Packing cubes

[untailored bostonian]

Ebags has sales on packing cubes all the time, stalk that site frequently to see when you might pick up a full set.

 

If my wife could block me from Ebags she would be do it.

[debnjoe1438]

Hello everyone! I am fairly new to cruising and my future husband has NEVER cruised! However, we are setting sail on the Sun for a land and cruise tour of Alaska in July! Recently, someone mentioned to me that I should invest in packing cubes to help pack up all the layers we are told we might need in Alaska! Does anyone use packing cubes? Are they worth the investment? Any other tips for new cruisers? I read that we should bring clips for the shower, but I don't have any idea what kind of clips! Any tips are greatly appreciated! Thank you cruisers! :)

 

Went on a cruise tour back in 2015 without packing cubs and did just fine. I have never heard of or seen packing cubes.

 

Enjoy your trip, it's great. :p

[kathybelcher2433]

If my wife could block me from Ebags she would be do it.

 

 

Ha ha ha. My former boss and good friend is the CEO of ebags[emoji3]. He'd love this interchange!

 

 

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[untailored bostonian]

;)

Ha ha ha. My former boss and good friend is the CEO of ebags[emoji3]. He'd love this interchange!

 

Hey I'll do an ad!

 

 

We cruise just about every 18 months and 6 months out I start looking at Ebags for our new travel luggage. We are under 200 days out from a TA that originates in Copenhagen. YA know... You need a slightly smaller carry-on! Then there are stricter weight restrictions, so some ultra lite spinner bags are looking so good. If my wife see this post, which she will not, she will hide my laptop!

Edited April 2, 2017 by untailored bostonian

[untailored bostonian]

Went on a cruise tour back in 2015 without packing cubs and did just fine. I have never heard of or seen packing cubes.

 

Enjoy your trip, it's great. :p

 

I have then and am still agnostic about them. However if you want to put things in an easy to find scheme, I think they work. Socks in one, underwear in another. Use an unpacked one to store dirty laundry for home. Color code them: Orange for me and green for my wife. Before I had cubes I would find 2 gallon zip locks and do much the same and squeeze out the air.

 

 

I would also suggest these large zip locks as a quick and dirty "washing machines". A scrub brush on the stain, then into the bag. A little soap, water, and dirty t-shirt or such. Shake and squeeze, then rinse. I cannot count how many times I drip/spill food onto my shirts! Works great. Then use them repacking or keeping wet swim suits away from other things.

[untailored bostonian]

Ha ha ha. My former boss and good friend is the CEO of ebags[emoji3]. He'd love this interchange!s

 

I'm going to blame you!:p

 

They have new ultra lite and compression cubes. I am in the deep end now.

[travelerblue]

I've been looking into packing cubes as well. I'm especially intrigued after watching this video:

 

I just recently purchased some packing cubes for our upcoming cruise in May. I watched the video you posted and all I can imagine is a lot of very wrinkled clothes coming out of those cubes. LOL I don't think I will squish my clothes quite the way she did! But I hope they work for us just to keep our clothes from falling to the bottom of the suitcase.I am going to look for another video to see how to best pack them. Thanks for sharing.

[untailored bostonian]

I just recently purchased some packing cubes for our upcoming cruise in May. I watched the video you posted and all I can imagine is a lot of very wrinkled clothes coming out of those cubes. LOL I don't think I will squish my clothes quite the way she did! But I hope they work for us just to keep our clothes from falling to the bottom of the suitcase.I am going to look for another video to see how to best pack them. Thanks for sharing.

 

There are videos of how to fold and roll your clothes so you can pack for a two week cruise in one carry-on piece. There is a real neat one about how to roll pants, jeans, socks and shirts into a kind of burrito. It actually worked well.

 

An Example:

Edited April 2, 2017 by untailored bostonian

[ColoradoGurl]

Glad to find this thread because I am going to order some packing cubes for our upcoming Alaska cruise. I've been searching on Amazon but wonder if some of you "experts" might recommend a certain brand.

