Try This TikTok Packing Hack To Give You A Little Extra Room In Your Suitcase

Spend enough time on TikTok, and you'll find a treasure trove of travel advice, from booking free flights with airline partners to filming your flight's takeoff creatively with your smartphone. There's no gatekeeping on this platform, as creators are often too excited to keep the hacks to themselves. One such TikToker, @niyaesperanza, swears that a particular packing strategy has saved her trips many times.

In the video, Niya Esperanza explains that she doesn't understand the physics behind the hack. When she shows it to people, it tends to have the same effect. But the truth is really quite simple. It's the power of physics at play, as she's using force to create an ad hoc air compressor. If you don't have compression cubes or a double zipper suitcase with a built-in compression compartment à la Samantha Brown's packing advice, this luggage trick will work just as well. When you're ready to go, be mindful of the total weight of your luggage, as airlines have weight restrictions. Just because you can fit it all doesn't mean you can bring it all, capiche? Now for the hack.

If you are trying to fit a lot of clothes into a small suitcase, find a piece of clothing with a large surface area — like a sweater — and lay it flat at the bottom of the luggage. Next, pile all the garments you want to bring on top of the larger item. You do not need to fold the clothes; simply lay them flat as if you're going to iron them, says Esperanza.

The next part is where the magic happens. Reach underneath, grab the bottom of the larger item, and fold it over the top of the articles of clothing to the right, essentially creating a clothes taco. Lean on the bundle, squeezing out excess air. Keep your right arm on the clothes and use your left hand to put more garments into the open space you just created. Once you have enough attires in place to create a wedge, you can release your right hand from the large stack. When the suitcase compartment is full, zip it shut, and away you go. Easy peasy.