If you’re the kind of traveller who loves to score a sale flight, but hates paying for checked-in luggage, we have found the perfect travel hack for you. Jenna Carr, who goes by the user name ‘The Travel Mum’ on TikTok, has shared a video on the social media app that shows how she manages to squeeze a week’s worth of clothes into a single carry-on backpack. 

The trick? Vacuum sealed bags. Jenna reveals how she places her clothes in the vacuum bag and then places the vacuum bag in her backpack. Once the vacuum bag is in her backpack she seals it then removes the air from the bag with a handheld air pump, which she packs as well. The vacuum bag then decreases in size and moulds to the shape of the backpack, helping to fit more clothes in the backpack.

@thetravelmum So you’ve found your cheap @Skyscanner flights, but then clock the extortionate luggage prices… Did you know it’s quite easy to travel without needing to pay for additional baggage?! ᵃᵈ Budget airlines allow you to bring a free ‘personal item’ on board, and there are no limits on shopping bags from the airport. Each passenger, including children, gets their own rucksack. Over time the £100’s you save on luggage really adds up. Would you consider travelling like this?! Let us know! #skyscanneradvocatejuly #packinghacks #packingtipsandtricks #cheapflights #thetravelmum #travelhacks ♬ Stolen Dance (Instrumental) – Milky Chance

Jenna also manages to fit a pair of sandals, some jewellery and non-liquid makeup in the backpack as well. She also shares that she wears her bulkier shoes on the plane to save space in her carry on. Another hot tip: carry any bulkier items in shopping bags, so it looks as if you’d purchased something from the airport, rather than brought personal items from home. 

The TikTok video has now garnered around 31,800 views on the social media platform, with many hailing it as genius. Personally, as a chronic overpacker, I would use this hack just to fit more clothes into my already full suitcase. 

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