Packing Cubes are a great way to save space when packing and become a more efficient traveller.   If you have yet to discover packing cubes, you really are missing out on one of the top products that all the top travellers use.

Many airlines (specifically low cost airlines) have started to charge additional fees for checkin luggage. Packing cubes allow you to maximize your carry on luggage allowance which means for many short duration trips, you can avoid these additional travel charges.

This site provides all the information you need on organising your luggage and packing light.   Using these tips you’ll have no problems travelling with just one bag.

A packing cube will make finding clothes and repacking your bag while travelling a lot easier.   Here is how to use packing cubes.

Shirts

Shirts can be rolled up.  Rolling clothes is the most efficient way to pack as it eliminates air.  Also, if done correctly it will reduce wrinkles.  To roll a shirt, fold it as usual and then tightly roll it into a sausage shape.   It should be around 15-20cm long.  In an Eagle Creek half cube, you will be able to fit 5 tshirts rolled up.

Socks and Underwear

Socks and underwear can easily be rolled up and stuffed into a Eagle Creek Pack-it Tube.  One of these tubes will hold all your underwear and socks needed for a trip.   You can also put these items into the spare space in a half-cube that will inevitably be left between tshirts.

Pants

Trousers can either be put into a packing cube or in a packing folder.  A folder is perfect for business trips and will perfectly complement a packing cube.  These packing folders can also hold shirts.

Toiletries and Other Items

All your other small items should be kept in another cube or a purpose built Eagle Creek Toiletry Bag

By using this luggage system you will save space and take the hassle out of using your bag.  Once you start using packing cubes while travelling, you’ll never want to go back.

Packing cubes make organizing your luggage a lot easier. They are simply a lightweight fabric cube (although most are actually rectangular) which hold your clothes nice and compact and also allow you to sort and separate different items.

Think of this situation:

You’ve arrived at your destination with your lightweight carry on bag.  This bag is small, but you managed to fit all your clothes in by using your very efficient fold and roll method.   Everything fits just perfectly with no extra space.   But now unfortunately, you need to undo this hard work and try and find that tshirt which happens to be at the bottom of your bag.  Now you need to rummage through your luggage, taking everything out.

The great thing about using packing cubes is, its so easy to unpack and repack clothes.  When you arrive at your destination, its simply a matter of taking out the cube thats needed.  No more rummaging through a bag!  Packing cubes are essential for those flying, digital nomads, and one bag travellers.

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This page contains some of our favorite travel packing tips.

How to Pack Shoes

Shoes can be a nightmare to pack.  The ultimate solution is to simply travel with one pair of worn in shoes that will go with all your outfits.  This is often easier for men then women.

If you do need to pack an extra pair of shoes, try stuffing them with your socks and other small items.  Shoes are a big space waster.   Minimise the wastage by filling up the empty area inside.

You can also put shoes inside specially made, lightweight shoe bags that will keep shoes organised in your luggage.

Packing cubes are great for tshirts and smaller clothing items, but when It comes to shirts and trousers a packing folder is best suited.

Packing Folders are similar to packing cubes except they are thinner, usually wider and designed to store shirts and trousers flat as opposed to rolled.

If you’re a business traveller, who needs to travel with business shirts, then a packing folder will help keep these shirts nice and flat and free of wrinkles

Depending on your needs, you can purchase travel folders that hold upwards of 15 shirts.  I recommend using the smallest to avoid over packing.

Roll it don’t fold it!

Rolling clothes may sound silly, but its the most efficient way to pack your bag.    When you roll clothes, you eliminate most of the air and compress them down into its smallest possible form.  This rolled piece can then be pushed into gaps or placed in packing cubes within your bag.

So rolling seems to be the ultimate way to pack clothes!

But what about wrinkles?

Surprisingly, rolling will also help reduce wrinkles.   You can travel with wrinkle resistant clothing, but rolling alone will help reduce the number of wrinkles by itself.  An extra tip, lay a sheet of tissue paper on top of the clothing item to prevent any wrinkles.  However, this may be a bit over the top.

Socks and Underwear

Underwear and socks can be rolled up and stuffed in spare gaps in the bag.  If you’re carrying an extra pair of shoes, put your socks and underwear inside the shoes to make sure this space isn’t wasted.

Belts

You don’t need to worry about rolling up a belt.  Keep it unrolled and snake it around the edge of the bag.  This way it takes up barely any space at all.

These days, when travelling overseas the majority of people will fly.  So being able to pack your bags in a suitable manner for flying is a valuable skill.

Take Just a Carry On Bag

For a new traveller, it may sound impossible to travel with just a carry on.  But with some careful and smart packing you’ll be a pro in no time.  Remember when you check your luggage, you risk losing or damaging your belongings.    Find out how big a bag you can carry on a plane.  The biggest difficulty you will come across is trying to keep the weight of the bag down.

