The $20 Kmart buy that doubled the space in my suitcase and kept it organised

Produced in partnership with Kmart

When I went to Tokyo this year I had one goal in mind when it came to packing my suitcase; make it as light and roomy as possible.

That goal was inspired by the main focus of the trip – Nippori Fabric Town, a street in Nippori with about 90 fabric, craft and sewing supply stores.

The fabric is known for being high quality and an absolute bargain, so I wanted to be able to buy plenty of it without worrying about suitcase space.

One product hands down not only made my packing for the trip more organised, it also helped create extra room for souvenirs and my fabric haul.

That product is compression bags, which have a super smart extra zip all around the bag that squishes the contents as small and tight as possible.

For the best value you can't beat Kmart's 19-piece Travel Organisation Set, which is just $20.

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It comes with eight compression packing cubes, one of which allowed me to pack an entire week's worth of clothing in it.

Another had socks, underwear and pyjamas, while a third bag had shoes.

That left me with five bags to fill with fabric, yarn and clothing purchases during my trip so that everything could fit in my suitcase to come back home.

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The compression bags come with a handle and a label where you can write the contents or the name of whoever belongs to those items if packing for more than one person.

The 19-piece set also contains a clear bag with five clear bottles and five clear containers of varying sizes.

Small bottles and containers like these make bringing your own toiletries easy while the clear bag can be used for those liquids you need to put in your carry on bag.

Another favourite of mine is the $16 Sunglasses and Jewellery Organiser which has spots for sunglasses, earring and rings. I used the necklace section to pop in bracelets and the ring holder for hair clips – as I don't typically wear necklaces or rings.

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I love this organiser because it means I can actually take my jewellery with me while travelling instead of worrying about how to pack it without risking damaging them.

This organiser folds up into a small hard case so everything is protected and it comes with a handle to hang in my room for easy styling.

A recent find that I'll be adding to my suitcase and taking with me even on day trips from now on is the four-piece Mesh Pouches Set, which costs just $8.

I got the pink one, because it's my favourite colour, and instantly saw the potential for this product. They make brilliant document organisers, book protectors, makeup brush holders and can even hold crochet supplies for on the go stitching.

Whether it's a short or long-haul flight or train trip, there's no way I'd travel without having a book to read and a crochet project to work on so these pouches are brilliant.

If you're travelling with family you could assign a different colour to each person so they don't get all their bits and pieces mixed up and lost in their bags.

Another brilliant travel accessory with endless potential is the three-piece Small Clear Packing Cubes for $10. These are perfect for toiletries and everyday essentials like lip balm and hand sanitiser.

Having three of this size to use is super handy because I can separate things I only need once or twice during a flight – like face moisturiser – from things I need regularly – hand sanitiser, of course –and not have it all mixed up in the one larger clear bag.

And with those few products I'm completely sorted with a suitcase that fits everything I need, plus all the souvenirs and craft supplies I buy on my travels.

Product prices are current as at November 18, 2025. Availability may vary store to store, please visit kmart.com.au