 

Also...which size do you find you use most? Or is it a good idea to get several different sizes?

 

 

I like Eagle Creek because of the size dimensions. Some of the other brands are a couple inches longer, which seems like it might be good because of the extra space, but for me would just take up more space and in some cases will make it so your cubes won't fit into drawers.

 

I also prefer the old/original Eagle Creek, not the new "specter" line because they unzip all the way (specter doesn't) and they are made of thicker material so they feel like they'll hold up longer, and they are cheaper than the specter line because the specter line is "new and improved."

 

My favorite size of Eagle Creek bag is the half cube (small), and I prefer the ones that are double sided (also called "clean/dirty" cubes). You can fit almost any women's shirt, shorts, leggings and sundress in that size when the clothing is rolled up. For men's clothes, or larger women's clothing (XL or maybe even L) I'd get the bigger sized bag. If you look on Amazon they have 3 piece sets with 3 different sizes, and when I say half cube (small) I am talking about the medium size in that set. Having 2 of these per person for a 1 week trip would be good as you can fit about 5 shirts, or 5 shorts, or 5 sundresses into each, if they are small or thin you could even fit in a sixth.

 

Next I like the pack-it-tube (long, slim). It's great for rolled up socks and underwear. I can fit an entire week's worth of socks and underwear in one of them. The extra small size is also good for just underwear (the smallest size in that 3 pack I talked about). I can fit about 15 pairs of underwear into one (but my underwear are very small). I read reviews for that size and most people use it for electronics and extra plugs so maybe larger underwear don't fit in them, I don't know.

 

The larger size in the 3 pack are only good for pants and sweatshirts or larger sized clothing (L or XL women's), just to keep them from flopping around loose in your suitcase, but if you aren't packing those I wouldn't bother buying that size.

 

The other Eagle Creek item that I love is the garment sleeve (NOT the garment folder). You can hang sundresses, jackets etc in them with their hangers, and you can fit about 5 of them (although you might have to put some dresses on the same hanger if your hangers aren't wire thin). This is for items you don't want to roll, and that you plan to hang in a closet. Even if your items are longer than the garment sleeve, once you fold the sleeve up, the items will automatically fold into it.

 

So to summarize, a basic purchase for one person for one week would be 2 half cubes (for xs, s, and m clothes, otherwise get the size up), 1 long slim cube, and a garment sleeve. If you want some extras, get the larger sized bag and the extra small and you'll pretty much be able to fit everything you have. If the "clean/dirty" cube is offered in the sizes you buy, get those!

 

 

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Edited April 2, 2017 by ColoradoGurl

[Blackrose73]

I just recently purchased some packing cubes for our upcoming cruise in May. I watched the video you posted and all I can imagine is a lot of very wrinkled clothes coming out of those cubes. LOL I don't think I will squish my clothes quite the way she did! But I hope they work for us just to keep our clothes from falling to the bottom of the suitcase.I am going to look for another video to see how to best pack them. Thanks for sharing.

 

I was thinking that also. I would be more careful about smoothing them out before rolling them to go into the cubes though. I think she rushed it for the video. :)

[sprint180]

I love packing cubes. I use the small and medium size the most. To me the large ones (the size that fits the whole size of a carryon - something like 14x 21 or something like that, are a complete waste of money. You have to really pack them full so stuff doesn't slide around.

I usually only put my unders and maybe t shirts in them though - to keep them together. Also keep cords and other small things in them to keep them corralled. When I get on the ship, like others I just pop them in a drawer or on a shelf. Enjoy your trip! Alaska is amazing, we have went twice.

[SquishTheWhale]

I bought some very cheap packing cubes off ebay last year, and although I like how they organise my suitcase, they are too flimsy to just remove from the case and pop on the shelf without having to unpack. For our Honeymoon in October we have 4 different hotel/cruise cabin moves so I just purchased some Ebags ones from Amazon- hoping they will make packing and unpacking less annoying! And I can keep using the flimsy ones to put toiletries and stuff in that needs properly unpacking. I like them just because they are organised, I never even thought about the benefit of your stuff not flying everywhere if your case bursts open in transit!

