@@angelagalluzzo883 that's what I was saying in my original post, stack your clothes in groups, and remove them through stacks as well. You can separate the stack with hotel laundry as liners.
Spot on conclusion. Compression cubes may save a little bit of space but the best use of packing or compression cubes is organization and compartmentalization.
I agree. I use big inexpensive shopping canvas bags though, mostly for my shoes. I really don't need small expensive bags with zippers inside my luggage bag. Doesn't make a difference for me.
I use cubes for shoes. And I invest in wrinkle free clothing. I relocate to much for cubes and unpacking. Takes to much time and increases risk of leaving something behind. And then there’s police/security, who will (love to) destroy ur precious cube pack job😂 . 🤌✌️
Started packing now with cubes, and one thing I noticed which I am so happy for is how I can sort the items into groups so it will be easier to check I remembered everything, but also easier to find things during the trip
Another benefit is using the cubes in hotel wardrobes or drawers. You can leave the clothes you don’t hang up in them so they don’t touch the drawers or shelves because who knows when they were last cleaned?
I use gallon Ziplock bags for the things you used packing cubes for. I zip them most of the way, place a finger in the remaining hole at the zipper to hold it open, kneel on them to compress all the air out, and zip it up. That definitely uses less space!
I love ziplock bags for travel because they are clear and keep things compartmented. The drawback is the sides where you zip them together come apart after a few uses when opening if you’re not careful.
I’m a recent convert to packing cubes (started using them in fall 2022). My cubes and suitcase are designed by the same company (Away Travel) so the cubes fit my suitcase efficiently without leaving odd gaps. I find the biggest advantage of using cubes is that they make packing and unpacking much quicker and less stressful: -if all the clothes I’m bringing fit into my set of cubes, they will fit into the suitcase with no difficulties -once I’ve finished filling the cubes, it takes just a moment to fit the cubes into my suitcase -when I go to a hotel, it takes only a few minutes to unpack my entire suitcase. I simply pull out the cubes and put them into dresser drawers or on closet shelves. It’s so much nicer than always rifling through a suitcase and digging to find things. I also appreciate that my clothes are protected by the cube fabric from contact with the drawer/shelf surface, which may be unclean. -similarly, repacking the suitcase when leaving the hotel is quick and easy. Dirty clothes go in a laundry bag. Clothes that can be worn again go back into their respective cubes and then the cubes are slotted back into the suitcase. -with cubes, I find I’m more likely to wear the full range of what I’ve packed since it’s so easy to access everything.
I just completed a multi-week trip overseas in which I was often checking into a new hotel every day, so the ease of unpacking and repacking that cubes offered me was a godsend.
Interesting topic. I love packing cubes and have used them for years. Besides the organization, (underwear in one small cube, bathing suits and cover ups in a larger size etc) I want all my stuff out of my suitcase and put away when I am in a hotel/resort. So I feel safer putting my cube inside the drawers, rather than having anything sitting in a drawer where I don’t know what has been there before. Some may say- a bit compulsive, but who knows what the previous occupant has put into the drawers. Oh, and when not travelling, I still use some cubes to store in my own drawers. Keeps things neater.
Not compulsive at all. I'm an RN. In my world, there are no gray areas; it's clean or it's dirty. I live out of my suitcase when traveling - I'm not putting my stuff anywhere that someone else has used. I've trained my husband & kids to do the same. With the exception of shower stuff, toiletries stay in my Lug Trolley. Still on the fence about packing cubes; I usually feel that not using them takes better advantage of the contours of the suitcase.
@@suzannej4953 I understand re the "dirty" concerns. I just cannot live out of a suitcase - becomes a jumble for me. :) The cubes give me a bit of "security".
We're carry-on only folks too, and I like rolling my clothes and not using packing cubes when traveling internationally in order to see everything at a glance. For bulky jackets or dirty clothes, I enjoy using a space-saver clear bag (that you squeeze the air out of). Can't wait for the next trip!
