For a more attractive storage alternative, the Lakeland tote bag is a really popular option for helping organise your wardrobe too. How we chose our recommendations

There are a few things to bear in mind when buying your vacuum storage bags. Here's a few questions to ask yourself: Most experts agree that storing items such as clothing and bedding for longer than six months can cause them to lose their shape, and develop unsightly wrinkles and creases which could be hard to iron out. If you want to keep your clothes for the maximum amount of time, Gabai says that it’s best to “clean your belongings before you store them in vacuum bags. This will help to prevent mold and mildew growth. Also, make sure you store vacuum bags in a cool, dry place.” To protect heavy down comforters and fluffy blankets from mildew and odors in storage, a cube-shaped storage bag like the MagicBag Vacuum Storage Cube is necessary. Because these bags are extra-large—measuring 27.5 x 39.35 x 12.6 inches—we almost had too much space to hold all our items. Our tests showed that the storage cube easily handled our two pillows and three sheet sets—which was significantly less than the manufacturer's recommendation of four comforters and two pillows. That said, we did have some trouble closing the zipper before vacuuming out the air and it took us a few tries to seal everything inside. However, the bag came with a plastic clip that made it easier to close. Take the lid of the suction valve and attach the nozzle of your vacuum or pump before powering up and using the suction to remove all the unwanted air from the bag. Be aware - some brands recommend that you refresh the suction or air the clothing around every six months for best results.The Gongshi Vacuum Storage Bag Set made the top of our list due to its quality and the fact that it stayed compressed and showed no signs of air leakage long after the 24-hour testing period was over. In addition, we found no trace of water entering the bag after we submerged it underwater during testing. You can use the pump that comes with it to manually remove the air or any standard vacuum cleaner. We tested this bag with both a vacuum tube attachment and the provided hand pump. With easy carry handles and a viewing window to let you see what’s inside at a glance, the bag also folds flat for storage when not in use. This large 87 litre version is perfect for storing a king-size duvet and four pillows. Our goal was to insert five queen-size sheet sets in the medium-sized bag. We were able to fit all five sheet sets in the bag and it also only took us 18 seconds to remove the air with the vacuum attachment. While we were unable to measure volume shrinkage during our testing, we did measure the percent change in each tested bag’s circumference. The medium bag shrank by almost 10 percent when compressed with the vacuum and by 14 percent with the hand pump. Although we wish these bags could shrink slightly more, these percent differences were on the higher end of our scale. All in all, you can expect a set of durable storage bags that are easy to store under a bed. Unzip the vacuum bag (choosing an appropriately sized bag for your contents). Carefully add the contents and arrange them to make the best use of the space.

A useful space-saving and storage tool, vacuum storage bags are a practical and cost-efficient way to maximise space, keeping clothes, bedding and other garments clean and protected when not in use. Using the power and suction of a vacuum cleaner, vacuum storage bags reduce the air trapped between layers of clothes and garments to remove bulk, making them flatter, smaller and far easier to store. You can even get creative with your organization of vacuum bags. “Use different colors or sizes of bags to organize your belongings by type or season,” says Gabai. Just be sure not to overfill your storage bags. “This can cause the bags to burst,” she says. “Also, you should replace vacuum bags that are damaged or leaking.“ Vacuum storage bags come with special features and accessories to make them as useful as possible for storage purposes. For example, almost all will feature secure double-zip closures which help to ensure that your bags are airtight and secure. You’ll also find that many vacuum storage bag brands include a hand pump to help remove air from the bag. “These pumps make it easy to remove the air from the bags without using a vacuum cleaner,” says Gabai.We ended up using one plush towel and one regular towel, but noted that this size bag may be better for baby or toddler clothes. After we vacuumed the air out, we noticed that the bags became extremely rigid to the point that they were able to stand on one side. We did experience a difference in our water tests. The bag that we vacuumed released all of its air during our 24-hour compression period, and we found some water droplets inside the bag after submerging it in water. However, the bag that we pumped by hand did not release any of its air and had no water inside after submersion. We believe this difference was due to a small hole somewhere in the bag that we vacuumed, but think it’s still worth noting. Overall, this set of small compression bags would be great to have on hand for traveling or storing children’s clothes. As part of our design test, our research team came up with a designated amount of items that had to fit in each size of bag. The amounts were as follows: two bath towels in small bags; five sheet sets in medium bags; 10 bath towels in large bags; two pillows and three sheet sets in extra-large bags; three pillows, one duvet, and two sheet sets in jumbo bags; and five coats for garment bags. We then filled each of our bags with the number of items according to their size and noted if we could not fit all of the items in a bag. What size bags do you need? - Vacuum storage bags come in a variety of sizes. Extra large and jumbo bags are more suitable for larger duvets and bedding sets, whereas small bags may be a better option for storing summer items such as vests and t-shirts. We liked the price and quality of these bags so much that we would be more than happy to pay more for the size we needed. There are small, medium, large, jumbo, and combo size options available. The bag features an orange and yellow plaid design which makes it stand out from the other transparent bags on our list. Although the colors were not our personal favorite, we could see the appeal it has for others. To compress, use the double zipper on the side to seal the bag before vacuuming. Afterward, just insert a pump (one is included) into its no-leak valve and draw the air out. As long as you don’t overfill the bag, you should not have a problem compressing it. It took us only 1 minute and 30 seconds to compress the entire bag with the provided pump. If you prefer to use a vacuum for this step, you can expect even speedier results (16 seconds in our experience). Additionally, this set also comes with a zip-clip to help seal each bag better.

We tested a large-sized bag to see whether ten bath towels could fit in one bag. Not all were able to fit, but we were able to squeeze six towels in. Sealing it was straightforward. All we had to do was attach our vacuum to the white disc near the opening and allow it to compress the bag. We also considered the capacity of each bag at this stage in our testing. We compared our own parameters to those claimed by each manufacturer. Durability was also a major factor during our tests, we noted how the material felt and whether we thought it could stand up to multiple uses.

What should you not put in vacuum storage bags?

Gabai adds: “Vacuum storage bags are also great for storing off-season gear and clothing. If you have outdoor equipment or apparel such as coats you only use during certain times of the year, vacuum storage bags are a great solution. They will help you keep your gear clean and dry and protect it from the elements.” If you plan on using storage bags for off-season gear or clothing, be sure the bags are clean and dry before using them. “This will help to prevent mold and mildew from forming,” she says. Unfortunately, we found these bags slightly difficult to sort through because they are not labeled. Off the bat, it’s hard to tell what each size is unless you unfold and individually measure them. If you need a variety of sizes, this set is an excellent option. But, if you just need a certain size bag, this option might be less helpful. Once sealed, we measured the circumference of each bag before compression. To do this, we used a fabric tape measure and measured the bag’s widest point while it lay flat on a table. For bags that came with a hand pump, we compressed them with this and also used another bag (of the same size and fill) to test its compression with a vacuum. We timed and recorded how long each bag took to compress. For bags that did not come with a pump, we only used a vacuum for compression. After compressing, the circumference was once again measured and recorded. We researched the pros and cons of each vacuum storage bag, including assessing each product’s effectiveness in terms of durability and the quality of compression. We also looked out for any products prone to leakage and investigated whether these were down to user error or genuine product flaws.