Packing for Six, anyone use Space Bags?

[Kristamouse]

We are crazy enough to be going to Dee Dub (what my kids call it) in Oct with our 4 KIDS!!! 6, 5, 2 and 6 months. I am trying to cut back on all of the crap we will have to bring and would like to know if anyone has tried the Space Bags for travel. Last May we did great in one large suit case and one duffle bag BUT we were only staying for 3 nights and had one less baby. Now we have a new(er) baby and are staying for 6 nights.
Thanks!

 

[MissM]

How would you re-shrink them once you get there? Don't you need a vacuum cleaner to do it? :shrug:

 

[Kristamouse]

No, with the travel Space Bags you "roll out the air and can pack twice as much". Just curious if they acutally work as well with OUT the vacum.

 

[disneygirl76]

We are crazy enough to be going to Dee Dub (what my kids call it) in Oct with our 4 KIDS!!! 6, 5, 2 and 6 months. I am trying to cut back on all of the crap we will have to bring and would like to know if anyone has tried the Space Bags for travel. Last May we did great in one large suit case and one duffle bag BUT we were only staying for 3 nights and had one less baby. Now we have a new(er) baby and are staying for 6 nights.
Thanks!

Hey there. My DH and I use shrink bags to store clothes. But they do have a travel system. The pack we got had two in there. They require no vacuum. So you just roll the air out. They don't work "as well" as the vacuum. But they do work. My DH and I decided that the next time we travel (since we'll be flying not driving), we are going to get more of the travel bags to help with the packing. So yes, to answer your question, they work. :lol:

 

[zurgandfriend]

Hey there. My DH and I use shrink bags to store clothes. But they do have a travel system. The pack we got had two in there. They require no vacuum. So you just roll the air out. They don't work "as well" as the vacuum. But they do work. My DH and I decided that the next time we travel (since we'll be flying not driving), we are going to get more of the travel bags to help with the packing. So yes, to answer your question, they work. :lol:

What she said, for packing to get to WDW. After that we just crammed the dirty/worn clothes into a suitcase for trip home. Wonderful doing 10 loads of laundry when we got home.

 

[MissM]

No, with the travel Space Bags you "roll out the air and can pack twice as much". Just curious if they acutally work as well with OUT the vacum.

Ah I see. I hadn't heard of those. Interesting!

 

[NewfieFan]

Have you ever watched the Shopping Bags (or is that a Canadian show)!?!

They did a review of them and didn't have a lot of great things to say about them. They said you were better off getting the heavy duty Ziploc bags and squeezing the air out of them.

When they tested them they noticed that you couldn't get as much air out of them and that in some cases air seeped back in.

I use the heavy duty Ziploc bags (zipper bags) and I find them great!

 

[Nemo14]

When our kids were younger,and we were traveling with the our 2 plus the 3 I took care of, I used to pack complete outfits (including socks & underwear) in seperate gallon size zip-locks with thier names on a label for each bag. It made it so much easier in the mornings to just grab a bag for each child to get them dressed. It also helps to keep the dirty clothes and wet bathing suits in for your return home.

 

[Testtrack321]

I don't like them and find they tear, rip, and just are a pain to use.

I travel a bit alone and with family, for pleasure and work. What I use to save space is to really really learn what to bring, how to pack it efficiently, and my magic rule is "if you can't put it into a carry on and a lap top bag, it isn't going."

I recommend checking out "core packing" technique. It prevents wrinkles and other pains.

http://www.onebag.com/pack.html

Have fun! I'm going down in 11 days for 4 days of fun & sun for my best friend's 21st bday and I'm going to see if I can get away with just a backpack! :hammer::lol:

 

[deb4him40]

There are space saver bags that roll up to get the air out. I use them.

 

[mickeysshoes]

I have found that rolling your clothes instead of laying them flat allows more room. So much more room that when i was done and weighted the duffle bag it was over the 50 lbs limit. We have the ex-large duffle bags from LLBean. They have wheels on one end with a pull out handle and also a long strap. These have been the best purchase in luggage we have ever made. They hold a TONE and are light empty so your not out lots of weight before you even start to pack. Great for crusing as they will lay flat. I would suggest getting the bright colors as it so easy to find your luggage. The only issue you will find with the duffle is they do not stant up right on their own. But other than that they have been great for us.

 

[Master Yoda]

How would you re-shrink them once you get there? Don't you need a vacuum cleaner to do it? :shrug:

Someone has already informed you about the travel bags but you can also do the same with the regular vacuum bags. All you really need a third hand. If someone holds the valve open (nothing more than a silicone disk) you can get the air out much in the same way that you would for one of the travel bags.

 

[StingraySam]

I have used the Space Bags in the past and have had good luck with them, but as Trotsky mentioned you will add weight, if used correctly you can easily double or triple the amount of clothing you would have normally fit in one bag and it's surprising how much heavier this gets. Even if this doesn't tip the airlines scales for a higher baggage fee you may find managing one heavier bag can be more of a hassle than two lighter bags.

 

[Kristamouse]

THANKS!! We are driving, no way in h*ll I am getting on an airplane with 4 cars seates
Lot's of good tips will try labeling the Zip-Loc bags with socks, undies, hair bows etc....great ideal..even Dad can dress them then
I will try the heavy duty zip locks on a weekend trip to see and then perhaps try the space bags. Anything to save space.
We have purchased a new car, Chevy Traverse, and lost some cargo space from our old van. So we got the pull behind small tralier and will pack in rubbermaid type containers. Am trying to get away with two, one for clothes, one for other items....will see what actually happens.

 

[Stellajack]

My husband and I used these when we did Adventures by Disney-Viva Italia. They worked great!

We did not have a vacuum in Venice when packing for our return trip, but as others have said, you can still get the excess air out of the bag. My husband sat on the bags and we squeezed almost as much air out of the bag as we had with the vacuum.

These were great and gave extra space and padding in the suitcase for items we were bringing back. :wave:

 

[njdunning]

Kristamouse,

I pack for 4 kids when I go and the space bags doesn't work very well for me. I will agree with the other poster that rolling the clothes does work well.

Good luck! We usually have one big bag for the kids and then one a peice for DH and myself.

Michele