This is my first trip using packing cubes (non-compression). I do love the organizational aspect. And what you said about them keeping rolled items in place is spot-on. Also, as you mentioned, I didn't roll denims and a few other items. I'm very happy with the way everything fit into my small suitcase.
The organization benefits were the biggest seller for me. However one thing to consider is the more you can pack into your luggage adds more weight which can be problematic for flying with an airline with tighter weight restrictions.
My husband and I use the non compression cubes and once in the cubes (rolled) in they stay until they are needed. We just place the cube in the drawers or on the shelves once I have wiped them down with a Lysol type wipe. We bring a laundry bag as well as a couple of sheets of of laundry soap so we can do some hand wash of smaller items.
Plastic grocery/shopping bags -- especially clear ones. Cheap (free -- in most places). Good size: not too big, not too small. Can be compressed and sealed by crossing over the handles and secured with a slip knot. Can be labeled with a Sharpie. Great for shoes and dirty clothes too. Recyclable. Carry extras. Large contractor (trash) bags. Light weight, thick, heavy-duty plastic. Can be used to cover luggage, back packs, etc. Can be cut for a poncho. Can be used to cover wet surfaces: seating, grass, etc. Carry at least two.
I use a combo: some into packing cubes and some into the space saver bags (the vacuum sealer kind, but don't require a vacuum to press the air out) I get so much more into those, leaving more room for other things in my bag.
One advantage I've found with packing cubes is if we're traveling by car and either staying a night or two in multiple places or in a hotel room without enough space for multiple large suitcases, we can each bring in a single packing cube (plus a second cube or small flight bag of toiletries and other essentials) and leave our large suitcases secured in the trunk. You just have to remember to fetch your clothes for the next day each evening.
Packing cubes maintain organization, especially if you color coordinate cubes to items. I will always use packing cubes and unknowingly all of my cubes compress. I had to evacuate the hotel on one trip, packing cubes made it easy for me to repack and get out fast. additionally with dryer sheets in each cube everything smells great and dirty clothes (of which are few as I usually wash as I wear) don't funk up my clean clothes. Tip, always bring a few scented plastic garbage bags to provide extra protection from dirty items. Put the in a cube, put the cube in the plastic bag and funk is controlled. By the way, scented bag is optional, as are dryer sheets as not everyone likes scents. Happy travels.
Packing cubes are very helpful when using duffle bags because they provide more structure. Since I generally travel with a backpack + duffle bag, they are very helpful.
I love the organization packing cubes offer, plus keeps things together as shifting occurs during travel. Before packing cubes, I used the plastic, zippered bags bedding comes in when I packed my luggage.
TFS, I cruise alot so I am going to try Packing cubes for the 1st time. I only say this cuz our last experience at airport we were over packed, so had to move things around...when I opened up my suitcase everything fell Everywhere!!! going with Organization now... I also Roll my clothes.
Good video. I think one of the things that people really forget to use for packing is shoes! I put my socks and sometimes my undies inside my shoes. I cram a lot of stuff inside my shoes. If I'm worried about the inside of my shoes I use the bags from our newspapaer to put items in and then stuff them in shoes. Or ziploc bags or sandwhich bags. It also helps me to maintain the shape of a shoe. After packing the shoe, I usually put the shoes into another bag, like a grocery bag. I start packing my suitcase with shoes on edges and work inwards. I'm an old fart (LOL), been packing like this for decades My brother taught me how. I'm a roller and I do like packing cubes too. Especially for nicer stuff, like a dress or slacks for a cruise. I also roll with tissue paper for really nice stuff. My sister-in-law taught us that one. I always bring gallon freezer bags in case I need to pack something wet or gross on the way home. That being said: packing cubes aren't just for clothes! I'm a musician and I use packing cubes for all my cords! I use 2 different colors for my primary cords and another for my backup cords.
Another reason to love packing cubes is when you go through security; especially places like Mexico, a very organized case (without cubes) turns into a jumbled mess when they look through your case. With cubes, they tend to just feel around or check each cube individually.
