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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not Understand packing cubes?!

68 replies

asteriodeleven · 19/04/2022 20:36

I need advice... going on on holiday for first time in years with two DDs. Too packing tips everywhere I've read is 'use packing cubes' and 'split luggage in case a suitcase goes missing'. Fine. Duly order a few sets of cubes but I'm not sure I get the concept!? I was planning on having my swimwear in one, my dresses in one, DD1s swimwear in one etc... but if I'm splitting luggage over suitcases I can only take a certain amount of cubes per suitcase... so I can only take maybe dresses for one and pants for the other!? If your mixing, what's the point of the cubes?! I'm a very anxious traveler and always massively overpack and I think being the first time we've travelled in years is meaning I am massively overthinking this! Tips for packing a family of four, 7 nights in the sun, very welcome!!

OP posts:

InkyPinkyParlez · 19/04/2022 21:24

I don't know why they help so much, but somehow they really do.

We give everyone 2 and they put 3 days' clothes in one and 4 days' clothes in the other. One swimming costume in each. Put each person's 2 cubes in 2 different cases, and a spare pair of pants and t shirt in their carry on bag. Done.

notacooldad · 19/04/2022 21:24

I use compression packing cubes. You can fit absolutely loads more in a suitcase versus just chucking it in. Honestly they’re my favourite travel buy ever. Then colour code per person for ease of unpacking. I always put swimsuit, clean top and underwear in hand luggage in case of missing bag

Ours is always at the weight limit anyway though so fitting more in wouldn’t help with anything, as it would then be too heavy!

Compression bags are great for hand luggage only. I’m away at the moment for 10 days and have only taken a bag that fits in the cabin. I’ve got loads of stuff in a small bag.

burnoutbabe · 19/04/2022 21:25

I find them great for times I was going to a few different hotels. Unpacking is then dead easy.

Abs I do try and put vitals into my hand luggage (pants/socks/t-shirt)

Mine cost around £8 each for 6 bags, yes I could do it cheaper with other bags but this way seems easier.

Bingbangbongbash · 19/04/2022 21:26

@RandomQuest

Can you recommend the ones you use, please?

I love packing cubes - for trips where I don’t separate from my luggage I use one for underwear, one for sports kit, one for tops and so on.

For flights I’ll do the same but put half my underwear, half the hubbie’s.

It’s just a lot more organised and you can fit so much more in.

I even use them day-to-day for sending clothes to nursery or taking spares out on day trips.

They’re basically the travel equivalent of those little ‘really useful’ plastic boxes that you can use to organise the screws and buttons and other things you’ll probably never need but might one day so you better keep them.

jrek · 19/04/2022 21:28

Would recommend them for skiing- I just used the Ikea plastic bag idea instead! Ie Mam ski socks, Dad ski socks so just made it very easy...

JurasicPerks · 19/04/2022 21:31

I agree with compression cubes being great. Means we can maximize amount in each case (we would be nowhere near the weight limit without them).

For packing I'd get one suitcase, and put a bag (packing cube, compression sac, bin liner) for each person containing a couple of days worth of clothes in the case. Then move onto the next suitcase.
All the odds and ends that don't belong to a person then get spread between the cases. It means when a case go missing, everyone has some stuff rather than one poor person having nothing.

ReadyToMoveIt · 19/04/2022 21:34

@JurasicPerks

I agree with compression cubes being great. Means we can maximize amount in each case (we would be nowhere near the weight limit without them).

I must be very good at jamming things in as we’re always right on the weight limit with no compression cubes!

EmmaStone · 19/04/2022 21:36

I love our packing cubes. I just bought basic sets from Amazon - 4 sets of 4 in different colours so we have one colour each. They're useful in so many ways, as already described. We've just come back from a week away where we stayed in 3 different hotels. Never bothered unpacking (except hanging up dresses), and makes packing up and heading off again so quick and easy.

AcrossthePond55 · 19/04/2022 21:36

I love my packing cubes! No DC, just me and DH.

I use them to 'sort' things, so underwear in one, shirts in another, trousers, sleepwear etc etc. Otherwise I'm the kind to make a big jumble of my suitcase looking for things and have to straighten in out every few days. It's also great for when we RV since we only have a couple of shelves each rather than 'full drawers'. Again things sorted to 'type' then the cubes stacked on the shelves.

We also typically travel through different climates so we pack our cold weather gear (hats, gloves, sweaters etc) in one cube and put it in the back storage of the RV and get it out when we need it.

Soontobe60 · 19/04/2022 21:37

Love a packing cube! Never split clothes with DH.
I sort clothes into cubes by category.
1 cube- all underwear
1 cube - beach wear
1 cube tops/cardigans
1 cube shorts/pants
1 cube dresses/skirts
Fill the cubes and compress.

At hotel, hang dresses / tops
Put al other cubes open in drawers
Use empty cubes for dirty laundry (sort as you go into colours ready for the washing machine)

By the time you return home, everything’s ready to be washed and put away. I even store beachwear in cubes back home!

