College kid goes viral for 'genius' packing job — and you won't believe how much she fit in one duffel bag
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Imagine having just one bag to pack in everything you own. Could you do it?
A college student was met with that challenge packing up for her fall semester. Elizabeth Childs, a 19-year-old student from Washington, had one bag to fit in all of the clothes and shoes she could for school. And, since she was flying to her North Carolina college, that bag had to weigh in under 50 pounds to meet airport regulation standards.
“Somebody give me an award,” she posted to Twitter with two photos showing all the things she packed before and after they were in the bag.
In just a few days, the tweet has garnered more than 67,000 likes, and tons of questions about how Childs fit in so much.
Users were quick to ask whether her bag weighed more than airport standards. Childs hilariously admitted that, after packing even more for her freshman year, the bag was light enough — but she wasn’t positive about it this time.
“I’m living on a prayer and a somewhat empty book-bag,” she admitted, triumphantly responding a little later that her bag came in at 42 pounds.
In total, Childs fit nine pairs of shoes and about 50 different things in her luggage — a feat so impressive she took to Twitter to share.
She told the Daily Mail: “My secret to packing everything was down to the bag itself ... There's a bottom compartment which I use to put my shoes in, then I roll my clothes instead of folding them — which I have now discovered is a military technique.”
After zooming in on the bag and then doing some internet sleuthing, we found Childs’ miracle bag. The Traveler’s Club XPedition 30-inch Rolling Drop-Bottom Duffel Bag is available right now at Bed Bath & Beyond — and it’s just $40.
Along with the bottom compartment for shoe storage, the bag has side pockets for accessories, security buckles and inline skate wheels which make for easy gliding.
Shop it: Traveler's Club XPedition 30-Inch Rolling Drop-Bottom Duffle Bag, $40, bedbathandbeyond.com
We’re taking Childs on her word—it’s all about the bag.
For more options, check out these top-rated carryalls:
Olympia 8 Pocket Rolling Duffel Bag - 33 inch
This No. 1 best-selling duffel bag is made with a flexible polyester material (great for stuffing in all that you can) and is filled with eight different-sized pockets. Perfect for organized and large packing duties, customers say it’s much larger than it looks, thus fits in more than you’d expect.
One five-star reviewer said: “Words can not describe how much I was able to fit inside here WITH ROOM TO SPARE!! Look at the pictures! I highly recommend this to everyone! I used all the pockets on the side for, 1 pocket was black socks (7 pairs), 1 pocket was white socks (7 pairs), 1 pocket was for extra chargers, cords and random accessories, the other was for razor, shaving cream, 2 sticks of deodorant, toothbrush and paste. Front pockets held my tablet, phone (while I was on the plane, yes this was a carry on!) with plenty of room to spare, documents in the front top pocket for quick access. The bonus pocket by the handle I [had] no idea what to even put in there!”
Shop it: Olympia 8 Pocket Rolling Duffel Bag - 33 inch, $46, amazon.com
Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside Luggage with Spinner Wheels
Samsonite is known for durability. With 4,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4-star rating, shoppers say this suitcase is great for long trips because it’s so light and roomy.
One five star reviewer said: “I have been traveling a lot lately for a long term project away from home. I typically check bags so I bought this to replace my other 30" bag that I have had since the beginning of time. With the old bag I was always worried about exceeding the 50 lb limit since I pack for long term trips, I have exercise gear and bring heavy coats when the weather is cold. This new one is at least 10 lbs lighter than the old, has higher capacity and with the hard sides seams much more durable. It is getting scratched up, so if you are sensitive to this I would go with a darker color or something that will mask this. Overall very pleased with this luggage, I'm going to buy one for my wife for our next trip.”
Shop it: Samsonite Winfield 2 Hardside Luggage with Spinner Wheels, $298 (Save $28 by selecting the coupon), amazon.com
Kenneth Cole Reaction Out Of Bounds 28-Inch Check-Size Luggage
Hardshell suitcases can be heavy, making it harder to avoid airport baggage fees, but the Kenneth Cole Reaction bag is extremely lightweight—it’s only 9.6 pounds. Multidirectional wheels make it easy to glide.
One five-star reviewer wrote: “Top quality, light and very roomy. I recently completed a two-week international trip and easily fit 4 pairs of slacks, 8 dress shirts, 5 undershirts and underwear, 8 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of shoes and a sport coat with room to spare. Properly packed (no hangers!) and you can pack more than enough to last the average business traveler for several weeks abroad. The bag survived even the most rugged treatment by the airlines and airports!”
Shop it: Kenneth Cole Reaction Out Of Bounds 28-Inch Check-Size Luggage, $84, amazon.com
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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