I love the organization part of the cubes but I truly love that if my bag is checked by TSA, they do not touch my personal items. Also, I can quickly put my bag back together quickly after inspection.
My freshmen year of college I went out of the country for first time to puerto Vallarta for spring break. I got the unlucky ding for them to search my bag. Little did they know if took me and 2 sorority sisters to sit on it to close. When I say my all stuff fell out I mean swimsuits, thongs the whole shebang. I was so hung over I just crawled around trying to stuff it all back in when they finished and recruited my girls to help me close it again 😂
@jkirk1626I swear when TSA “searches your bag” they’re doing it just so they can steal your stuff. Pacing cubes are a definite deterrent to slyly stuffing your belongings in their pocket!
Ah. . . COMPRESSION packing cubes . . . That’s where I’ve veered! I do like having all of my clothes in meaningful compartments. I also like the idea of the water resistance and separation of dirty and clean. Great video, very helpful! Also, the packing music! 😂🕺🏼
I travelled through Europe for nine months with just a carry-on suitcase and a very small backpack for my computer supplies. Packing cubes really made it easy to have a system for packing up everything, but it also gave me flexibility when I was flying on those super tiny low-budget planes. Sometimes even though my suitcase technically fit the rules it was just too thick to fit under a seat or an overhead cabinet. I could pull out my bigger packing cubes and the suitcase could then compress enough to fit. I would then squeeze my packing cubes wherever they would fit under a seat or in an overhead compartment. It was an easy to just put everything back together after.
My experience is ordinary packing, rolling, regular cubes,compression cubes, and plastic SpaceSavers with a one-way valve for squishing out the air. Only this last one gives you more room but at the possible disadvantage of over-packing since you have that extra space. All the other ways don’t matter because the suitcase will do the compressing when we shut it. I do like the cubes very much for organization, and I have the same ones you showed.
Great video. After alot of research and shopping around, I started to use packing cubes on my weekend trips away in my aer backpack, I bought the exact same white ones you have in this video too and they work great. I'm travelling to the USA in Sept from the uk for 2 weeks so I will be using packing cubes in my case and bag. I think the main advantage to them is solely the organisation and tidiness that they provide, not having to route through your bag or case to get something, you can go straight to the cube with whatever you need in it. I admit I used the cubes for my jeans too but they do take up a bit of space, so I think on my trip I'll just leave the jeans and trousers folded underneath like you did then just use the cubes for tshirts, underwear etc. I also found myself using the roll method too with my tshirts in the cubes, I agree they don't prevent creasing like some claim but ironing a clean shirt before I go out isn't a big issue to me.
I don't see compression cubes doing much over regular cubes, whenever I see a video of them in use the center of the cube is just as thick as the non-compression cube, just that the edges are slightly thinner. At any rate, I love using packing cubes because they provide nooks in between cubes where you can slide fragile stuff between and they're well-padded. I also had an experience where TSA needed to go through my bag because I was a doofus and packed a metal nail file, since I used cubes it was super easy to reassemble and head to the gate.
I've been using regular packing cubes for a while and it works well for me (especially since I often travel with a big hiking backpack). Today I tried compression packing cubes for the first time and I'm not very impressed by them. They fit a lot less stuff than I expected, because if I fill it completely, it won't compress anything anymore.
@@canyonoverlook9937 1 gallon and 2 gallon from Dollar Tree. Yes. Down puffer jacket into 1 gallon easy. I like cubes for organizing, like one for socks and underwear, you can use the ziplocks for that as well. I like the ziplocks for making big stuff small, like a full length LL Bean bathrobe that just keeps me happy on the road, it takes a big thing and makes it quite wee. It just depends on things in your bag. Compression cubes are just fancy ziplocks, well honestly the ziplocks get more air out, obviously not as durable. I am packing for colder climates in the Autumn, , October through early January. So, I need those layers for the cold. Yeah. The ziplocks can get smaller but not as durable so pack a couple extra.
