Summer is finally here, and many of us have trips and vacations planned out for the next few months. As a a college-aged female with way too many clothes and a love for organization, I take pride in being great at packing. Here are a few tips and tricks to maximize bag space, stay organized, and not lose or damage a single item.

1. Make a checklist.

Take time to write out a detailed checklist of everything you'll need. Do this a few days before you plan to start packing, so you can add things to the list as you think of them. This way, when you question whether or not you packed your socks or swimsuit, you can simply check the list instead of digging through the bag and messing up all your work.

2. Roll your shirts to save space and prevent wrinkles.

This method minimizes the space each item takes up. When things aren't folded properly, they can take up twice the amount of space and make packing even more difficult.

3. Put your shoes on the bottom of your bag.

This not only saves space, but it also keeps the bottom of your shoes off your clean clothes. This is especially helpful if your bag doesn't have end pockets, and everything is going into one compartment.

4. Use straws to keep necklaces from tangling

Necklaces are one of the hardest things to pack, especially if they have really dainty chains. This is a great way to keep them from tangling into knots. Cut the straw to fit one side of the necklace, run the chain through it, and then fasten the clasp.

5. Pack clothes that all go together.

Try to bring clothes that can be mixed and matched. This allows you to create a ton of outfits from a minimal amount of pieces. Then, you can pack less, and it'll be easy to pick out what to wear each morning.

6. Put a binder clip over your razor.

This is a super easy trick to keep your razor from cutting you or your other packed items. Just clip it over the end, and it'll stay in place through the whole trip.

7. Put toiletries in plastic bags to prevent spills.

No matter how tight you screw on the lids to your shampoo or lotion, there's still a chance for spills. So, put any bottles of liquid in sealed bags just in case. And, in my experience, the ones with the zipper are a lot more secure than the ones you press closed.

8. Put small items in a medicine organizer

This Pinterest hack is a life saver if you are packing earrings, rings, or other small items. This protects them from getting lost or broken in your bag. The separated compartments also help you see exactly where everything is, so you won't have to search for two matching earrings.

Here's hoping all your summer trips are amazing. Maybe these tips will take some of the stress out of traveling and packing, so you can relax and focus all your energy on having fun.