DIY Vacuum Packing (a.k.a the Poor Man's Spacebag)

You've all seen the Spacebag infomercials on TV promising to triple your storage space using a vacuum cleaner. Well here is a simple way to achieve the same effect using materials you already have!


I came up with this while packing for school and getting frustrated with the cargo limitations of my car's trunk. This makes packing for college much less stressful as space becomes much less of a constraint by compacting large items such as comforters, bedding, and clothes.

Step 1: What You Need

-Garbage bags

-Vacuum cleaner with a hose

I used drawstring kitchen bags, but large black garbage bags would work very well, as they are less prone to tearing.

Comments

[instructamaker]

Wow im moving to san diego from MA and was looking for a way to pack my carry on.

[sengrath]

Great idea to easily pack when you leave , but what do you do on your return?( should I pack my vacuum cleaner too?) :)

[muddog15]

how do you tie the bag

[werikblack]

I've been doing this for quite a few years with plastic zipper bags. Get the 1-gallon and 2-gallon freezer bags, and they actually hold a fair amount of clothing. Pack them, zip most of the way, then sit on the bag to expel the air. Zip the rest of the way, and done!

[bruno13069]

With a ziplock bag, I use a plastic straw from a fast food place. Put it into the center of the package and seal the bag almost all of the way. Suck the air out with the straw and yank it out beofre sealing. Works well with the bags with sliding zippers.

[Cracknel]

You can also sit on the bag to get all the air out.

[werikblack]

Oh, great idea! I'll have to use that one, thanks!

[bruno13069]

I've done this with blankets during the summer for storage, but with one variant.
What I've done is slip a doubled-over rubber band onto a tube attachment. I put the tube into the middle of the folded blanket and walk the elastic down over the bunched-up mouth of the bag.
Then I vacuum out all of the air I can. I slide the tube out while the motor's running and give the bag a spin to finish sealing it. I tuck the mouth of the bag under a section of the rubberband to lock it in place.
I've also used a girl's scrunchie to help her pack her sweaters. Made it easy for her to find that one bag in the closet.

Great I'ble. I'm giving you a perfect 5.

[bruno13069]

P.S. I use the crevicle tool for this.

[mole1]

Brilliant! I'm trying to get everything to fit 'under the seat', and your rubber band on the nozzle may make it happen. Thanks!

[ArtsyFartsyGirl]

I've got sooo much stuff to put away and sooo little space!
I love you!!!!!!

[geekgrl5000]

Dang, I should have thought of this BEFORE the trip to Alaska I just got back from!

[ElvenChild]

SWEET!!!!!! I just vacuum packed my dirty socks with this method.

[miller2df]

Great idea- I've been doing something like this for years. If you don't have a vacuum cleaner, you can use your body instead (kind of like blowing up an air mattress in reverse; tedious, but it works). Just put your mouth to the opening of the bag, suck air out, then blow that air out through your nose without breaking your mouth seal.

[The Ideanator]

Hmm, I will definitely use this when I leave for England next month. 5 star idea for sure.

[shinyguru]

Cracking idea - I have done it here too
Two things I did that might help depending upon what you are packing
1) I used the crevice nozzle poked into the centre of the stuff I was shrinking, that seemed to stop the bag blocking off the suction - our nozzle is long & smooth so can be pulled out with the vacuum still running ans not break the seal
2) for bulkier 'stuff' I have used the black bags sold specially for garden rubble - much stronger, but a little more expensive.

[Warlrosity]

Epic!

[jvanree]

This is cool! Very cheap and affordable method!

[MadBricoleur]

COOL! my mom will love not having to buy more space saver bags.

[rimar2000]

AWESOME!!!!

[TheCheese9921]

HIGH FIVE!