Best video I’ve seen to date on this great debate. Why? Because it’s organized & precise in its presentation which will give you a huge clue as to where I stand. For me, the most important part about this is when I’m living out of a suitcase for two or more weeks is that I want it to be organized. I pack light as I travel via public transportation my entire trip, so weight and space saving are pretty much non issues. What I like to use are the zippered mesh bags as opposed to compression cubes because I can see in an instant what’s in them. I sometimes combine those with a couple of 2 gallon ziplock bags that I do NOT seal completely. Both are highly squishable and will compress when I close my suitcase. Leaving for a one month trip to Europe in a bit and finally convinced my husband (who tends to just throw everything in and then gets frustrated when he can’t find something) to try the mesh bags. Here’s hoping I have a convert. If not, more mesh bags for me 😂
I’m a ONE bag guy. And I like laying my clothes inside. They don’t wrinkle like when rolling or using packing cube. And easier to take stuff in and out vs cubes.
I like packing cubes for organization. I have some compression cubes and some regular ones. I usually run out of weight before I run out of space. (weight for checked luggage or for what I can reasonably carry around.) It's very helpful when going through security, especially in countries where they do a thorough hand check of your luggage before you board the plane. When my kids were little, I would pack their outfits in ziplock bags. It was easy to grab a new outfit, and a resealable bag came in handy for soiled clothes.
I just roll my clothes. It leaves room in between the rolls and you just insert smaller rolls in all the crevices. Different types of clothing determines the size of the roll so you just find the perfect space to place that specific roll in. It's like building blocks.. HAHA! If I use a packing cube (regular or compression), I feel that I would be restricted to the shape of those bags only. It would make it difficult to make your cubes fit perfectly especially if it's carry on size or even personal size. At least with a bunch of rolls, you're just placing them wherever there is space. Believe me, once you have everything rolled up and it takes every crevice of that luggage, it ends up weighing a ton! I feel like not using cubes at all is better. You can fit so much more without any cube restrictions and you would just place the rolls anywhere they fit. I guess my priority is more about how much I can fill my luggage and not really about compartmentalizing my clothes. Great video though!
I have found there is more of an advantage with compression packing cubes when you fold vs ranger roll the clothing. The compression is more efficient with folded clothes.
Love cubes! Easy access to groups of clothes. In your roll method without cubes you'd need to remove all those individually rolled items to get to your jeans on the bottom. .(or whatever else is beneath them). Plus I love an organized suitcase. 🤓 I do agree about packing a couple larger ziplock bags to use for damp or wet items that may come up.
The best way to pack jeans is into your drawer at home. Too heavy, hot in summer, cold in winter and never dry if they get wet. There are so many better choices for travel.
Packing cubes are a good way to go. And i've seen some comments about using zip lock bags too. But i've used space bags for packing. they come in all sizes and you can squeeze all the air out easily with no air getting back in. they really are the best way to pack for me!
I use standard packing cubes in a variety of sizes and they are quite thin so they don’t really take up extra space. You can use them to pack complete outfits so you are not sorting through everything in your bag to find what you want. I don’t find rolling saves you space but it can reduce the wrinkles to some degree. I would be interested to know how you repack all these clothes when they need washing. I have a seperate dry bag that I can compress the air out, that way no smell transfers to the clean clothes. The same goes for shoes. With all of this, my primary packing method is to reduce the amount of wrinkles as I probably won’t have an iron at hand at the other end.
Fabric compression packing cubes have one disadvantage--you can't see what's inside after you pack them. I use a label maker to label them, so I don't have to remember what color cube contains what. Thanks for the excellent video.
The first thing I do is write up a packing list of everything I'm taking on trip. If I know I'm going to have access to laundry facilities, I pack less. I decide whats going in my personal bag. I definitely use packing cubes. I take my list with me so I can check off everything as I pack for return trip.
watching no packing cube version, I saw myself try to find/ pull "that specific garment" from the bottom at a hotel and redo all the packing again. So, packing cube for me looks like saving time at hotel for a better enjyoable stay ^^
I have packing cubes- they're not "compression" per se but they are soft and not rigid. Anyway I use them whenever we go on a family trip b/c it's very convenient to keep everybody's clothing separate. However I don't think they're particularly space saving- because we use a large duffle shaped luggage bag and since it's round shaped there's space I can't use with square/rectangle shaped packing cubes. I think if you need them for space saving it's better to use them with the hard rectangular shaped luggage.