[untailored bostonian]

I bought some very cheap packing cubes off ebay last year, and although I like how they organise my suitcase, they are too flimsy to just remove from the case and pop on the shelf without having to unpack. For our Honeymoon in October we have 4 different hotel/cruise cabin moves so I just purchased some Ebags ones from Amazon- hoping they will make packing and unpacking less annoying! And I can keep using the flimsy ones to put toiletries and stuff in that needs properly unpacking. I like them just because they are organised, I never even thought about the benefit of your stuff not flying everywhere if your case bursts open in transit!

 

I have some Ebag cubes that have gone through 3 or 4 cruises. Especially for small things, socks, tshirts, undies, and even device chargers never cam out of the cubes. The larger emptied cubes became storage for worn/dirty clothes.

[SquishTheWhale]

I have some Ebag cubes that have gone through 3 or 4 cruises. Especially for small things, socks, tshirts, undies, and even device chargers never cam out of the cubes. The larger emptied cubes became storage for worn/dirty clothes.

 

Great idea- we are away 2.5 weeks so using the large one for dirty clothes will stop them all getting mixed up everytime we have to repack.

[songlady]

I also love the e-bags packing cubes and mostly use the "ranger roll" method Bostonian refers to. Ranger rolls keep shirts completely unwrinkled when done properly, and they snug perfectly into the oblong packing cubes. It is possible to ranger roll pants as well, although I have not quite mastered that feat yet. The youtube videos are very helpful.

[CH_ca]

OK you all made me started looking into packing cubes! :D I'm pretty well set on buying the Eagle Creek packing cubes. The only problem is I could only get them online. No real thing to see or touch before I commit. I can't even find out concretely the actual weight of the small (7 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2"), medium (10" x 7" x 3"), and large (14" x 10" x 3") cubes. For sure they're of great quality. My only concern is the material looks kind of thick and heavy. Will I really gain any space in the suit case besides getting things very organized? After all, the additional weight will eat into the limited airline weight allowance. Can anyone tell me what the exact weight of each one is? Thanks!

[MICHLEV1974]

OK you all made me started looking into packing cubes! :D I'm pretty well set on buying the Eagle Creek packing cubes. The only problem is I could only get them online. No real thing to see or touch before I commit. I can't even find out concretely the actual weight of the small (7 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2"), medium (10" x 7" x 3"), and large (14" x 10" x 3") cubes. For sure they're of great quality. My only concern is the material looks kind of thick and heavy. Will I really gain any space in the suit case besides getting things very organized? After all, the additional weight will eat into the limited airline weight allowance. Can anyone tell me what the exact weight of each one is? Thanks!

 

They weigh ounces .... like reusable grocery bag .... nice and lite.... The cubes are great quality. I watched some you tube videos before buying mine and was very pleased with quality.

You mostly gain the organization with the cubes. I also use the bags that you press all the air out (space bags) and this is where I find that i gain more luggage space. I put the space bags inside the packing cubes; however, the downside is that the weight of the clothes doesn't disappear into 'space'.....haha cracking myself up on a Tuesday morning

[ColoradoGurl]

OK you all made me started looking into packing cubes! :D I'm pretty well set on buying the Eagle Creek packing cubes. The only problem is I could only get them online. No real thing to see or touch before I commit. I can't even find out concretely the actual weight of the small (7 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2"), medium (10" x 7" x 3"), and large (14" x 10" x 3") cubes. For sure they're of great quality. My only concern is the material looks kind of thick and heavy. Will I really gain any space in the suit case besides getting things very organized? After all, the additional weight will eat into the limited airline weight allowance. Can anyone tell me what the exact weight of each one is? Thanks!

