Packing cubes

I have never before used packing cubes. Thinking of maybe getting some. If you have or do please answer the following questions.

1. which brand/kind do you like best or would recommend & why?

2. are there any brand/kind that go down to half their size without using one of those little machines to take the air out?

3. do they keep clothes from wrinkling or just for to make more space?

Thank you

Kathy

I primarily use them for land based traveling. I tend to be messy packer without them and end up with all my clothes in a jumble from digging through for my pajamas or a particular sweater. Another scenario is when cruising, I always have a couple of days in a hotel first. I can preload a cube with a couple of days of clothing and stick it in my carryon. That way I do not need to open my main bag.

I have purchased them primarily through ebags dot com. (I think Target carries cubes too.) Sign up for their emails and you will get a code for a discount. I use the largest size for jeans, sweater, or dresses; Medium bags for short sleeve shirts, underwear and socks; smallest bags for chargers, camera supplies, etc.

There are larger roll up compression bags that I sometimes use on the way home for dirty clothes. I do not like to rely on them because if I can fit more into my suitcase, it may get too heavy.

I tend to be a very organized packer so I use them for some of my packed items. Also got them from ebags, many years ago. Have some slim ones - both full sized slim ones and half-sized (if they still carry those). Also some square/rectangular ones. I pack undies and socks in the slim ones and they go nicely into that annoying well created by the handles on the bottom of my suitcases. I use the square/rectangular ones for things I might roll (like some resort casual wear items that have some spandex and don't wrinkle) or for tee shirts. SInce we try to travel carryon only, sometimes they don't fit depending on what else I am packing. Some of mine happen to be red, and the others are green. As clothes get dirty, and I'm on a land trip where I might be moving hotels, I shift clean stuff into the green ones, and reserve the red ones for the stuff that needs washing.

But I don't put everything in packing cubes. I just fold most shirts and slacks. Oh, and since packing cubes do add some weight, you need to be aware of that in case you are bumping up near a weight limit for carryon or checked bag.

I also have a couple of small compression bags that you can roll to let the air out - no need for vacuum cleaner to suction out the air. I have used these to pack our packable down jackets flat as pancakes instead of stuffing them into their pocket sacks. I've never used them on anything that would wrinkle.

I don't use packing cubes, but have some Eagle Creek portfolios that I picked up based on some recommendations several years ago. They hold a lot and definitely keep things more neat in the suitcase.

Some great ideas thank you. What specific ones are there for dresses or do you suggest?

Thanks again

Kathy

Ebags, order online, very good quality.

I use the med size for pants and shirts, the long narrow ones for underware, socks and rolled tee shirts (they fit nicely like a puzzle in the sides of your suitcase and the small I use for electronic cords and camera chargers and for meds. The large are too big, I returned them.

Once you have and use them you will wonder how you traveled without them. No digging, packing and unpacking. On a cruise you can even slip them into the drawers without taking everything out and so easy to pack to leave. You will love them!

You might want to open your suitcase and measure the length and width then compare to dimensions of the cubes. Then you can see what sizes will probably work. I found that I couldn't use my largest one, but the medium sizes and the slim ones work well. (hmmm, maybe I should take my own advice - I probably need some more and/or different sizes now...).

I have several different styles and I think I prefer the Eagle Creek Specter series. They mostly zip on just two sides, so don't open up like a suitcase, but they're unstructured and very, very light. Some have a second zipper to expand (or compress) them as needed. They don't necessarily prevent wrinkles, but do a good job keeping things organized. I don't use them on a cruise, where I'll be unpacking only once, but find they're a huge help if I'm on a trip where I'm moving every day or so. I don't need that kind of organization for a cruise and don't want even that much extra weight. I've become a rolling vs folding advocate and think that allows me a little more room, with or without the cubes.

Melissa

I use a largest size cube for nice pants and dresses in order to minimize the number of folds. I fill in any extra space with whatever other clothing so that there is no room for the good things to shift. This cube does not get opened until I am on the ship. There may be a wrinkle from the fold but it hangs out well enough for me.

One of my suitcases came with a large board for wrapping dresses and suits around but I never mastered it.

I use Ikea Skub not for packing but for organising my drawers once I get there. They travel flat and are light enough. I pack items in groups in bags or tissue then lift each pack out into their Skub. This method of cube is also really great if you have a room move between b2bs as they can just stack the cubes up on the floor of the hangar rail they use for your wardrobe items so the unpack at the other end is even quicker

Thank you everyone. I will now buy the packing cubes but based on what you have said will try and find the best value and the lightest weight ones

Happy cruising to you all

Kathy

DH and I have been using packing cubes for the past year and love them. I bought the Amazon Basics brand. They are lightweight polyester with a zipper and mesh cover. I bought three sets -- 1 each of large, medium and assorted cubes.

Started using them last year for land based trip.

Then this pat Dec on AZ 14 day cruise plus hotel for 4 days.

Best thing I ever did, in the cabin I just lifted the bag into a drawer and hung what needed hanging. For cosmetics and medical I move each to it's own spot one bathroom one desk area.

Always new where things were no concern with bugs and easy pack up.

Bought on shopping channel in Canada.

Another vote for the Eagle Creek portfolios. OH shirts pack beautifully in them and you can also use them for trousers.

I looked mine are by Heys the luggage people.

Make sure they have light coloured see through mesh so you know what is inside. Also if there are two of you it may help to have different ones for each person.

For smalls I use the white mesh zippered lingerie washing bags you can get at dollar stores.

Small Eagle Creek packing cubes are great for small tech accessories. Otherwise, I use a few Eagle Creek packing cubes for certain things.... One for undies, one for scarves (sometimes, depending on how many I take), and one per day for any trips where we're going to be in hotels for only one day. For a cruise, everything else gets packed together since it will be unpacked together. We use a carry on for trips where we will be someplace for a few days.

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All good suggestions already provided. An alternative are "stuff sacks" or "compression sacks." I started to use these when camping but now use them for all travel. These work well for items that it doesn't matter is they wrinkle. For example, I use a medium one for socks, underwear, etc. I use a large one for bathing suit, rash guard (or swim shirt), cover up, etc. I use a small one for electronics and their chargers/accesssories.

Here's an example. I used to use packing cubes but the ones I had did not compress.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Outdoor-Recreation-Group-Set-of-3-Ultimate-Dry-Sacks/10928125

We also use the amazon basics ones and would highly recommend them for keeping things organised, they don’t necessarily keep your clothes crease free, depends on how carefully you pack them in the first instance! As others have said we tend to use them more for land based tours, we are currently on six week land tour of Australia and New Zealand and it’s so easy to keep our case tidy. I love them.

Bought the Eagle Creek compression Specter bags before last trip which was a 12-night cruise followed by a land tour. Was not able to pack for such a long and varied trip using the medium instead of the large suitcase before using these bags. I was ecstatic so I’m a total convert. Worth every penny and they are not cheap.

Another ‘thumbs up’ for the Eagle Creek portfolios. The medium size is perfect for shirts and T shirts. Undies, socks etc go into cubes.

Another ‘thumbs up’ for the Eagle Creek portfolios. The medium size is perfect for shirts and T shirts. Undies, socks etc go into cubes.

Yes, I also got the portfolios. The clothes packed in them - shirts and slacks - stayed crisp and folded and didn’t get wrinkled. Also, it was easy to identify what you wanted to wear without making a big mess pre-cruise.