Lay everything out first, and then pack your bag to minimize both shifting and crushing.

At home, most of us treat our clothing and other belongings with care. It’s only natural to protect our investment in what we wear and own, as money spent to constantly replace ruined clothes or damaged objects is wasted. Why then, when we travel, do so many of us haphazardly toss items into a bag, or pack a suitcase without first considering the potential damage to those things we’re taking on our trip? Luckily, with a little forethought and planning, it’s easy to pack a suitcase in such a way that the things inside stay secure and unharmed.

Lynn Staneff has been an avid traveler for more than 25 years, during which time she has made every possible packing error, and learned the lessons of these mistakes. As coordinator of media relations for Magellan's, she has the opportunity to try all of the new travel goodies that make packing, and travel, a little easier. Here she offers a basic guide to secure suitcase packing:

• Under packing. Many people make the mistake of under packing a suitcase or bag. The main problem with this is that it leads to a lot of shifting inside the luggage, so clothing will come out wrinkled and the rattling or sliding around could damage other belongings.

• Over packing. The second major mistake is to over pack a suitcase. Not only does this make the bag heavier to carry, but it can also lead to squished or crushed clothing and belongings.

• A system. The key is to neither under pack nor over pack and to use a logical system of packing that will guarantee your items are held firmly but not squeezed too much. Staneff recommends laying out everything you want to pack on your bed, and placing heavy items like shoes in the bottom of your case.

• Socks and underwear. Staneff knows of several ways to protect socks and underwear while they are inside your luggage. Rolling them up works well, but you can also purchase special packing cubes. Cubes will keep small items accessible and neatly organized, and prevent that jumble of tangled knots that results from poor packing.

• Clothing. You’ll also want to keep your clothes snug and folded so they don’t come out creased. Staneff suggests using a bag within a bag. This will keep your clothing separate from other items as well as reduce shifting and wrinkling.

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