Making Travel Easier: Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are amazing. Seriously. Even if they’re not a cube.
If you have never tried one, well, you're going to love travel even more. No matter where you’re going. And what you’re packing. In all sorts of bags.
My wife and I tried them for the first time in our pursuit of one-bag travel. Something we achieved only once on a glorious trip to Greece. But then, to our surprise, we kept reaching for the packing cubes. And realized how great it was to pack and organize things so easily.
Here’s why you should try them too:
Functional
Your bag will look clean. Tetris-like, even. That will help with packing the rest of your stuff with less visual clutter.
Your clothes stay protected. Not just the nice dresses and shirts, but the gym shorts and PJs too. From spills, and even odors, in case that pack of spice you impulsively purchased at the local market accidentally breaks open.
Family packing is much easier. Pick colors well for cubes and there’s no more guessing! Especially if you have kids. Our little one takes up a shocking number of cubes for himself!
Unpacking in hotels is actually fun! Open your bags, select a closet or drawer, and just arrange your cubes with the zip open. A minimal, functional wardrobe.
Some packing cubes have a partition that allows for dirty clothes to be put back into the same cube. This is magical. No more giant trash bag of laundry. Unless you like a big laundry bag. I like a big laundry bag.
If you choose well, your cube will have compression. This is so great. You will be surprised how little volume a bunch of sweaters actually need.
Changing bags for different trips becomes easier as well. You’ll be able to better predict how much space you will need for packing. The cubes will become visual blocks.
What not to do
Keep the number of cubes reasonable. It is possible to overdo things. And then you’re lost. And opening five cubes to find socks.
Keep heavy jackets, blankets, etc. out of cubes. There’s usually not much advantage and you’ll lose valuable space.
Don't get random ones. Buy something reliable. With good zippers and materials. There are many great options, but you can’t go wrong with Peak Design, Alpaka or Matador. Peak Design's compression packing cubes are my favorite ones.
Better travel
But after using packing cubes for a while, something unexpected started happening. We naturally reduced overpacking. Gradually, ‘good to haves’ stopped coming along on trips. Packing became more deliberate. And that made the trips better. Easier.
The bags got lighter. And we had more room for souvenirs.