Packing cube help....PLEASE

[phillyguy31]

My DW has seen many comments about how great packing cubes are but never any real pics or text on just how they are used. I can't offer any help because I am lucky if my shirts don't look like they were rolled in a ball if I pack. Tried to do a search but only found that people use them not examples.

[Fifi1910]

I got these. They made packing super easy. Nothing got creased.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/G4Free-Packing-Cubes-Value-Travel/dp/B019OF87VK

[sewon]

Look at both ebags.com and Magellans. Both sites have many types of packing cubes. We both have several kinds and like them. It allows us to pack similar items in a cube...tees, undies, sweaters, shirts. If you have to open your bag for TSA or Customs, things are neat and don't fall out.

Rolling the clothes really helps cut down on wrinkles as well as Downy Wrinkle Release.

 

 

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[BermudaBound2014]

This is a decent intro to the world of packing cubes:

 

I'm not quite as formal as she is, but I've done multiple cruises in just a carry on since I've started using packing cubes. This year we are doing another 3 weeks in Europe and I have yet to manage that in a carry on, but 7 days is easy-peasy.

[Loving My Life]

I don't have a picture but I can tell you how I use mine. I have multiple sizes. In the largest, I pack all of my bottoms - shorts, capris, pants, etc. In the medium size, I pack my tops. In the small size I pack my bras, panties, and socks. Actually, I have several small ones that I also use to pack bathing suits, charging cords for all of my devices, small first aid kit and meds, etc.

 

I should add that I roll all of my clothes rather than fold them as I place them in the cubes which cuts down on wrinkles.

 

I also pack all of my toiletries and make up in cosmetic bags so that if my suitcase is ever opened by TSA or if I have to move things between suitcases (for weight issues), there is nothing loose in my suitcase except my blow dryer and hair brush.

 

I've also heard of people getting a bunch of the smaller ones and packing each day's complete outfit individually but that doesn't work for me as I find that I need to take weather and comfort into account in choosing my clothing for the day.

 

Hope that helps. 🙂

[garycarla]

Cubes and other various items help you ORGANIZE but do not allow you to pack MORE stuff into a suitcase.

 

4 shirts still take the space of 3 shirts. The cube just keeps them all nice and neat.

 

In fact, you may get less stuff into the same suitcase. For example if the cube is 12" long but the space you put it in is 13" long, you have 1" not used. But, if you stuff something else in that extra space, then great! Cubes are still great,but just understand what they do and not do.

 

The biggest trick is to take less stuff. Did our RTW trip and two different cruises with carryon. It really does work. (see trip blog below)

[zqvol]

I have them and find that for mens clothing they are pretty much worthless. All they are goo for is keeping similar items together. I find that they take up a lot more room than the items do when not in cubes. I suspect that it has to do with the size of the clothes.

[casey1989]

I get packing cubes from eagle creek online.They have clips on how to use each one.

[Tiggertastic]

We use eagle creek and the shirt one that folds in 10-12 shirts/polos is fantastic, they come out without creases

 

 

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[ilovetotravel1977]

I agree that they don't really work for mens clothing.

[dixieagle]

Cubes and other various items help you ORGANIZE but do not allow you to pack MORE stuff into a suitcase.

 

4 shirts still take the space of 3 shirts. The cube just keeps them all nice and neat.

 

In fact, you may get less stuff into the same suitcase. For example if the cube is 12" long but the space you put it in is 13" long, you have 1" not used. But, if you stuff something else in that extra space, then great! Cubes are still great,but just understand what they do and not do.

 

The biggest trick is to take less stuff. Did our RTW trip and two different cruises with carryon. It really does work. (see trip blog below)

 

I'm with you re: carryon. We're about to leave on a 9 day Baltic cruise on the Getaway and will bring a carryon and small daypack each. The fact that there are no "formal nights" makes this much more doable. We have Ex Officio and Boody undies (dry very quickly) and I bring a Scrubba and laundry sheets or a few liquid detergent travel packs to wash things I don't trust to the ship's laundry. Life is infinitely easier not hauling a huge suitcase up Metro or Tube steps.

[BermudaBound2014]

Cubes and other various items help you ORGANIZE but do not allow you to pack MORE stuff into a suitcase.

 

With a science background, I was of the exact same mindset so I did the experiment and could absolutely get more in my carry-on using packing cubes (approximately 30-50% more). Strange.

 

Once rolled, I CRAMMED more pieces into the cube and used the cube zipper to compact even more. A medium cube fit 2 shirts and two capris 'normal rolling', but I could cram double that in the same space when using the cube zipper get things super tight, thus allowing more.

 

What I did find was that weight was an issue. My carrier does not have limits for carry on weight, but with the packing cubes my carry-on was significantly heavier than without. I suspect this would be even more so with a larger checked suitcase with weight restrictions.

