Best Travel Advice – Use Packing Cubes
Ok, here we go! I think it’s about time to share some of my best travel advice. I use compression packing cubes to save space when packing. I’ve been traveling for decades to a myriad of destinations. I’ve traveled in cars, planes, trains, ships, subways, buses, and more, so hopefully I’ve learned a thing or two from my experiences. My number 1 recommendation, especially for long trips, is to use Compression Packing Cubes.
I promised I would take some time to share some of my best travel advice from what I’ve learned over the years. If you’re looking for more tips, you’ll find them in the category “Travel Tips”.
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Travel Pros Use Compression Packing Cubes
You’ll find these packing cubes recommended by major travel gurus, like “Travel and Leisure” magazine, Rick Steve’s forum, and more. I discovered packing with travel cubes farther along in my journey, but now I LOVE THEM! I’m not sure how I managed without them. They’re SO helpful. They compress your clothes so they take up less space AND keep everything organized!
One of the great benefits is that using compression packing cubes can save enough space that you’ll be able to travel with a carry-on size bag instead of paying extra and having all the bulk of a larger checked bag. I could travel for three weeks in Europe with a carry-on! I saved money on baggage fees and saved my back trying to lug around a more bulky piece of luggage.
A Variety of Sizes
Currently, my husband and I each have three different sizes of packing cubes. I bought sets in two different colors, so we always know whose is whose too. Here’s how I use them for a typical week-long trip:
Medium cube (11.8″ x 9.1″) holds things like t-shirts, , pajamas, leggings
Small cube (9.8″ x 7.5″) holds undergarments – bras, panties, tank tops, camisoles, or scarves
Extra Small cube (7.9″ x 5.9″) can hold socks, ties, soft hats
Of course, how you use each one is totally up to you and items can be combined in different cubes depending on the length of your trip. I can get all the items above in these 3 cubes to cover at least a week of travel, plus some extra days.
Why I Pack with Compression Packing Cubes:
They Keep Everything Neat
They’re great in your carry-on, checked bag, duffle bag, or even a backpack. The smaller ones can even work in a purse or briefcase! Have you ever tried to pull out one piece of clothing from the bottom of your suitcase, only to make a mess of everything else? Cubes keep clothes neat and folded, even when you’re digging around for other items.
Reduce Wrinkles
I had the constant challenge of keeping my clothes from getting wrinkled in my luggage. But since I started using these packing cubes a few years ago, my contents stay nicely folded, with little to no ironing when I’m ready to wear them.
Increase Packing Space
Double zippers compress the size of the clothes inside the cubes to allow more space for other items and better use of space in your luggage. This is especially handy for long trips when space is at a premium. Just remember that although the size is more compact, the weight is the same, so be sure you stay within airline weight limits if you don’t want to pay overage charges.
Keep Clothes Organized and Easy to Find
It’s so easy to pull one cube out to retrieve an item. I always know which type of clothes are in which size cube. But even if you decide to use more than one cube of the same size, you can buy different colors or just tie different colored ribbons or yarn on the handle of each cube so you can tell which is which.
Unpacking with Travel Cubes is Simple
Unpacking while on the road is a piece of cake. All you have to do is take the compression cubes out of your suitcase and place them in a drawer. So easy!
I’ve been using my Gonex Cubes for 5 years now, and they’ve held up great! Below are links to a few of the best compression packing cube options that you might be interested in.
Note: It appears that Amazon doesn’t sell the 3-pack like mine anymore. The set below contains the 3 sizes that I have, plus a larger size, a slim size, and a laundry bag.
Click here to see the full list of Packing Cube Products
There are other brands, like Eagle Creek, that cost quite a bit more, but I wonder if the quality is any different or if you’re paying for the name. Personally, I’ve been very happy with my cubes and I especially like the compression travel cube’s capabilities.
I recently received this 8-piece set of compression packing cubes from “Well Traveled” to test out. From my initial inspection, they look like they’re high quality and a great value. They also include a drawstring laundry bag and some other features that aren’t in my other sets. On Amazon, 70% of their reviews are 5 stars!
So far, so good…I’ll be doing a full test in the next month when we do our next road trip. When I’m home I’ll post an update to let you know if I came across any problems. My only initial comment is that I would prefer a different color other than white because it may show the dirt, but they have several colors to choose from, so that shouldn’t keep you from buying them.
Click here to see all the Well Traveled Packing Cubes and Products
How to Pack with a Compression Packing Cube
How to Pack a Compression Packing Cube
Select Clothing Items to Pack
Choosing what to take is probably the hardest part. Here are 5 Men’s XL T-shirts to pack into a medium-sized (11.8″ x 9.1″) packing cube.
Pack Items into Packing Cube
Fold, roll, or stack your clothes into the cube. These 5 T-shirts are each folded in half. It’s ok to pack more than what seems to fit since the clothes will be compressed.
Overfilling is OK
See how high the T-shirts are stacked above the edge of the cube. This still works. You’ll see.
Close the main zipper
In this case, the main zipper is the light-colored one. This closes the cube. There’s not much difference in the height of the cube when the first zipper is closed.
Now Zip up the Compression Zipper
When the 2nd (darker) zipper is closed, the clothes are compressed to take up less space. Even measuring the thickest spot on the cube, we’ve shrunk the cube over an inch in overall thickness. Multiply that inch by the overall size of the cube (about 12 x 9″) and that adds up to 108″ square inches of space saved! Wow!
Here’s a Tip about Zipping
Keep 1 finger between the zipper and the fabric when you’re zipping up to compress. If not, sometimes the fabric behind it can get caught in the zipper. When this happened to me the first time I panicked thinking that I’d never get it out or that the fabric would rip when I did. Fortunately, it came loose fairly easily and the fabric is durable and held up fine. Still, it never hurts to be aware to prevent it from happening to you.
See How Much More Space is Saved
When I press down on the cube to push the air out, even more space is saved. Now the contents are compact and won’t move around or get wrinkled either. I may have even been able to fit another T-shirt in there.
So, let me know what you think, and be sure to pin it on Pinterest or share it with your travel buddies to refer to later.
Have you used Compression Packing Cubes?
Do you think you’ll try them? Just think of what great gifts they would make for your favorite travel lover too. Here are a few more gift ideas for travelers.
Do you have questions or suggestions? I’d love to hear from you.
Next time I’ll talk about Garment Folders and Travel Packing Envelopes.
Another awesome travel lifesaver!
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Category: Travel Gear, Gift Ideas, My Favorite Picks, Travel Tips, Trip Planning
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Wonderful informative post! I love packing cubes and never travel without them. I recently tried the Gonex packing cubes for the first time and was amazing at the size difference!
Leah, I agree. I’m not sure what I did without them for so many years. Thanks for stopping by.
I always roll my clothes. Discovered packing cubes here. Will purchase and try them out. Thanks for this insight
Hi Sharon, I spent decades trying all kinds of methods for packing. When I rolled them, it seemed like they came unrolled as I was trying to get garments out. These cubes keep everything neat. I love them! Another awesome accessory that helps with wrinkles is packing envelopes. I still need to do a post about that.