The '333 Method' Is The Ultimate Packing Hack For Your Next Trip

Taking a vacation is a great way to unwind, relax and enjoy some time away from the stresses of everyday life. Packing for vacation, however, feels anything but relaxing.

Even seasoned travelers can feel a sense of dread trying to figure out the right outfits and individual pieces to pack before a trip. There are also the inevitable concerns about space, unexpected weather and forgotten items.

Perhaps that’s why the “333 method” is so appealing. This packing system has attracted fans across the TikTok sphere thanks to its streamlined and stress-free approach.

What is the ’333 packing’ method?

The concept is fairly simple: Choose three tops, three bottoms and three pairs of shoes to create different outfit combinations. The result is more than a dozen looks that fit easily in your carry-on luggage.

“The 333 rule helps address the fear of overpacking, while also ensuring you look the part,” Katy Nastro, spokesperson for the flight alert service Going, told HuffPost. “An unexpected benefit is you have an excuse to pick up an item or two on the trip — you packed light after all.”

If you look to TikTok, you’ll find endless videos of travelers showing off all the different vacation outfits they manage to make with their nine pieces. The source of this trend is influencer Rachel Spencer, who posted a video breaking down the method in October as a guide to creating a simple capsule wardrobe for fall. In her subsequent 333 videos, she’s managed to put together more than 20 different styled outfits.

“A similar concept was created by Courtney Carver as a fashion challenge to simplify our lives back in 2010,” Nastro explained. “The original challenge was to lean on a capsule wardrobe for creation of 33 outfits to wear over three