I use packing cubes selectively. I put sweaters in a compression packing cube. I use zippered mesh laundry bags, that I cut down in size, for underwear and stockings. If I wash in a machine while traveling, this keeps them all together. I will pack special event clothes in a packing cube - extra dressy clothes or hot weather clothes, when I am mostly traveling in a cool place but spending a few days in a side trip to someplace hot. I have some long narrow cubes that fit in the spaces caused by the arm of my roller bag and I fill them with either small knits or accessories or sandals etc. But mostly I roll and stuff.
I tried such packing cubes last year, I had to go to the hospital and had no idea how long I had to stay, but I didn't want to take so much with me, so I wanted to pack as space-saving as possible. I thought it was great, I was physically battered and the fact that I could pack it clearly saved me a lot of searching. Soon I will go to a specialist clinic and I will use such packing cubes again. I'm also going to use the ones I've already tested, but they're not compression cubes, so I'm going to get them
Most of the trips I take are multi city tours where we’re only in one place for 1-2 nights, so you can’t ever “unpack”. Living out of a suitcase sucks, but packing cubes are my lifesavers. I pack pants in one, tops in another, underwear and pjs in another, etc. This allows me to stay organized. It’s way easier to just stuff all the cubes back in my suitcase vs. trying to Tetris everything back in place. I only recently discovered compression cubes, and I’m not sold. Maybe I’m not packing them correctly, but when I get them all zipped up they end up in this sort of football shape that’s puffy in the middle and tapered on the sides. They don’t compress down into a nice rectangular like my standard cubes, and they seem to take up MORE space in my bag due to the odd shape.
As others have noted packing cubes will take a ton of stress out of your life when you are called out for a detailed security check. Cubes make repacking super fast and you are on your way. Cubes reduce the chance something has been left behind.
We use a combination of compression packing cubes and folders. We roll clothes in the cubes but for things that would be so wrinkled, folding them up, placing in a folder that you can tighten down allows you to store it so during transit without worrying that it will shift and end up with a ton of wrinkles. The OCD in me loves being organized!😅😅😍😍
This was helpful for me, thanks. I didn't know that there are compression cubes. We've always used compression zip-closed plastic bags designed for clothing that I first got for backpacking(waterproof). The disadvantage of the bags is that I feel it is harder to get things into them in an organized way and they always feel like a big mess when I decompress them. I think the cubes would be better for travel than the bags. For backpacking, the bags are good because they can be molded in a way to fit the shape of the backpack.
I used a combination of three different kinds of packing cubes to pack a personal item for a week of travel. They really helped my personal item maintain its shape so when Frontier made me size it, it slipped right in the sizer without any problems
I use zip lock bags of various sizes when traveling. Label them as follows: Underwear, shirts, socks, tee shirts, medicine, phone charger, etc. This method makes it easier to know what to pack and stay organized.
That Monos bag has great organization features that kind of act like packing cubes. You have the top half with the zippered compartment acting like a big cube, and then the bottom half even has a compression divider to hold all your rolled items. Not to mention the flat pockets in the middle. If we were comparing to duffle bag or old-style single compartment soft suitcase, it may show a bit more advantage to the cubes. The advantages of organization are also amplified when you don't have a split style suitcase.
I use a two wheel international sized carry-on. I've found that the area around the handle voids is perfect for socks and underwear. Rolled shorts make the next layer, covered with shirts. Since my destination is usually the Philippines and I'm traveling by ferry more often than by air a canvas shopping bag works for laundry. Liquids and medicine in my one quart clear, and dry toiletries (including bar shampoo and toothpaste tablets) go in my 18L sling bag with my electronics.
