Packing cubes - great idea or hype?

[canyouseemyhousefromhere]

I have been hearing about these packing cubes. Are they a great idea or just something to waste my money on & take up extra space in the suitcase.

Going on our first holiday since 2019 🥳 ☀️ and wondering whether I should try these.

Advice on type & size would be appreciated too (so many on Amazon!). 2 adults on a 2 week cruise (so no weight limit).

Thanks 🚢

I absolutely love my cubes. When we go away, every person has their own cube or two. Makes packing and unpacking super easy.

Wow, thanks everyone. Great suggestions & now I'm looking at 'compression cubes' I like the idea of keeping undies & swimwear in their own parcels.
I remember my ds packing for his scout cycle trip rolling his pants & T shirt into a sock to save rummaging in his backpack each day. So a better version I guess.

Looks like I'll be doing some research. 🧐

Yep great, love them, you can get a lot in them.

I am a lazy unpacker, so I like just to unzip the cubes and put them in the drawers etc, really easy to find what you need.

If we are staying overnight at an airport hotel, I pack what we need for the overnight stay in a different colour cube.

They are reasonable to buy so give them a go OP. Have a fab holiday.

@canyouseemyhousefromhere they won't save you any space, but the compression ones are definitely the ones to have. They make organising your bag much easier.

I got some very cheaply from Amazon as a test. Around £10 if memory serves.

I have one to go inside my Cabin Max rucksack so I can fit everything in. Recently took a four night trip and got everything I needed in and no need to check it in! (I went on a basis budget fare).

I love them, and wouldn't travel anywhere without them.

However, I don't think you'll really need them on a cruise , as you can unpack your entire suitcases into the wardrobes etc in your cabin.

They are amazing! I like to put things that go together in each cube, e.g. underwear in one, dresses in another, toiletries in a third etc etc. Makes it super easy to pack and unpack and find things.

And they really come into their own if you go on a holiday where you are moving around.

After the hype, i bought some and used them for my holiday this year and they are great! I rolled everything inside, and just unpacked the cubes into the wardrobe shelves. Only thing I hung up were my dresses!

Colour coded packing cubes for each person is genius! I just mentioned it to my DH (who loves an organisation system.) His eyes lit up and he said “ooohhh” in a way that normally only happens if I suggest bacon sandwiches when he’s hungover!

Love them. Each person has their own colour. It makes it so easy to unpack and find things, One cube for underwear, one for swim stuff, one for toiletries, one for tshirts and shorts etc. Get to accommodation and just open them up and put in drawer / shelf. You can fit so much more in a case too

Even if it's just a weekend I unpack everything on arrival so I didn't see the point. Also I don't travel light so I'm not trying to get a week's worth of stuff into a rucksack.
Then I got some and loved them. I've now got a second set in a different colour one for me and one for DH. It makes everything easier, not least the unpacking on arrival. For most things I just slot the whole cube in a drawer. Dh loves them although I do all the packing.

I always travel hand luggage only and they are very useful when your case gets pulled for inspection. Also, for short trips, I put all my washing in one so when I get home, everything isn't all mixed up and I can just pop it in the machine. I have one for clothes, one for smalls, one for swim stuff, one for misc bits and one for cables/chargers.

i loathe them, but i know lots of people find them useful.
i guess it depends if you know how to pack or not

i have a question for people who use them though - especially the "one for nightwear, one for socks, one for undies" etc.

As i go through my holiday/trip i have clothes that i can fold and put back in that i know need to be washed when i get home. But then i have knickers and things that need to be kept separate until washed. So how do you handle that? or do you have a designated "dirty washing" cube? how does it all work?

No need for a separate cube, any bag will do. I keep a supply of hotel laundry bags, & take one per person on holiday.

but then you have half empty cubes and one laundry bag getting bigger and bigger? (I tend to overthink packing because i have Boarding School Packing Trauma)

I was sceptical but they are great. We just got some Amazon cheapies and I thought they might be too small but they are all useful.

personally I don’t find they helped - I tend to roll my clothes and if in a small case it was easier to fit more in without the cubes, and when I travel on planes I travel with a rucksack and they are not good for that as they take more space -
so in my personal opinion I would say no they are not worth it

I love using them when travelling with just a backpack, then you have space for all your other stuff and the clothes are self contained in a little cube.

I also like them when sharing suitcases with family, then everyone can have their own cubes and it saves time/ avoids getting stuff mixed up. I also have a waterproof one for dirty clothes, and one for chargers and cables, and one for toiletries. And a pouch for important stuff (money, passports etc).
The best ones have net on top so you can see what's inside without opening it.

I initially thought they were gimmicky but they are actually supremely lightweight and practical.

I love them. I like that it makes it easier to count up what I've packed. And as a untidy/unorganised person usually they make me feel on track.

If you are cruising with no flights I wouldn't bother, you can take as much luggage as you want! If you're going out of Southampton, the valet parking is worth every penny, they take the luggage straight from the car!

It stops me taking loads of clothes I never wear. I put an outfit a day per cube (daytime and evening), plus underwear, swimming stuff etc. mine also came with a cosmetics and toiletry bag which is really useful.

The trouble is the cabin only has a wardrobe with shelves & hanging, no drawers at all for my erm drawers! My DH also brings about 5000 T shirts so they may be easier to plonk on the shelf inside a container.

Bloody brilliant and wouldn't now be without.

Which one do you use? I have the Cabin Max rucksack too, and am always interested in how to use that/go with hand luggage wherever I can!