In this edition of Clean Everything, we dish on compression bags, good-looking toiletry containers, and more for staying organized while traveling.

Stop us if this sounds familiar: It’s the night before you depart on vacation, and you’re standing in front of your suitcase, wondering how on earth you’ll be able to cram all your clothes into your bag.

When faced with this very dilemma, writer Alexander Aciman swears by what he calls the best and most affordable packing tool: compression bags. They’re rudimentary — no metal zippers, no compartments or dividers. Simply fill the bag, zip it shut, and roll it, forcing all the air out through the valve. The result? A densely packed, Café Bustelo-like brick of clothes. “Suddenly I found myself with the power to shrink all the clothes in my suitcase to one-third of their original size,” Alexander writes.

Plus? The bags work as a decluttering tool outside of luggage, too: Stuff your seasonal clothes inside, roll them down, and tuck them away to free up oodles of prime closet space. Nice.