I enjoy the organization of compression pacing cubes, but I don't pack by article of clothing. I pack by day, so each morning I only need to pull out one little burrito and it has everything I need for the day without unpacking everything. This method is more helpful when traveling with a backpack. Regardless it helps to be able to leave your clothes mostly packed if you are not staying in one place for multiple nights.
Packing cubes + space saving bags. I use this combo for when I want to bring back souvenirs. Also, with cubes and space saving bags, you can take out the cubes at the hotel and just put them in the drawer. I usually leave everything in my luggage and grab out of it, but with cubes, it is easier to take things out to be visible when getting dressed. The space saving bag also helps keep dirty clothes in their own space without leaking sweat and odor onto other clothes in your bag.
I travel every week and honestly when I started using cubes even folding my clothes the same way and not using compression cubes. Everything fits better and takes up less space simply because of the organization it provides and the ability to move the cubes around in different configurations in my duffle bag
Does rolling really allow you to take more? Vs just folding your shirts and stacking them then placing them in the compression cube? I didn’t see a difference, I just fold and compress
@3:44 I completely agree about denim. I see no point of putting it in a packing cube except for maybe organization purposes. You certainly aren't going to be able to compress denim very much. People would indeed save space by just wearing any denim items on the plane, but for a long-haul flight that might be uncomfortable. Wearing something comfortable would probably be better on long flights.
I am considering my options. I did find that if I stand my suitcase up and layer from the bottom up, gravity helps to provide more space. I thinking about the compression cubes for a 10 day road trip. I am still trying to figure out the best option. This trip will be 10 days in at least 5 different hotels. I am also a plus size lady with larger clothing. So where you can fit 2 pairs a jeans I might fit one.
Really like these videos, I travel a lot and I bought the Monos carry-on you recommended and used your link. I really appreciate the work you put in to this. I’m going to try the packing cubes. I like the idea, and to one problem I find with not using them is if you need one item from your bag you can mess up your packing without them. I’m interested to see if this improves things.
My personal favorite thing about packing cubes is i like to take random spur of the moment trips to the beach and with the cubs prepacked in the closet I'm always packed and ready to go. And can just throw it in the bag while also leaving my main travel bag available for other trips instead of have that bag always packed for one type of trip.
I use packing cubes for work (I’m a pilot) and I can guarantee you that using packing cubes saves space. When you travel as much as I do (12 days at a time) and try to get by with using just a carry on, I’ve become a master at space saving. Every cm of free space helps and compression packing cubes overall help save a cumulative amount of space to where I’m able to take as much clothes as I need, and not have to force my zipper around the bag in order to close it. Before I used compression packing cubes, I would have to either sacrifice on what I would bring and how much of it and I would always have to force the zipper around.
Nice video! The only reason I've been anti-packing cube for most of my trips is I don't want to have to fish through multiple cubes to find what I'm looking for. I like seeing everything in one place. "Oh I want the red shirt? It's right there!" vs opening the packing cube and fishing through them all to hopefully pull out the red shirt. That's just me! Thanks for this video!
If you don’t know where your red shirt is in a packing cube, then you’re using them wrong. Or you’re using the wrong kind of a packing cube. Check out something like peak design that opens up completely. The organization is why I use them. Because finding an item is much easier. Unpacking in a hotel takes three seconds.
I used (compression) packing cubes in my last vacation, and I found that it got me more organized, compared to the vacation when I didn't use them. I just wished there was a way to see which items of clothes were in each compression packing cube, but I just left the cubes unzipped in my open luggage bag anyway.
One thing I haven't seen a lot of in these types of videos is actually maximizing regular packing cubes and using them with compression. I fit A LOT more clothes in mine that way and am pretty convinced that they do save space. I can pack 4 kids worth of clothes for a whole in packing cubes and fit it all in a vera bradley small weekender. I can pack for a 2 week trip in a standard duffle with cubes with my stuff. I generally agree though that the BIGGEST benefit is the organization. The space is second., but still significant.
