I have something to confess: I’m a ridiculously heavy over-packer, even though I know there are better ways.

I once brought a car-hoggingly huge suitcase to a two-day wedding. When my partner and I lived apart, I’d regularly bring two big sports bags over for a weekend.

But for a recent trip, I figured: no more. Now, I think, is the time to save some suitcase space (not least because some airlines could soon become stricter about carry-on measurements). 

My biggest problem is clothes. So, I gave “ranger rolling” a try, and was seriously impressed by the results. 

What is ranger rolling? 

It’s basically rolling up your clothes, but with an added “lip” made from the bottom of the garment that secures it to prevent unrolling. 

Yes, “regular” rolling works too. But, Travel + Leisure pointed out, they risk far more wrinkling and a much greater chance of becoming loose than the military-approved method.

How do you “ranger roll” clothes? 

I have to be honest with you: this is a lot easier with thin, “square”-ish objects, like T-shirts. However, I did manage it with a hoodie and even some thick joggers. 

Lie your item of clothing flat on a surface (I went for the floor) and then fold the bottom five centimetres or so up. I find that for bulkier and/or longer garments, this fold needs to be longer; this will be the “lip” that encases your rolled-up item.

Then, try to “square off” the other end of the clothes as much as you can. For a hoodie, I folded the hood into the square body of the item and crossed the sleeves across its centre.

Fold this “squared” item in half, then roll the non-folded end towards the folded end all the way down. Don’t stop when you reach the hem that’s been folded in: if you stop here, the item will unravel.

This should leave you with a folded “lip” on the outside of the rolled garment. Turn this inside out to cover the rolled-up piece of clothing, a bit like securing a pillowcase shut. 

My images pale in comparison to expert videos, however, like this very useful one from Sophie Liard (known online as The Folding Lady).

Did it work?

I had some serious hiccups. Firstly, I wasn’t rolling tight enough: that meant it was harder to wrap the lip around the outside of the clothes. 

Secondly, all my clothes were thick and irregular, which made the job harder. I don’t really own many T-shirts and hadn’t packed any; these seem the best candidates for the job. 

But after a couple of tries (and learning to really squeeze that roll), I saw success. The before-and-afters of my suitcase speak for themselves.

So, if you’re a fellow chronic over-packer, I recommend giving it a go.