boy's floor.

skatedancer

the idea of organizing clothes in ziplock bags was one of the best tips I've gotten off Fodor's! If you are changing hotels during your travels, it makes it a cinch to move around alot. There now are 2.5 gallon bags!

I tried the vacuum bags, but couldn't figure out how they work.

CarolA

I think these are great with one warning. Airlines are REALLY cracking down on weight and I have read several stoires of folks who were able to pack SO much in their suitcases using baggies and space bags that they were overweight when they got to the airport. This can be costly!

amsdon

Hi all:

I have not yet found the 2 gal bags mentioned as the non zip type.

Can you give me some tips as to which stores carry them..I am on west coast.
Wallmart? Target? Cosco does not have them.

Thanks

CRAZY4TRAVEL

Find them great for keeping dirty clothes away from the clean ones. I remember years ago going to central Europe and after a few days my clothes and suitcase started to smell like garbage. I think the city smells...diesel fumes etc get into the fibers. I now travel with several large ziplok bags and a small bottle of fabreeze. It makes the time in between washing clothes bearable.

halfpint

I have gotten the 2 gal size ziploc at Walmart and couldn't live without them. As stated above, especially for frequent moves and also through security, these bags are so easy to handle. However true, it might give you the idea you can PACK MORE. Don't do that as you probably would go overweight. Only thing I watch out for is when they go through the bag in front of you, the bags do seem to slide out occasionally and I want to make sure each one gets back in. So I prefer a suitcase that a strap ;(interior) goves over the whole thing so things do not slip. Have a great trip. You will never pack without them again. Halfpint

amsdon

Thanks!

emmalee_71

I agree with the weight comment. They really sting you now. I paid extra in January as i had diapers with me. I love the bags at home for storing sweaters etc but not sure about for travel.

MademoiselleFifi

I love the 2-gallon ziplocks at home, but for travel I prefer lightweight mesh packing cubes. The plastic bags are so slippery that they always slide out when I'm fumbling for something in the suitcase, so I worry that if some fall out while the TSA people are checking bags, they may not bother to put them back!

Smaller ziploc bags are great for organizing all the miscellaneous accessories that come with eletronic equipment. Use one bag for camera stuff, one for MP3, etc., and write on each bag what goes with each gadget (AC adaptor, dongle, USB cord, extra memory card...) so it's easy to check that nothing's missing. Then I dump all the small ziplocs into one mesh packing cube to toss in my carryon.

suze

It's true. The one and only time I did up all my clothes in ziplocks (folded clothes into ziplocks, then sat on the bag to get the air out)... was the time they made me check the suitcase I normally carried on... for being over-weight!

brioche

Ziploc freezer bags in every size are the greatest packing helpers ever! I used them for everything from toiletries and vitamins to socks. The 1 & 2 gal. sizes were perfect for most clothing items, like shirts, sweaters & slacks - I folded each item with dry-cl. bags or tissue paper & then placed it into a freezer bag. It really made packing & finding things easier. I used the empty freezer bags (& dry-cl. bags & tissue paper) for wrapping & packing the Armagnac & Calvados bottles we brought back - this worked perfectly, (no broken bottles, thank goodness!).

bigtyke

I use the ziploc Big Bags (size xl - 2 ft x 1.7 ft and xxl - 2 x 2,7 ft) as a substitute for luggage when making a car trip to a vacation house. I don't see much of a use for them on plane trips because they are so large. The 1 and 2 gallon size are better for suitcase organizing.