The “5,4,3,2,1” Method Takes All the Stress Out of Packing My Carry-On

No matter how many times I’ve packed my suitcases to go home (and as a bicoastal student, that’s a lot), I always dread it. Sometimes I make a list and still forget something important, and other times, I completely overpack and have to pay a hefty overweight luggage fee. 

For a while, I thought I was doomed to the fate of never packing exactly what I needed for each trip home. That was, until I discovered the “5,4,3,2,1” packing method, which has completely transformed my disorganized packing routine. I recently tried using it before a trip, and it made my travel prep for the holidays so much less stressful. 

The 5,4,3,2,1 packing method is a formula that simplifies packing for any occasion by breaking it up into five easy categories in which the number correlates to how many of a certain item you need. All you need to bring is: 

• 5 tops
• 4 bottoms
• 3 other articles (hoodies, sweaters, dresses, etc.)
• 2 pairs of shoes
• 1 set of accessories (hat, scarf, purse, etc.)

I’ve found that this mode of packing can even last you up to three weeks if you plan to do a load of laundry, which works perfectly for a standard college winter break. Of course, this packing method doesn’t specify what you’d need for underwear or any other personal items, so pack with your heart on that one. 

The great thing about this method is that it’s totally adjustable, too. For instance, if you want to bring another sweater, just swap that out for your extra pair of shoes. That way, everything can still fit into your luggage and you’ll be set for your winter vacation at home.

Before I left campus for a week for Thanksgiving break, I started out packing, as I always do, with a huge pile of clothes. I’m really into fashion and can be super indecisive when it comes to choosing which pieces I want to bring home, since I want to wear them all! My first step was to split the pile into the different categories of the 5,4,3,2,1 method so I could see what I was working with in each group, and I quickly realized that narrowing the pile down to specific packing categories made the process of choosing what to bring a lot easier.

I began with packing the tops and bottoms, as they take up the majority of the 5,4,3,2,1 list. I folded them into small cubes so that they would fit easily inside of my carry-on and leave lots of space for my remaining items.

Where I live is a lot warmer than where I go to school, so I made sure to pick tops suitable for the weather, such as T-shirts and tank tops, but I also made sure to throw in a few long sleeves for mornings and nights. For my bottoms, I decided on two pairs of jeans, one pair of shorts, and some sweatpants for lounging around the house or doing errands. As someone who’s incredibly prone to overpacking, when I was finished putting my tops and bottoms in the suitcase, I was shocked to see how much room I had left this time around.

For shoes, I settled on a pair of sneakers and a pair of flats, so I’d have a comfortable and fashionable option depending on the day. (If you live somewhere where you’d need to pack snow boots or winter gear, you can do your best to consolidate them.) As for accessories, I always like to have a purse on me, so I brought one that I thought would go with most of my outfits. I don’t live in a cold area, but if I did, I’d totally bring a thick scarf and beanie. Instead, I decided on a light cardigan and thick sweater to throw over some tops.

After I added some extra makeup and toiletries, I was all set to go! In total, I only spent around 15 minutes packing up everything, which was so much faster than I’d ever been able to get it done before. Plus, I was able to zip my carry-on with ease, which is a rare feat for me, and it wasn’t too heavy to pick up, either — which for a solo traveler, can be very helpful!

Now that I know the 5,4,3,2,1 method works so well, I’m very much looking forward to *not* stressing over packing my suitcase to go home for winter break.