Whatsmyname100 · 19/04/2022 21:38

I've always used them. So handy. When we go on holiday, I also unpack as soon as we get there. I just unzip and leave the stuff in the cube. Very tidy instead of digging in the bag. As we use the clothing, the dirty clothes go straight into the bag. Sometimes we don't use all clothing, and whatever remains in the cube gets packed in the suitcase with all clean items. Find this very handy.

Poshjock · 19/04/2022 21:39

I travel for work a lot. I always split some clothing into my hand luggage so I can survive whilst luggage catches up with me. It's happened too often for me not to do this.

I don't use packing cubes as I am only packing for me to go to one destination, and I have my hand luggage for overnight stops, however, my friend swears by them and her cases are a joy to behold - so neat! I would't rule out ever having them.

I tried compression bags, but my suitcases ended up like Thor's hammer. My god they develop the density of heavy metal! I travel with two suitcases (medium size as restrictions are 23kg per case but I am allowed 45KG hold luggage) and a back pack carry on. So my set up is designed so I can traverse travel hubs alone with my 55KG luggage. Packing is an art form. Sadly travelling light is not a skill I have mastered.

BotterMon · 19/04/2022 21:41

Had never heard of packing cubes. Have googled and think I'll pass. Good marketing though.

JurasicPerks · 19/04/2022 21:43

@ReadyToMoveIt or maybe I just have small cases!

ReadyToMoveIt · 19/04/2022 21:45

[quote JurasicPerks]@ReadyToMoveIt or maybe I just have small cases![/quote]
Fair point, stupidly didn’t even think of that

Widmerpool · 19/04/2022 21:45

Compression packing cubes are the business. I’m not sure there’s any point in the uncompressed kind.

saraclara · 19/04/2022 21:48

@BotterMon

Had never heard of packing cubes. Have googled and think I'll pass. Good marketing though.

It's really not about marketing. They just make things so much easier! I'm not an organised person who likes to have things in a certain place in other areas of my life, but they have made the whole business of packing and 'unpacking' so much easier, and I don't mislay things any more!

HermioneWeasley · 19/04/2022 21:50

I don’t think they save any space - I use those roll up vacuum bags - each family member gets one or two of those

Fluffruff · 19/04/2022 21:51

We use them all the time. Kids and us have a large one each and then the kids share a smaller one for underwear, swimsuits and bobbles type stuff.

BlueFkingTicks · 19/04/2022 21:51

I use them for 'categories' of clothes - so t shirts in one, jumpers in another, dresses in another, undies in another etc.

Recently went away where we were moving about a bit, and I put the clothes I wanted for one particular hotel in one cube so I could just lift out out of the bag without rummaging. I love my packing cubes!

Timeturnerplease · 19/04/2022 21:52

I have been on many, many ski/sun/city holidays by plane and have never heard of packing cubes until now. Seems like a game changer.

This is why Mumsnet is brilliant.

RewildingAmbridge · 19/04/2022 21:56

I used them when I was travelling for work most weeks, one with make up, toiletries, hair stuff never unpacked that it came on every trip. One with underwear, PJs and swimwear if the hotel was fancy. One with work clothes, one with evening clothes. One of those net laundry bags for dirty stuff. It meant when I got home and did my laundry, I would pack the work clothes back into the work cube and back into the case, the toiletries would stay in the case. I've never bothered for holidays.

CorsicaDreaming · 19/04/2022 21:56

I find packing cubes (smallish ones say 30 x 20 cm) are really useful for keeping all the fiddly bits together - like phone charger cable, mini torch, penknife, elastic washing line and pegs, scissors, herbal tea bags, biros, plasters, elastic bands...)

And maybe others for pants, socks,bras, bikinis...

Sun lotions and after sun, insect bite cream, salving, anti mozzy stuff..,

And then one for cotton wool cosmetic pads, hair bobbles, face muslins...

But I seem to always feel the need to take lots of random stuff on holiday!

I don't actually use them for real clothes much

OfstedOffred · 19/04/2022 21:57

Blimey such stress over packing.

The only person I know who uses packing cubes refuses to take hold luggage so uses them to be organised to a point, because basically she can barely fit enough stuff in her tiny overhead locker bag.

I find it easier to just.... pay for luggage.

I just bung assorted clothes/swimwear in the bag and zip it up. Its worked so far. I've never bothered splitting across multiple bags either, everywhere we go on holiday we could buy a cheap outfit, and I always have some spares in hand luggage.

chesirecat99 · 19/04/2022 21:57

I love mine but I'm not sure that they are that useful if you are travelling with your own suitcase to just one destination. They come into their own if you are travelling to multiple destinations or backpacking or you need to fit a lot into hand luggage. My DC took theirs to university and used them as drawer dividers, it also made unpacking super fast and easy!

A friend has a compression cube with an integrated folding board to fold things to the perfect size that I lust after

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