I use one garment sleeve and two packing cubes. That's all I need. I have learned to travel bringing the minimum so I always have room regardless the cube takes a tad little more space. I also don't need the cubes to have compression as I have room and those with compression if you overstuff them the zippers will break.
Packing cubes don’t really save space (even the compression ones) but they are very useful if you are moving often. When I travel for business, I am often in a different hotel every night. Packing cubes are huge in this scenario. When I’m on vacation and staying in the same hotel for several days, I don’t mess with them.
Compression cubes are good for light bulky items. Too many compressed items may take you over the weight. I like the ones with handles so you can pull them out and carry them. I use a packing cube for all the stuff you have to remove for security checking, ( it saves scrabbling for items I the case). I also use one for the items I want handy on the plane so I can pull it out and put in the seat pocket. I can just put the underwear one straight in the drawer when I arrive. Different colours are useful so you can spot which one you need. I keep one in my day bag to put my scarf, cardigan or other clothing in to keep them clean and folded in my bag. They are sturdier than plastic bags, neater, stronger and look better.
Packing cubes are a must for cruisers. Eighty-five cruises over 20+ years I have noticed ever new ship seems to have less closet space. Cubes allow you to stack clothing without them shifting all over the place making for a more organized cabin.
I’ve been on 30 cruises in 20 years. We have ditched fancy getups for dressy night and pack a whole lot less than what I suspect most people do. There are usually 3 closets available in any cabin and we consistently have one empty. Doing your laundry frequently is the solution to having to take as many clothes.
Packing cubes only work for me if it is a very short trip. Let’s say you buy several shirts at your destination. How will yo add them to a packing cube that is already full? However, you can easily roll and squeeze them between your other clothes that are not packed in a p. cube…
I really wanna try packing cubes. For me, the problem is not with packing but unpacking. As I start unpacking my luggage in my vacation, it becomes a huge mess usually. And repacking is a pain. Hoping packing cubes will solve this.
Personally, I tend to leave my clean clothing in the packing cube until it's time to wear. And, in order to make re-packing easier, I'll usually fold/roll whatever shirt or clothing item I was wearing and put it back in the cube when I'm grabbing a new one. Two issues this presents. 1. wrinkles (if it's a nice shirt/dress whatever, you may want to iron or spray with some wrinkle release spray, but this is still possible pretty quickly when getting ready) 2. If the worn clothes are stinky/dirty (I will wait until the end of the trip to repack these). Just some ideas for you. Hope you find something that works for you!
I have used packing cubes for years. They are especially helpful if you are on a multi-stop journey where you will be packing and unpacking a few times. When like items are organized together in a packing cube, it makes the packing and unpacking so much easier. As far as compression bags go, I used them a couple of times and then decided they weren't for me. You may be able to get more stuff in your bag, but that stuff weighs the same whether it's compressed or not. I ended up with nicely compressed but super heavy luggage. Not for me. Packing cubes, absolutely. Compression bags only if you are ready for a much heavier suitcase.
If I'm using my roller board for travel, I've gotten away from using the cubes. If I'm using my backpack or some other type of bag for a quick 1-2 nights, I like the cubes, as it keeps the clothing contained and I can take more of a 'one-bag' approach. As with most things, I think there's a good time and place for them.
I haven't used them yet, but I bought some for an upcoming vacation in August. What I'm most excited about is organization. I try to keep things organized, but during the flight and when getting clothes out, everything becomes unorganzed and it becomes extremely hard to find a pair of socks or a piece of underwear. Plus it's always really hard to separate clean from dirty clothes (especially if you're traveling to a couple different places on your vacation.
I put some loose items in between the rails of the bag so there is not wasted space, and then packing cubes on top. So it’s a combination of both methods. I prefer compression packing cubes.
Weight is the biggest problem because you tend to overpack. Pants are the hardest thing to put in packing cubes. I found alternating the top of pants when layering them in the suitcase works best. BTW nice collection of Rick Steves books in the background.
Have been using packing cubes for at least 12 years. I don’t even know how to pack without them any more. My husband is also a convert and he travels a lot.
