The Best Compression Travel Cubes
I was never one of those people to believe that travel packing cubes made any sort of difference (I’ll stick to my perfectly formulated rolling technique, thank you very much).
That is until I recently went on a trip to Paris and unknowingly figured out that I could fit far more clothes into my suitcase while using packing cubes than I could by just rolling up my clothes. I swear, I don’t believe in magic but I mean miracles happen every day right?
Are you in a similar boat? Do you find that you wish you could squeeze several more outfits into your checked bag or even carry on? If this sounds like you, you’ll definitely want to read through this article as I’ll talk about how packing cubes can make a drastic impact on your travel packing strategy.
You’ll be packing all of those cute summer outfits (or whatever season you’re reading this in) in no time!
( Some of the links in this post are probably affiliate links meaning I might make a small percentage of any purchases you make. All opinions remain my own. For my disclosure policy click here. )
I’ll walk through:
- What are packing cubes?
- How do Packing Cubes work?
- Best rolling technique for travel packing cubes
- The cutest & most efficient packing cubes I’ve bought
All right, you ready? Let’s dive in.
Side note: Prefer to skip this post and check out the best travel cubes? Use this link to check pricing. Grab them soon in case Amazon runs out of stock!
What are Compression Packing Cubes?
So what are these mysterious packing cubes? Sounds a little odd right?
A compression packing cube for travel is basically a zippered fabric container. You can grab these on Amazon (that’s where I got mine!) or really anywhere that sells organizational or travel-related items.
I snagged some really cute cubes on Amazon for my trip. They’re a blue and white polka dot pattern and they even have extra zippers for more compression. Cute and functional – what a win!
Packing cubes are great, like any storage container, because it makes it easy to organize whatever you’re packing in your luggage. You don’t necessarily have to put your clothes in there but that’s generally what most people use them for.
Another pro is that in case anything explodes in your suitcase (think: your cleanser, mouthwash, etc.) your clothes will be a lot more protected than if they were just rolled up in your suitcase.
Finally, one of the main reasons I am now a fellow converted travel cube packer is because of how much it allows me to fit AND without over-wrinkling my clothes. It doesn’t make sense how it could be less wrinkled but my clothes were!
The Best Compression Travel Cubes
I searched several different cubes while browsing on Amazon but finally landed on these cute dark blue with white polka dot cubes. What really sold me was not just the pattern but the compression zipper.
Basically, there’s the zipper to open and close the cube and then there’s another zipper that “compresses” everything in the cube even further. It’s not like a vacuum bag (is that what those are called?) but more like it squishes everything in a bit more.
Check out the pricing on my preferred packing cubes!
My favorite part about these cubes is that they come in a set of 4 different sizes. One is pretty large and one is on the smaller size. Then you’ve got two that are more in the middle. I like the larger one for longer trips and the smaller one for undergarments for all of my trips. I seriously cannot lose my socks to the bottom of my suitcase anymore!
As I said in the last section, I definitely recommend using the combination of one bigger and one smaller to balance out the space used in the suitcase.
If you’re not interested in the polka dot pattern there are plenty of other colors and patterns to choose from. Seriously I think there are well over 20! You can mix and match too if that works better for you.
Here’s a summary of some general pros and cons that I’ve found from using the cubes…
Pros:
- Super organized
- Less wrinkled
- Can fit a lot into them
- Protects clothes from liquids
- Great for undergarments (especially socks and underwear!)
Cons:
- Using too many can be a bit bulky
- Not packing them fully will be too bulky for what they’re worth
- Still have some wrinkles
- Can take extra time to pack
Are Packing Cubes Worth It?
Ironically, I think packing cubes get a bad rep. A lot of people think they’re a waste, or something that isn’t really needed for your travels. And, I mean I get it. I used to be one of those people who thought that way. I mean it’s just a bag in a bag, right?
So are packing cubes worth it? My opinion is that yes, they are. I think it’s an incredibly useful travel tip to add to your must-try’s for this year.
If you appreciate having an organized structure in your suitcase or backpack, travel cubes are 100% worth it and completely necessary. There’s no longer any need to keep rummaging around your bag to find whatever it is you might be looking for. Your underwear? All in one place, in one cube.
Your tanks? Check the cube with your shirts or tops.
You no longer have to unpack an entire suitcase or bag in order to find whatever it is you’re searching for. And that, in and of itself, is a major reason that I believe travel packing cubes are totally worth the small cost upfront.
I will never not have my underwear and socks in a cube again. No joke.
If you’re craving organization or you just need an easier system of packing to find things in your bag, you will find these compression packing cubes useful.
And hey, even if organization isn’t a key necessity for you, you might know of a friend who is all about organizing. Packing cubes make great travel gifts as well!
How to Use Packing Cubes for Travel
The best part about using packing cubes is that it’s actually pretty easy to use once you have a groove. And once you’ve figured out the different types of clothes you’re bringing and how best to get them into the cube.
I would highly recommend rolling your clothes if you choose to use a travel packing cube. I mean, who am I kidding, it’s really the only way to use them. Folding would be a terrible mistake.
The only exceptions to the folding rule are jeans and other bulky items. It’s generally easier to fold these and place them at the bottom of the cube.
Skip to the next section of this post for more details on the best way to fold clothes with travel cubes.
What’s the best way to use these packing cubes you ask? Well, personally, I used mine during the summer so I only had one pair of jeans for my trip. I used separate cubes for different items. One for my shirts, another for my dresses and skirts, and then one for my undergarments (bras, underwear, etc.).
While everyone has their own way to use these cubes, this method worked really well for me. I felt incredibly organized during my trip since I knew where my clothes were at all times and could easily grab exactly what I needed.
I suggest buying different sizes of cubes so that you can use them for different clothes or items. It’s definitely a solid investment that will make you feel a whole lot more organized when you get to your destination. You can just pull out your cubes or keep them in your suitcase, whatever is easier.
Best Technique: Rolling Clothes for Packing Cubes
So now you’re ready to grab some cubes and give it a try right? But now you’re wondering how in the world to properly roll your clothes to take advantage of the space and also make sure you lessen the wrinkle impact.
When I was looking into trying out packing cubes, I was convinced there was no possible way to roll your clothes without an excessive amount of wrinkles as a result. I was definitely wrong.
My clothes when I got to Paris weren’t all that bad! Of course, it wasn’t as perfect as if I just used a steamer or iron but it was really good for traveling across the Atlantic and being packed for the entire 24 hours.
I stumbled on a video that was extremely useful for me as I Had no idea what I was doing or where to start. Figured I’d pass it along since I found it so useful and it was a favorite video of mine. It gets right to the point and shows you how exactly to fold various articles of clothing you might want to bring.
One quick caveat though that I’ll warn you about – I would say that you can’t use too many of the cubes in one suitcase without feeling like it’s too bulky. I generally recommend using one larger one and a couple of smaller ones with it.
So now you know why packing cubes can be extremely helpful for any trip (and I highly recommend you test them out for your next trip).
Which brings me to….
Summing Up: The Best Compression Travel Cubes
So there you go! My thoughts on why I absolutely fell for my travel packing cubes on my recent trip, their pros and cons, and my favorite cubes.
If you’re ready to ditch the unnecessary disorganized chaos of travel packing without packing cubes and make your life a whole lot easier for trips, I highly recommend you give these a try. They’re affordable and definitely make a great investment for all of those trips you have coming up!
Grab the cubes I bought on Amazon here if you missed the link – cute polka dot pattern and compressible!
So what do you think? Leave me a comment about your thoughts, reactions, and your experience when you try them out.
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