 

 

They're actually very flimsy and extremely lightweight. They look heavy because they appear to be made of canvas, but they aren't. You will gain lots of room in your suitcase and even if you use 10 of them, it would probably only add a pound.

 

The biggest benefit though is the organization. Have you ever gone to look for a shirt that is packed at the bottom of your suitcase, and then messed up the whole pile of clothes by pulling it out? Or after a few days, mixed up your clean and dirty clothes because they're all floating around in your suitcase? That is what this fixes the most. It's also nice to be able to search for a cube size or color and quickly see what you need rather than searching for a pair of socks rolling around in a big suitcase.

 

If you have a Container Store near you, they sell them. So do most luggage stores. Sometimes I've even seen them at Dick's Sporting goods and REI.

 

 

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[untailored bostonian]

I also love the e-bags packing cubes and mostly use the "ranger roll" method Bostonian refers to. Ranger rolls keep shirts completely unwrinkled when done properly, and they snug perfectly into the oblong packing cubes. It is possible to ranger roll pants as well, although I have not quite mastered that feat yet. The youtube videos are very helpful.

 

When you see it you think it will leave everything a mess. You cannot do anything to old jeans, and my polyester pants did not care. Using it on just pants will save you space. After one or two pants it get easy, but the DW always got it tighter. [Mlae ego buzz kill!] Doing it to socks was just funny. If fabric is one that tends to wrinkle I might skip it.

 

When I looked up the Vid there was another one for Ranger Rolling a hooded sweatshirt that would save a bit of space.

[FitchburgWIFamily]

My set has one cube with a shirt/pant folder (almost like a flip and fold) so I use that for the stuff that is more wrinkle prone. You fold everything nice and flat and use the four sides to come up around and smoosh it flatter.

[Markanddonna]

Cubes are great if you have a few hotels to deal with around your cruise date. So, a cruise to Europe where you are going to different hotels in addition to the ship warrants cubes. If you live near a port and just hop on and off a cruise with no overnights, you may find your financial investment isn't worthwhile. How did I manage to stay organized with ziplock baggies for so long?

[jozi]

Tell him they are a great company and we love doing business with them. They stand behind their products.

 

My WS and I both have ebags packing cubes and using them has been life changing. (I used to use space bags but they didn't hold up well). We travel a lot and they have allowed packing to be so streamlined.

 

And clips- I assume that people referred to office-supply type magnetic clips to put on stateroom walls for invitations and notices. Very handy. OXO brand are good.

 

Ha ha ha. My former boss and good friend is the CEO of ebags[emoji3]. He'd love this interchange!

 

 

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[travelerblue]

There are videos of how to fold and roll your clothes so you can pack for a two week cruise in one carry-on piece. There is a real neat one about how to roll pants, jeans, socks and shirts into a kind of burrito. It actually worked well.

 

An Example:

Now that is some crazy rolling! I would never have the patience to roll all my clothes up like that but it was helpful! I have actually used the bundle packing technique once and it did work great. Our clothes had hardly a wrinkle but you have to fold everything as you unpack it which was kind of a pain. The 2nd time I tried it, I couldn't get it to come out right. I think I was going too fast. Thank you for posting the video. Even thought I won't roll everything quite like that, I did bookmark the video for later use.

[kathybelcher2433]

Tell him they are a great company and we love doing business with them. They stand behind their products.

 

 

 

My WS and I both have ebags packing cubes and using them has been life changing. (I used to use space bags but they didn't hold up well). We travel a lot and they have allowed packing to be so streamlined.

 

 

 

And clips- I assume that people referred to office-supply type magnetic clips to put on stateroom walls for invitations and notices. Very handy. OXO brand are good.

 

 

I'll definitely share! He'll appreciate the shout outs!

 

 

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[sprint180]

There is no need to buy expensive cubes. I have e bags cubes and I have the cheap ones. The cheap ones are just as sturdy as ebags brand. Sorry I don't know the name. Zip lock bags work well too but I like the cubes.