Ziplock or compression bags?

scented tall kitchen trash bag

A ziplock bag will work just fine. Gallon and two gallon bags can be had most anywhere. If you need to "compress" the bag, just sit on it before you zip it. The compressed state might not last, but they are great for stashing dirties or wet items.

I take a scented tall kitchen trash bag (I always bring a couple of extras) for dirty laundry, and an actual cloth laundry bag to put the clean freshly washed clothes in to take back to our hotel room from the laundromat.

Hi Linda, just a comment about scented trash bags. One of my daughters used them for awhile, and the scent of them gave me an instant headache. Whatever you’re planning to use, try it out at home ahead of time. You don’t want to find out your suitcase contents are making you sick or itchy when you’re on a wonderful trip!

Ziploc bags should work for what you’re needing per your original question about compression bags vs. Ziploc bags.

I cut a bar of soap that I regularly use at home and place a piece of it in my suitcase/bag in a snack size Ziploc or bring a small wrapped hotel soap that has a light scent. It keeps the bag fresh, and I can use the soap if one of the hotels only provided a tiny packet of bodywash.

Wow ! Thank you for the great ideas. I will try the scented kitchen bag to see if I can handle the scent. It’s good to know that I can use a larger ziplock with the same results as a compression bag without the $. The suggestion of a slice of soap in the suitcase is genius. I have already sliced a bar of soap for all of the days we will be on tour, it’s another genius idea that came from this forum. I am so thankful to you all, this is only my second trip over the pond and I still feel like there is so much to learn. :)

I prefer the compression packing cubes because the Ziploc bags have two problems. One they slide constantly because they’re so slick and 2 the zippers break.

What great responses! I always learn something new about packing!
I have re-used for years a very large size compression bag from Target. Folded over on itself it fits on the bottom of my carryon at the start. Since I sinkwash underwear that's not laundry till the end. And I rewear clothes at least 3-4 times. After wearing I turn them inside out overnight. Then if not wearing the next day I slide them folded flat like a sandwich with a compression layer top and bottom. I feel like that keeps the worn bottoms, even inside out, away from the packing cubes.
My trips are usually 3 weeks. Usually by the end of the first I have a few items now considered "laundry". I insert them in the compression bag. It's great at the end to actually compress it and have a wrinkly semi-flat mass! It tends to free up space for small souvenirs, too.
Once home and emptied I turn it inside out and air it out a long time, preferably outdoors. It doesn't smell stinky yet!
The chemically scented plastic bags combine...chemicals and plastic. I think the soap slices would be a safer bet.

Oh, I see you’re on the Best of Italy tour! We absolutely loved that tour - so many wonderful places!

I pack very light after so many trips, so these hints may or may not apply. But, everything I bring for clothes will dry overnight if I wash it in the hotel sink, squeeze out the water, roll it up in a towel and hug the towel very tightly for a minute. I wash that day’s clothes & hang the shirt or dress in the bathroom on a hanger and underwear on the towel bar, hook…or some creative spot. Either washing clothes with a partial piece of one of the laundry sheets like Earth Breeze or using some hotel shampoo works for keeping stuff lightweight.

If the weather is going to be hot, it’s a nice way to have most everything clean in case you want to switch into something else for the evening.

Jean we are actually taking the Best of Ireland tour. Thinking it won’t be hot, but definately planning for rain, lol.

In response to carols observation that zip lock bags slide around in yr suitcase you could use a ssented garbage bag folded up in a packing cubes
I have a large packing cube I frequently designate as my laundry bag, I can hand wash it between trips

Using a compression bag for unclean clothes allows the clean clothes to remain fresh. Additionally, more space becomes available in my the suitcase since that bag is only used for pending laundry items.

When a compression bag is not available placing clothes in a plastic bag and securing it in a separate part of the suitcase also works just as effectively but without saving any space.

I love my compression bags and use them to organize and "squish" my clothes in the suitcase and then I use one for laundry as needed. I usually get them at Winners here in Canada (TJMaxx in the US, though I think the selection at Winners is somewhat better overall), and I stroll through their travel accessories section regularly so I always get them at a good price. As a carry on only girlie, I need all the space I can get in my bags. I do have a couple of the giant Ziploc ones from years ago but they don't compress as easily or as well.

I use compression packing cubes for clean clothes, but a gallon Ziploc for dirty clothes. It’s held up for years worth of trips, and still going strong.

I use a promo nylon string backpack for dirty clothes. It has a front pocket that holds laundry supplies. It lays flat on top of my packing cubes, so takes no more room than full packing cubes.
Odors haven’t been a problem but if it is, a 1/4 of a dryer sheet will help.

FWIW, the soap idea is a lovely one except that as it gets tossed around in your suitcase it is bound to start flaking off. A scented dryer sheet (if you can handle them) is a better option. For myself, I only take clothes that wash/dry overnight and I don't let the dirty stuff accumulate for more than a few days. That minimizes "stinky" issue. Also, since you're going to Ireland and rain is possible, I find that wet shoes are more likely to cause odors in my suitcase. I try dry them out before packing, but if not possible I use shower caps (cheap ones from dollar store) to cover the tops and bottoms and keep dirt and smell to a minimum.

Thank you everyone. CL great point about wet shoes in Ireland, I had not thought about that. I have decided to use a couple of Bounce sheets rather than soap to keep things smelling fresh and the smell is not overwhelming to me. I have ordered 5 gallon ziplock bags which can be used for dirty clothes as well as wet shoes.

I spray the inside of a large zip lock bag with Jao hand refresher to store dirty clothes. The scent does not give me a headache as the scented garbage bags do.
https://jaobrand.com/collections/apothecary/products/jao-refresher

How about taking a nylon tote bag(like one might use to carry groceries) to carry damp shoes the next day if need be.... they would probably dry out in the bay of the bus next to your luggage ,,

But if wrapped in plastic in your suitcase you would just be delaying a progressively more stinky problem

How about taking a nylon tote bag along
(Like one would use for groceries)

If you ended up w wet shoes it could go in the bus understorage with yr suitcase and the shoes might actually dry out during the day

If they are wrapped in plastic in yr suitcase you are just delaying a rather stinky problem......

I tend to use a variety of things. no rhyme or reason, just whatever I feel like on each trip. Sometimes I take a mesh laundry bag and just put a laundry sheet in there. Not a dryer sheet, but a laundry sheet. Other times I put it in a plastic shopping bag and just roll it up a bit. Other times I put it in the mesh side of my suitcase. For most regular trips, my clothes to not get stinky or really dirty, so it isn't a big deal to put them in the mesh side of the suitcase. For hiking trips and such, the mesh bag works great for me.

I bought compression bags once, as we had big winter parkas and we used the bags for the trip home as we did not want to take the jackets with us loose on the plane. We have never used them since then.

I pack light and my philosophy is to avoid packing dirty laundry, or garbage for that matter. Whenever possible, I try to sink wash everyday, but especially before a travel day. Everything I wear is quick drying. However, I prefer cotton socks which take a little longer to dry, but 30-40 seconds with a hair dryer will usually leave them crispy dry. If something is very dirty or wet and I need to be on the move, I will just bundle it in a plastic bag. The first chance I get, I will wash and dry.

I would say compression bag if space is a concern. I personally use Eagle Creek double sided packing cube for dirty clothes. I use packing cubes and use one of them for bulkier dirty clothes.