I Tried the “Nesting Method” to Pack My Suitcase, and I Was Shocked by the Results

As someone who travels about once a month, I prefer to pack light and use only a carry-on suitcase. Although shopping typically isn’t at the top of my list when I’m traveling, I do occasionally want to buy something while visiting a new place. However, I often skip buying keepsakes because I don’t want to have to buy a new piece of luggage at my destination or pay a premium to ship purchases home. I knew there had to be a better way. 

Thanks to a friend who likes to shop ‘til she drops, I discovered a great packing solution. The “nesting method” she taught me helps me gain valuable space for new purchases. Now, when I travel, I can pick up just about anything that catches my eye without worrying about how I will get it home.   

To use the nesting method, I pack everything I normally would in my carry-on. Then, I place my packed carry-on in a larger, empty suitcase. That way, I only have to carry one suitcase around when I arrive at my destination. Once I am settled in my hotel, I remove my carry-on from the larger suitcase. Then, I have an entire large suitcase for my new finds when it’s time to go home. If I don’t buy much, I can usually fit some of my new items in the empty space around my carry-on. 

I first used the nesting method on a trip to Iceland. I wanted to travel as lightly as possible but knew I would buy some specialty clothing when I arrived. In Iceland, I planned to buy a warm coat and other cold-weather clothing gear at a secondhand shop I knew carried high-quality items at lower prices than I could find at home. 

When I used this ingenious method, I was very happy to see how well it worked. On the way to Iceland, I only had to pay to check one suitcase, as my smaller suitcase was safely stored inside my larger one. 

I changed hotels a couple of times in Iceland, so I wanted to keep carrying one suitcase for as long as possible. At first, I put my new items in the empty space around my carry-on in the larger suitcase. Once I ran out of space, I simply took my packed carry-on out of the larger suitcase and filled up my larger bag with everything I had bought. With two suitcases, I had plenty of space for everything I purchased with room to spare. 

For an upcoming trip to Japan with Intrepid Travel, my teenage daughter informed me that we would be doing a lot of shopping. She has spent the last year babysitting and saving up for a shopping spree in Tokyo, so I can’t say no. Plus, once I started looking into all the great things to buy in Tokyo, from clothing to skincare, I realized I might want to treat myself to some retail therapy, too. The nesting method seems perfect. However, I wanted to see what travel professionals think of the approach before my trip. 

For advice, I reached out to Nour Shell, social coordinator for Intrepid Travel, North America, and a frequent traveler. “This is one of my favorite travel hacks. It’s simple and makes a huge difference when you know you’ll be doing some local shopping,” she says. “It’s especially great if you’re packing light on the way there or flying with an airline that only allows one checked bag. It saves you from scrambling to buy a new suitcase mid-trip or paying extra fees later.” Shell recently used the nesting method to bring home mosaics from Jordan and bulky ponchos for her entire family from Peru. 

Now that I know the nesting method is beloved by travel professionals, both my daughter and I plan to use it during our upcoming trip. 

The nesting method works best with a set of luggage that is designed to be stored with a smaller suitcase nested inside a larger one, such as this set from Away Luggage, which includes a larger carry-on and a larger checked suitcase that nests perfectly. I love these “flex” suitcases because they expand to create even more space by unzipping a wrap-around expandable zipper. However, any two pieces of luggage will work as long as the smaller bag fits inside the larger bag.