Put Liquids in a Zip Lock Bag

This isn’t just a tip, its a requirement.  Put all your liquids (including aerosol deodorants) in a clear plastic zip lock bag.   Each bottle must contain less than 100ml.  The upside of all this is you won’t need to carry a toiletry bag.  The zip lock back will replace this for you.   Carry a spare zip lock bag just in case the one you take breaks.

Carry Travel Documents and Cash in Your Pockets

If you’ve chosen sensible travel clothing, you should be able to fit any travel docs in your pockets.  Don’t ever put these items in checked luggage, they must either remain on you or in your carry on.

Leave Room

You’re most likely going to purchase travel souvenirs on your trip.  So its a good idea to leave some room in your bag for you to fit these items in on the way home.

Use Packing Cubes

Theres a chance your bags will be opened by security.  By using packing cubes you will avoid the stress of having to repack a bag in security.

There is nothing more frustrating than flying economy class on a plane to save money, and being promptly turned away because your sleeping bag is too big! (True Story!) Anyhow, I am quite sure at least a few of you have had this experience. Although it’s funny to imagine some crotchety old fool like me arguing with an airline attendant, about how my sleeping bag keeps me warm, and MUST come along on my trip with me – it really wasn’t funny at the time. Soon you will realize the importance of compression sacks for travel away from home.

I was heading out to British Columbia, Canada for a fishing trip in the middle of nowhere, had all of my gear packed up: fishing pole, tackle, clothing of all sorts, some liquor for me and my friends, and my sleeping bag – the “black sheep” of my travel equipment. The attendant promptly told me I would have to upgrade my flight package to business ($75 more), or find some way to condense my “massive” sleeping bag.

After some arguing with ‘said’ attendant, a young lad that stood behind me suggested that he used compression sacks for travel on planes. “Compression sacks for travel?” I asked him. “Yeah, they make your sleeping bags, clothes, etc way smaller.” he told me “You can buy them in the gift store beside the lounge.” he said, and pointed to “Back-Pack Beyond”, a quaint looking little store not far from us.

Compression sacks for travel in areas like I was going, is a must, I later learned. But anyhow, I went to “Back-Pack Beyond” and bought a compression sack, compressed my sleeping bag into it, and away I went to British Columbia. I wish I had got that young fellas name…

Lightweight travel is something that’s quickly becoming a new trend. Everyone wants to get out of their dull lives, get on the road and see what’s out there. Whether you want to hop in your car and see what’s in your own country: Or you want to get in a plane to see what Europe, or the Eastern Continents have to offer – lightweight travel plans leave you free to go where you wish, unencumbered by useless baggage that will only slow you down.

Making lightweight travel arrangements also lets you travel off the beaten path easily. Think of taking a trip down the Yangtzee River in China for three days, with three suitcases in tow! It is quite doubtful you’ll make it very far under those circumstances. You have to think ahead and decide what’s important to take along with you. Of course beauty essentials like tooth paste, tooth brush, floss, and perhaps a comb or brush are necessary.

Along with essential clothing items like underwear, socks, pants, t-shirts, sweaters (whatever the climate dictates). Just don’t fall into the trap of taking more than you need! If you are leaving the country and not sure about what you will need: Call your travel agent, ask questions in online forums, ask friends who’ve been where you’re going, etc. Don’t just senselessly pack a bunch of things together – only to arrive and see you have over-compensated and brought too much. Lightweight travel is a term everyone should use, as you normally have to pay extra for whichever form of transportation you use; when you have more than the allowed luggage (IE: most airlines allow for 2 bags and one carry on, for their cheaper packages).

Traveling off the beaten path is the ONLY way most people travel. It gives you the freedom to step outside your shell, and see what’s out there. Lightweight travel makes your trip enjoyable and fun, as it’s cheaper and easier on the body!

We know how useful packing cubes are, but which ones do you buy?  These days, there are plenty of different manufactures offering what seems like the same product.    But here are some things to look out for when purchasing your own set of packing cubes for your next trip.

Zipper

The zipper will be the first thing to break.  Make sure the zip on your packing cube looks solid and doesn’t have a flimsy handle.  A packing cube will be useless once the zip breaks.

Materials

I’ve found the most important thing when it comes to materials is a mesh fabric integrated into the design.  A mesh fabric, which allows the clothes to breeze, will prevent odours and mould.  I’ve also found that the mesh allows you to quickly see what you’ve packed into a cube.  The rest of the cube should be made of a solid fabric.

Also, check to see if your cube can be washed.

Our Pick

We recommend the Eagle Creek Packing Cubes.    After travelling all over the world using these products, they are still going strong.  We’ve shoved, squeezed and packed clothes into these cubes without ever being worried about breakage.

Where to Purchase Packing Cubes

Check your local luggage shop.  They are usually hidden away somewhere.  They are now fairly common however, for the best range (and prices) try Amazon.