Even if I’m just packing in a tote bag for a weekend car trip, I always throw in a couple empty packing cubes for dirty clothes. I really like keeping dirty underwear, workout clothes and socks separate from the clean stuff. For a big trip, I find them very useful for organizing different types of clothing.
I have a good many in every size offered by ebags and love them.
I don’t use packing cubes because H is the world’s best, most efficient use of space suitcase packer there is! It comes from years of boarding school abroad and then travel for work that he does. When the two of us travel I just set out all of my clothes and shoes and he does the packing for both of us. The only push back I sometimes get from him is asking me if I really need four pairs of shoes for a long weekend trip. The answer to that question is yes.
I’m currently packing for a two week trip, and I don’t think packing cubes would work for me. I have placed two weeks worth of clothing in my suitcase and I still have lots of room. The key is to place folded items tightly against the edges of the suitcase, not with space around it like you would in a drawer. Then after the large pieces are packed, squeeze undies and socks in crevasses between clothing or around the edges.
I just don’t think my clothing would all fit evenly in packing cubes without some cubes having extra airspace. Obviously I think differently than others on this forum, because I’ve seen multiple threads singing the praises of cubes.
Just giving you another way to think about this.
I’ve been using ziplocs as a budget alternative to the cubes and they work for me, especially since I don’t travel often enough to make the investment worth it.
Okay, I am going to guess these aren’t for me. I can see where I might use some of the small ones just for undies, socks, but I think I wear far too many knits and dresses for these to be useful for me. I’m just not a folder by nature. I roll where I can and use dry cleaning bags to keep wrinkles at bay. No need to change the system now!
Thanks for weighing in!
I got the Eagle Creek 3-size set last year before our college tour trip. I wished I had bought them sooner!
I like to travel with a garment bag that has my clothes on hangers, and small packing cubes fit so well above the “shoulders” of my clothes and also on the bottom of the bag, making the packing process efficient.
I am a fan, especially of the folder thing. My husband doesn’t use his.
if you buy them at REI and hate them, you can return them.
We travel frequently and use Ziploc bags. I like the fact that they are clear and can be squished.
I use one for my toiletries and it’s waterproof for the bathroom sink area. I use a gallon one for my pajamas, adding underwear each time I shower, that I will carry into the bathroom with me. I don’t know how helpful they are when it comes to preventing bed bugs, but I do get a sense of some protection. And if my checked bag is inspected I feel like it’s less likely my clothes will be touched.
When the kids were little and traveled with us we each had a pajama bag and an underwear/socks bag that we could label with a Sharpie. If we are bringing swimsuits we also pack them in their own ziploc in case we leave before they’re completely dry. Dirty laundry and shoes also go into them to help minimize odor transfer, though I confess sometimes I use a 13 gallon trash bag that ties.
I even use Ziplocs in my carry-on tote bag…one for liquids, a gallon one for my iPad/iPhone/earbuds/ear plugs/pack of Kleenex/sunglasses, a quart size for snacks, a sandwich size for a small pack of disinfectant wipes, another sandwich size for meds/vitamins, and one for my Tilley sunhat if needed. I even use a baggie for coins.
I bought some a pair at a resale shop and used large zip bags otherwise. Dirty clothes go in the plastic hotel laundry bag and into my suitcase, since I have usually over-packed and don’t want dirty items next to the clean clothes.
I roll, and I swear by them. I have two sets (3 different sizes in each set). I usually use 4 per trip (if it is more than a few days long), but which 4 depends on what I’m packing. It keeps everything organized and in place in the suitcase. Easy to just move them to drawers if staying a few days in one room for the things I don’t hang up.
Oops…I mis-identified the large Ziploc. For shirts and pants we use Hefty 2.5 gallon bags at $4 (12 count) at Target.
Just bought a 4 pack on Amazon for $20 for an upcoming Alaskan cruise. I borrowed a set on a previous trip and loved how organized it kept my bag. My nieces have used them for the last several years at summer camp and it’s been much easier to keep track of their things.
@Hoggirl - The packing envelopes have two removable stiffening boards. One is inside the bottom of the envelope, and the other is slightly smaller and serves as the folding template, then as the top of the stack of folded items that the envelope closes on top of. When I don’t have clothing that needs the extra protection of a top and bottom stiffener, I use the template to help fold, but don’t include either of the boards when I close up the envelope to stuff in the suitcase. But to be honest, I get more use out of the cubes than the envelope because of the clothes I generally travel with.
I bought some for a recent trip and love them. I separated by undies, socks, tops, and bottoms. Everything was folded or rolled KonMari style, I especially liked that no matter how the suitcase was thrown around, each set of clothing stayed in it’s own space. It was really easy to quickly pull out a pair of socks, or change from jeans to nice pants. I brought a plastic bag for dirty clothes.
I am finishing up a 3 week overseas trip, the 3rd such in the last 7 months. One 21 inch carry-on and purse just smaller than tote size.
For me, it’s roll, roll, roll. When done correctly, the clothes unroll with no wrinkles. I roll everything including underwear which slips nicely into the extra pair of packed shoes. I use ziplocks for liquids and things like over the counter medications and band aids - anything I might want to put my hands on quickly. Overseas electric plugs get tucked into spare suitcase corners as does the swim googles and random necessary but infrequently used items.
If my first night is just an overnight, I pack tomorrow’s clothes and any overnight necessities on top and leave everything else rolled and unpacked. Never a problem with adding wrinkles.
I tried cubes and did get wrinkles, but perhaps my technique is poor!
@Momofadult , did you use the rolling method in the cubes? That’s what I do.
Super helpful if you are moving from location to location -eliminates rummaging.
If you have waterproof ones and need to throw in something wet or dirty, you can (although ziplock bags or hotel laundry bags are fine for this too.)
Great for frequent travelers who use the same packing method every time. Eliminates trip prep and allows quick organization upon arrival.
@conmama, it’s been years, but I don’t recall rolling before placing in cube. I thought, perhaps incorrectly, that I supposed to “pack flat” so I could squash the most air out of the clothes and get more in the cube. I could have misunderstood.
I like the “nooks and crannies” that I end up with without cubes. Would I lose that with the cube’s more regular (even) dimensions?
I do think the key is organized packing with the least used items on the bottom, night items on top ready for the first night, etc. It’s taken me a couple years of very regular distance airline travel, but I now have defined spots for many items and I can put hands on them with rummaging or unpacking everything.
I always roll in the cubes and can get a lot in there. I do have to say when I went to Europe I took a 19” carryon. I had that thing packed to the gills using the nooks and crannies, so I don’t know if the cubes would have allowed that. But I’m going to try it next time I go. We lived out of our suitcase for the most part on that trip because we only stayed 3 days in one place. Things got really messy, I think the cubes would have helped with that.