Packing Cubes

Hi all

I am planning for my first cruise and just want to get opinions on packing cubes.

a) Do you use them and why?

b) Where did you get yours and price range?

c) How do you pack them e.g. rolling or folding?

d) What do you pack in them and how do you pack what you don't pack in them?

As adults we don't use packing cubes. We use a base color like black or navy to minimize pairs of shoes - usually one casual (such as flip flops), one dress, and gym shoes, with a possible 4th pair of water shoes depending on cruise. Everything we need for 2 weeks or more, can be done with a 22" carry on and backpack.

For kids, rather than packing cubes, many of us have used zip lock bags to pack complete outfits. I did one for day time and one for night. We always showered the kids before dinner.

I love the packing cubes. It’s especially helpful when you have multiple people’s things in one suitcase. Each kid had a cube with daytime wear. I had one with everyone’s swim wear, kids dinner wear, my dinner wear and dh did his own thing. Makes it easier to unpack. On the return, all the clean clothes left went in a cube and then partially worn things that didn’t fit in the laundry suitcase went in the other cubes. I rolled the clothes and put them in the cube.

I consider my suitcase a "cube" of sorts! Have never needed to separate things!

I use 3 packing cubes. I took a class on packing and was told to think of them as 3 drawers.

1 large one (takes up half of the carry on) that holds clothes

1 smaller one (quarter size of the carry on) is the socks and underwear drawer

1 small one (quarter size) is the toiletries bag along with extra charging cables and vitamins/first aide.

Clothes are folded usually and not rolled. -personal preference.

I purchased them directly from the Rick Steves Travel Store. But they are also available online.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Forums mobile app

I use them for my bags because it is easier to separate the kids clothes. I pack on large one with my clothes, one small one with my underwear and socks. Each kid gets one large one with all their clothes. Then they all go in one duffel bag. It makes it so much easier to find everything.

I love my packing cubes! I have two different brands off amazon. About $20 per set. They keep everything so organized. When I travel with my kids and I in one suitcase, each kids gets 1 large cube. They are two so this is plenty of room. I bring use three medium ones. One for tops, one for bottoms, one for pjs and underwear. I have other bags for toiletries. Maybe one for electronics depending on the trip. They just make everything so organized. I have both rolled and folded in the cubes. I don't think there's a huge difference as to which fits more. Then as the trip wears in I reorganize the cubes. One for dirty laundry and one for clean. While I use them every time I travel, I found them the most useful when we travelled Europe. 6 hotels in 14 days. The cubes made the constant moving all your stuff to a new place so much easier.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

lothes are folded usually and not rolled. -personal preference.

I purchased them directly from the Rick Steves Travel Store. But they are also available online.

I have a set of the Rick Steves ones and absolutely love them. Mine are from 2005, so they may have changed slightly. They are still mesh looking on the website. Love seeing what is inside easy. This is my go-to set. At a glance I can easily tell whose clothes are in there, great for kids. I have lots of different brands and these are still my favorite.

As adults we don't use packing cubes. We use a base color like black or navy to minimize pairs of shoes - usually one casual (such as flip flops), one dress, and gym shoes, with a possible 4th pair of water shoes depending on cruise. Everything we need for 2 weeks or more, can be done with a 22" carry on and backpack.

 

For kids, rather than packing cubes, many of us have used zip lock bags to pack complete outfits. I did one for day time and one for night. We always showered the kids before dinner.

Thanks for the advice A&J

I love the packing cubes. It’s especially helpful when you have multiple people’s things in one suitcase. Each kid had a cube with daytime wear. I had one with everyone’s swim wear, kids dinner wear, my dinner wear and dh did his own thing. Makes it easier to unpack. On the return, all the clean clothes left went in a cube and then partially worn things that didn’t fit in the laundry suitcase went in the other cubes. I rolled the clothes and put them in the cube.

Thanks for the advice Skippy very helpful

I consider my suitcase a "cube" of sorts! Have never needed to separate things!

Interesting CB

I use 3 packing cubes. I took a class on packing and was told to think of them as 3 drawers.

 

1 large one (takes up half of the carry on) that holds clothes

1 smaller one (quarter size of the carry on) is the socks and underwear drawer

1 small one (quarter size) is the toiletries bag along with extra charging cables and vitamins/first aide.

 

Clothes are folded usually and not rolled. -personal preference.

I purchased them directly from the Rick Steves Travel Store. But they are also available online.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Forums mobile app

Thanks for the advice SJ

I use them for my bags because it is easier to separate the kids clothes. I pack on large one with my clothes, one small one with my underwear and socks. Each kid gets one large one with all their clothes. Then they all go in one duffel bag. It makes it so much easier to find everything.

