Are you an organized person? Do you like your belongings neatly packed, whether you’re at home or on the road. If the answer to both of these questions is “yes” then you probably don’t like travel bags too much. A packing cube will not only help you organize your stuff but will also make packing and unpacking way easier and quicker. If you want to know more about packing cubes, read on.
How Packing Cubes can Help You
In essence, a packing cube is a plastic pouch with a zipper. Packing cubes are pretty straightforward: you just need to unzip the opening, put your belongings inside, and place the cube inside your suitcase, bag, or backpack. Of course, you can use your packing cubes more creatively, for example, you can:
- Pack specific pieces of clothing and outfits in individual cubes
- Use several different cube sizes to pack different-sized clothes
- Carry different color packing cubes to identify what clothes are where
There are different sized cubes, but for optimum use, we recommend getting ultralight cubes. As the name suggests, these cubes are pretty light and compact. They allow you to minimize weight and save space within your pack.
How to Choose Best Packing Cubes
As you assume, not all packing cubes are made the same. Some models perform better and will last you a lot longer than others. When shopping for best packing cubes, here are a couple of things you should pay attention to:
- Zippers
A good zipper is essential to a packing cube. If zipper brakes during travel, your packing cube will be practically useless. You need to find a cube with a strong zipper. In terms of brands, SBS, Zoom, and YKK perform the best in testing and will last you for years.
- Handles
While a handle is not a vital component of any packing cube, having a good handle on your cube can be helpful. It can be useful when lifting a packing cube out of a hiking backpack. If you plan on carrying one of those, make sure that your cube has a good handle.
- Compartments
Pockets and compartments are there to keep your possessions in place during the trip, so you need to pay special attention to them. Most cubes have only one compartment, however, you can also find models with two additional compartments for more organization.
- Size
Packing cubes come in all sizes. The shape and the size of your pack depends on the number of clothing articles you plan on carrying around. Keep in mind that cube sizes are not universal. That means, one company’s small size can another company’s medium and vice versa.
Final Thoughts on Packing Cubes
If you’re really into packing and organizing your possessions, you’ll love packing cubes. They are amazing at compartmentalizing and organizing your things. Picking the best packing cube heavily depends on where are you going and what you plan on doing. For instance, if you plan on hitting the beach on your vacation, you should get a mesh packing cube or if you plan on visiting a humid location a packing cube made out of breathable material is recommended.