If you’re not using packing cubes already, then let us introduce you to your new favorite on-the-go organizers and travel accessory.
Both novice and expert travelers swear by their usefulness. With them, you can keep your clothes, accessories and more organized and in their own zippered compartments. When it comes time to pack, arrange them in your suitcase Tetris-style to ensure everything fits.
Once you try packing cubes, you won’t be able to travel without them again — trust us.
What are packing cubes?
Available in nylon, mesh and many other soft materials, packing cubes are essentially zippered pouches of differing sizes that allow you to organize the contents of your suitcase. They’ve become ubiquitous for all kinds of travelers — from business tycoons to beachgoers to backpackers.
“Packing cubes keep your luggage from becoming a mass of things to root through while you’re traveling,” says Amanda Wiss, founder of New York City-based home organizing firm Urban Clarity. “Whether you are a painstaking packer planning weeks in advance or you whip it all together at the last minute, after a day or two into the trip, keeping things organized and handy becomes a struggle. That’s where packing cubes come in.”
In addition to streamlining the process of packing, the little taskmasters help keep you organized during your stay. “Not only do they sectionalize your things and keep them protected and clean,” says Wiss, but they also “help provide a ‘home’ for every item, which is key for organizing any space.”
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How to use packing cubes
The best part about packing cubes is that you can use them how you want. Prefer to keep your socks together? Dedicate a packing cube to them. More interested in keeping clothes of a certain color in one area? Pack a cube dedicated to your favorite green clothes, or put your packing cubes to use beyond clothes — a space for storing all of your cables or beauty favorites in one place.
Customize how you use your packing cubes in order to stay the most organized. When your trip is coming to a close, consider dedicating one (or more) of your cubes to your dirty clothes. That way, you can ensure that your dirties don’t touch your cleans. Some packing cube sets even come with a dedicated laundry bag.
While you may be deep into planning your winter trips and beyond into 2023, we’ve rounded up our favorite and expert-approved packing cubes.
We love these packing cubes as the ultimate organizational tool for frequent travelers. On the surface, it's a set of three packing cubes, but what's especially great about them is they can hook to one another and then hang in a closet so you can easily view your clothes without having to unpack. Then, when it's time to head home, unhook the cubes, zip them back up and repack your suitcase. Plus, the set comes with a vertical organizer with partial dividers, perfect for smaller items like socks, underwear and swimwear.
This three-piece set is made from nylon fabric and has a mesh top panel, which makes it easy to see what’s inside each of your cubes. Each cube also has its own handle for easy carrying while you’re on the go. We love the variety of colors and patterns these cubes come in — especially the fun leopard animal print.
The travel professionals at July offer a set of eight packing cells of their own, and they could be the perfect addition to your packing routine. Available in four colors, each of these cubes are made from soft-touch nylon and features a mesh top for easy viewing. We like that this set comes with two versions of each of the four different sizes of packing cubes. Plus, they come with a five-year warranty, so you'll know these cubes last you for many trips to come.
Ranging in size from 12 inches to 17 inches, this five-piece set of packing cubes will make organizing your clothes a breeze. Perhaps our favorite part is the variety of colors and designs you can get. The cubes come in 13 different color options, including cheetah print, milk marble and moss. Plus, each of the envelopes is water resistant so your clothes will stay dry in the event of a minor leak in your suitcase.
This may just be the ultimate packing cube set of all packing cube sets. With a massive eight pieces of storage space — some waterproof and some mesh — you’ll have space for all of your goods. The set is available in nine colors and even offers dedicated space for makeup, chargers and more. And, at a pricepoint of just $20, this set is a great value.
An appealing set from a brand synonymous with quality, durability and functionality. Each of the parts in this three-piece set, which is also available in silver, navy and lapis, is made of durable nylon fabric and weighs next to nothing, making them the perfect travel companion.
This set of six packing cubes from the ever-chic Beis comes with four zippered pouches, perfect for storing clothes of all kinds, plus two drawstring shoe bags. If you're a shoe fiend, this is the packing cube set for you, as you'll have enough space to store two pairs of dirty footwear away from your clean clothes. Plus, we love that this set comes with an ID window for labeling on each of the cubes, so you'll know what's in each one — and paper labels are included.
This three-size packing cube set also comes in three different colors: Deep Marine, Red Smolder and Shoreline Odyssey Gray. Perhaps our favorite part of this set is the expansion zipper, which allows you to store more in each of the cubes if you’re heading away on a longer trip. This durable set, made of strong nylon, is perfect for the adventurer.
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