The Art of Travel Packing: A New Approach
I’m a woman of many talents. Travel packing is not one of them. Yes, I leave it to the last minute. Yes, I pull my entire wardrobe out onto my bed, and still somehow end up packing a stuffed suitcase full of the wrong things. And, as anyone who has royally effed up their travel packing knows, it can have a major impact on how you feel on your trip.
But that was the old me. The new me just got back from an overseas holiday and is feeling super smug because I actually nailed it this time, thanks to a handy travel packing hack.
It’s called the “Sudoku packing method”, and whether you’re packing for a long weekend or a longer holiday, I can guarantee it’ll work for you.
What is the ‘Sudoku’ Packing Method?
Like many handy things you find on the internet, it’s hard to pinpoint where this travel packing hack originated. Whether you call it Sudoku packing, the 3×3 method or a travel capsule wardrobe, this travel packing method works by laying out nine specific items in a Sudoku-esque three-by-three grid.
Here’s the trick: these nine items need to be able to mix and match together. In an ideal world, they should give you 27 possible outfit combinations.
This is a tried-and-tested trick. Type “sudoku packing method” into your IG or TikTok search bar and thousands of posts will appear. A quick Google led me to Jamie Lee’s excellent Sudoku method Substack post, and @thenatalieway.travelby’s recent Sudoku method opinion video currently has 4.8 million views.
But my algorithm knew I was going away when content creator Alison Hope Murray’s non-boring Sudoku method packing post came up in my feed. As someone who loves prints, colour and statement pieces, nailing a travel capsule wardrobe feels trickier because you don’t have typical basics like white t-shirts and jeans to “anchor” your outfits.
How to Pack Using the Sudoku Method
OK, so you’re going to need three tops, three bottoms and three layering pieces to make up your nine items. Once you’ve chosen your items, lay them in a grid.
I recently went to California for seven days. Here’s what my Sudoku packing grid included:
Tops:
– A striped rugby t-shirt
– Striped Oxford shirt
– Leopard print short-sleeved shirt
Bottoms:
– A thick leopard print midi skirt
– Sheer leopard print maxi skirt (in hindsight, I probably could’ve chosen something else!)
– A textured chocolate brown midi skirt
Layers:
– The Target burgundy faux leather jacket I wrote about recently
– A red fluffy knit
– That viral Uniqlo funnel-neck windbreaker
My Sudoku grid. Image: Supplied.
Something that didn’t come up in my Sudoku packing method research was how you can strategically use your plane outfit to sneak in extra items! Case in point: I switched out my usual long-haul leggings and hoodie outfit for a statement red funnel-neck jacket as an extra layering piece, and the Uniqlo Ultra Stretch Active Wide Pants.
The strategic plane outfit. Image: Supplied.
Does the Sudoku Packing Method Work?
It did for me! My trip involved a mix of warm and cold weather, and city and nature activities, so this freed up more space for walking shoes, cool sneakers, thongs, ballet flats and even a pair of boots.
Some of my fits! Image: Supplied.
For a short trip (less than 10 days), you can’t go wrong with this packing method. And for longer trips, I would simply extend my grid by making it a four-by-three!
The best part was not having to think too hard about what to wear every day. And because I chose items that fit into my usual personal style, I still felt like ‘me’ while travelling.
Now I’ve had some Sudoku packing success, I doubt I’ll travel without doing it ever again.
