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Packing Cube & Bag Volume Calculator
Add up the folded volume of everything you're packing and compare it to your bag's liter capacity before you start stuffing it in.
Volume adds up faster than most people expect
Individually, a t-shirt or a pair of socks looks small — but multiplied across a week or two of clothing, folded volume climbs quickly, especially once jackets and pants are added. This calculator totals every category in liters so you can see the real number before you start packing.
Room left is a starting point, not a guarantee
The liters left over after clothing still need to cover toiletries, shoes, electronics, chargers and anything you bring home. Treat a comfortable remaining margin — not a number right at zero — as your real target.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the per-item volume estimates come from?
Each item uses a typical folded (not rolled) volume based on average adult clothing sizes: about 1.0L for a t-shirt, 1.8L for pants or a pair of jeans, 0.3L for underwear, 0.2L per pair of socks, and 3.5L for a jacket. Rolling instead of folding can reduce these figures by roughly 10–20%.
What counts toward a bag's stated liter capacity?
Manufacturers usually list total internal volume, which includes space you'll also use for toiletries, shoes, electronics and souvenirs — not just clothing. Treat the "room left" figure here as an upper bound for clothing alone, and leave a further buffer for everything else.
What if I'm over capacity?
Reduce the quantity of the bulkiest items first — jackets and pants take up the most room per item — or switch to a packing method like rolling or compression cubes, which typically buys back 10–25% of volume versus flat folding.
Can I use this for a different item than the presets?
The five categories cover most clothing volume in a typical bag. For an unusual bulky item like a bulky coat or a second pair of shoes, mentally add it as an extra "jacket" unit or two, since that's the closest volume category here.