Sounds like they are very helpful momto2js

Thanks for the reply :)

I love my packing cubes! I have two different brands off amazon. About $20 per set. They keep everything so organized. When I travel with my kids and I in one suitcase, each kids gets 1 large cube. They are two so this is plenty of room. I bring use three medium ones. One for tops, one for bottoms, one for pjs and underwear. I have other bags for toiletries. Maybe one for electronics depending on the trip. They just make everything so organized. I have both rolled and folded in the cubes. I don't think there's a huge difference as to which fits more. Then as the trip wears in I reorganize the cubes. One for dirty laundry and one for clean. While I use them every time I travel, I found them the most useful when we travelled Europe. 6 hotels in 14 days. The cubes made the constant moving all your stuff to a new place so much easier.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

Thanks for the advice ilini, 6 hotels in 14 days in Europe now that sounds like an amazing and stressful holiday

I have a set of the Rick Steves ones and absolutely love them. Mine are from 2005, so they may have changed slightly. They are still mesh looking on the website. Love seeing what is inside easy. This is my go-to set. At a glance I can easily tell whose clothes are in there, great for kids. I have lots of different brands and these are still my favorite.

Thanks for the response and advice Goaliegirl

   We have been using packing cubes for years now and I love them. We gradually grew our collection in different colors from Ebags (their brand) and all have held up well. Eventually we had a set for each member of the family (2 sm,med,lg) plus a few of the long skinny ones as well. I like that we can set them right into drawers in a hotel or on a ship. I also like that if my bags are "screened" that I know that every single item hasn't been handled and its impossible to make a mess of my bag. 

   We did ziplock bag outfits for years for trips, travel and even camping. At some point my children's outfit began to outgrow the baggies and I began packing in cubes like I used for my husband and I. We generally roll the clothing, but there are certain items that we set atop the rolls. If we have a pitstop night along the way to the port we will pack for that night's clothing in one cube and just take that in to the hotel along with the toiletry bags. 

    We have been packing our family in one Ebags TLS Motherlode convertible backpack each, for years. Over the years our family is getting smaller as half the children are grown adults now, but we still use our packs and cubes. Ebags makes high quality travel gear for reasonable prices. 

Love packing cubes too! 

I have a bunch from Tom Bihn

adam 

LOVE our packing cubes.  We used them last year in Oregon and this last summer on our trip to Canada and it made my life SO much easier.  Each kid gets two cubes.....shirts/bottoms in one, underwear/pjs in another and it really helped keep things compact and organized.  We got ours from Amazon, I think it was their basics brand.  

I wasn't sure it would actually help the first time, but after a 2 week trip to Oregon, I was a believer.

I never take enough stuff to need packing cubes. Everything I take fits in a large backpack. Also, I'm a mom of boys, so they don't require a whole lot either. I do have an honest question though? Don't the cube just take up more space?

On 12/18/2018 at 12:55 PM, angie7911922 said:

I never take enough stuff to need packing cubes. Everything I take fits in a large backpack. Also, I'm a mom of boys, so they don't require a whole lot either. I do have an honest question though? Don't the cube just take up more space?

I thought packing cubes were the drawers that can collapse for the closet in the cabin, I didn't realize they were for your luggage. Like you I would think they take up more room. I am, however, bringing the collapsible  drawers for the closet, lol

Our family has been using packing cubes for awhile.  Each person has a different colour and then when we get to where we are going I just open the zipper on the cube and lace in the drawer or on a shelf. Makes easy unpacking and repacking. 

It took me a while to fall in love with packing cubes and now I hate being without them.

I especially like them for kids and airplanes -- each of my kids gets to pack their airplane backpack, but it has to include a packing cube with underpants, socks, swiming suit, PJs and a set of clothes (because we as a family seem to be very attractive to the lost-baggage fairy...). They can be in and out of their backpacks all flight and I don't have to worry about losing a sock or swimsuit or undies under the seat. 

They're also fantastic for dealing with trips where you need multiple types of clothing -- working vacations, formal nights, two different climates, etc. I put all my cold weather things into one packing cube and ignore them when I'm in the Caribbean, but they're organized and not going to get lost, so I'll have them when I get back to cold, cold, Minnesota. 

I don't have everything in packing cubes, but I do have specific things segregated out into their own cube or stuff sack. And for clothes I don't want to get wrinkled I LOVE the packing folders from Eagle Creek. They're compression so they can pack a fair amount into a neat, small space. 

But for cruises I'm usually extremely casual so I'm more likely to use Tom Bihn stuff sacks for socks/underwear/cables/medicines/anything small and lumpy and just let my two bathing suits and a coverup fight it out in the bottom of my bag. Folders get used for work travel where I care more. 

For my kid, cubes are pretty useful, but again, cruises are pretty casual so her two swim suits and a pair of shorts also don't need much organization. We don't do themed outfits for dinner - we usually bring one dressy outfit, and the rest is play clothes. Twice the swimsuits and cash, half of everything else. She gets a backpack she packs with toys, and her clothes go in our bags. I do put one outfit for each of us in a cube that goes in the carry on.

I love the packing folders from Eagle Creek, too.  I am leaving on a cruise in less than a week, and I packed it last night.  in a s tandard  9X14X22 rolling suitcase  I was able to fit 3 pairs of shoes, toiletries, and clothes for a 5 night cruise using the packing folder and one packing cube (I have Eagle Creek's toiletry hanging bag in there as well).  I didn't skimp on the clothing, either.   I have room left for several books and card games, and didn't even have to open the expandable part of the suitcase!