 

This year we're headed to Norway and I plan to use the cubes to tightly pack fleece. I did the test already, and I can get three fleece tops into one medium cube. Without the cube, one fleece top takes about the same amount of space. The key is to smash and use the zipper to keep compact.

 

Unlike others, i do not get less wrinkles using cubes, but a trial size downey wrinkle releaser and hanging in the shower works perfectly fine for me. For those more particular, you can always get an iron from the steward. I don't iron at home, so I'm not doing it on vacation.

 

Cubes are highly debated, some love them, some not-so-much. I recommend doing your own experiment to see if they work for you or not.

[shof515]

I bought cubes for both cruises coming up. Using the cubes i was able to downsizes my suitcase to a smaller size, something i was unable to do without the cubes. Considering i take the public transportation to the terminal, having a smaller lighter suitcase is always a big big plus.

[js]

I use packing cubes.

 

I iron all my clothes and put in the cubes. I do not roll. My clothes never ever come out wrinkled.

 

Last cruise in February, I packed during a December snow storm. My clohes were ironed, folded and packed in the cubes for almost two months. I did not have one item that was wrinkled. Actually, there were a few tops I didnt wear and kept in the cube it came in. I just took it out for my July cruise and although I washed it since it was in my attic with my cruise clothes, it was still perfectly set to go.

 

I have taken a picture of my suitcase with the cubes and Ill see of I can find it and post. I love them.

 

 

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[BellaBaci4]

I really like the packing cubes. I tend to keep night clothes and undies in the cube, and place the packing cube in the drawer. Your clothes are not touching the drawers that way, I just like it better.

[mking8288]

They worked for us years, especially air travel and we're done overseas trip with a single 22" or 25" rollerboard for 2 weeks.

 

Here's everything packed into my 22" carry on and fit into a single drawer of the Gem, or Jewel or Dawn. Works even better on the *Away ships with few to no drawers.

 

The secret is how to fold, cushion and pack. Socks & underwear fit around the loose corners & small space. Once you start using it & refine your own routine, you won't travel without them. And, it kept items clean & squeeze while packing to compress more to fit.

 

We use Eagle Creek, eBags & Ikea (good for infrequent) cruisers. On that last pic of one of my backpack, it has enough for a 2 nights trip, with an EC medium packing cube & several​ small pouches and a sleeve for 2 shirts & pair of pants. Laptop & tablet or iPad too.

 

 

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[cruisinmeme]

Once I started using packing cubes I ordered more.nit makes packing and unpacking so much easier. Take the cube, unzip and sit in drawer or shelf. It works fine for my husbands clothes. Many have said doesn't work for men's clothing. Everyone has at system for me it is underclothes,pj's , socks in one cube, everyday clothes in one cube and dress clothes in another. I do use the large for everyday and dress clothes.ni never take my clothes out of the cube till I use them. My husband likes to hang his dress clothes.

We use the cubes for any trip and I don't know how I lived without them. I do not find they take extra space.

[easyboy]

We found the packing cube very useful and effective during our Europe land tour. It made our packing and unpackng activities in between hotels very light and faster, yet still organized.

 

 

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[LeesaB]

I use packing cubes frequently, although not for cruising (simply because I do a lot more land based travelling). Do they allow for tighter packing? Yes...ish...maybe. What they excel at is organizing. I tend to put shirts in one, bottoms in another, and small stuff in a third. Depending on how I'm packing, I may add a fourth that has electronic stuff in it - cables mostly.

You my wonder why? Well... because it makes it super easy to pack and unpack! I don't have to think bout where my undies/bras/socks/shoes go because I put stuff in packing cubes and then I just shove into my suitcase accordingly.

Then when I get to my destination I take each thing out and unpack accordingly. Seriously, it takes maybe 15 minutes to pack everything into cubes but only 2 minutes to unpack. It's just... easier. If you have to travel frequently, I think you will love them. If you travel infrequently, you may not notice quite the timesaver but you won't have any additional headaches, as it were.

 

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[dcipjr]

I don't use packing cubes. Though I like the idea of better organization, I've never been able to see past the realization that you are using up precious cargo space for the cubes themselves.

 

I like to use a technique called bundle wrapping.

 

It's not perfect -- if you have to pack and repack, this generally will not work, because you have to unpack the entire bundle to get to the contents.

 

For a trip where you pack once, then unpack everything all at once at your destination -- like a cruise! -- bundle wrapping really does help you pack a lot of stuff in an organized, straightforward way that keeps your clothes from getting too wrinkly.

 

I should add as a caveat that I am a very light packer, and a single max-carry-on-sized suitcase generally is all I need for a 7-day cruise.

 

Regardless of your packing technique, make sure you use the compression straps in your suitcase! I've seen so many people ignore them, and start putting their clothes on top of the straps, which just lay loose in the bag. Use the straps to compress your clothes, and you'll be able to get quite a bit more in that suitcase.