When it comes to packing my luggage for a long vacation, I never have trouble fitting all my clothes into a small space and my friends have always asked me, "How is that possible?!" I've always followed this method and it has never failed me. Firstly, research on the weather conditions in the country you'll be spending your vacation in. My trip to The Netherlands was during Spring so it was 40% sunny, 10% rainy and 50% cloudy with wind.
Next, separate your clothing. Place your jeans and long pants at the bottom of the luggage followed by dresses and skirts for the ladies. If you're male, you'll be saving extra space. Do not fold these clothing, lay them out flat (this will give you much more space in your luggage for the rest of your clothing). Tops come next; instead of folding your T-Shirts, roll them up and stack them on top of each other to one corner of the luggage. After all this, you will have used up approximately 40% of the luggage space.
Bottled items should be wrapped in cling wrap to avoid spillage and placed in a designated bag. I buy my laundry compartment bags from Daiso; you can use these to keep your undergarments organized. Just like the T-shirts, roll them up and stack them on top of each other. After arranging them, there should be plenty of space left in the laundry compartment bag for other items like handkerchiefs and socks. The luggage is now separated into two halves - the first half is comprised of the rolled up shirts and the second half will be comprised of your compartment bags. Now, you can place all other items into the bag. Jackets, scarves and towels should be laid out flat at the top of the luggage (why the top? These garments take up a lot of space if it's folded; so it's best to lay them at the top).
