If you’ve ever arrived at your destination and spent twenty minutes digging through a jumbled suitcase looking for a clean shirt, packing cubes might be the single best travel upgrade you ever make.
But with so many options out there, how do you actually choose the right ones? This guide breaks down everything you need to know before you buy.
What Are Packing Cubes?
Packing cubes are lightweight, zippered fabric containers that sit inside your luggage and keep your clothes and gear neatly organised by category. Think of them as drawers inside your suitcase — you always know exactly where everything is, and your bag stays tidy from departure to arrival.
Why Every Traveller Needs Them
Once you travel with packing cubes you won’t go back. Here’s why:
- Organisation — separate tops, bottoms, underwear, and accessories into their own cube so nothing gets mixed up
- Space saving — compression cubes can reduce clothing volume significantly, leaving more room in your bag
- Faster packing and unpacking — grab one cube at a time instead of repacking your entire suitcase at every stop
- Carry-on friendly — packing cubes make it much easier to travel with carry-on only and skip checked baggage fees
5 Things to Look for When Choosing Packing Cubes
1. Size and Set Variety
The best packing cube sets come in multiple sizes — typically small, medium, and large. This gives you flexibility to organise different items efficiently. A large cube for clothes, a medium for tops, and a small for underwear and socks is a classic setup that works for most trips.
2. Material and Durability
Look for cubes made from lightweight yet durable materials like nylon or polyester. The fabric should be strong enough to handle being stuffed into tight luggage without tearing at the seams. Mesh panels on the top are a bonus — they let you see what’s inside at a glance without opening every cube.
3. Quality Zippers
This is where cheap packing cubes let you down. A broken zipper mid-trip is incredibly frustrating. Look for smooth, sturdy zippers with a solid pull tab. Double zippers on larger cubes make them much easier to open and close when full.
4. Compression vs Standard
Standard packing cubes keep your clothes contained and organised. Compression packing cubes go a step further — a second zip compresses the contents down, reducing volume by up to 60%. If you’re trying to fit more into a carry-on or travelling for longer trips, compression cubes are worth considering.
5. Weight
Every gram counts when you’re travelling carry-on only or watching your checked baggage allowance. Look for cubes that are lightweight themselves so they’re not adding unnecessary bulk to your load.
How Many Packing Cubes Do You Actually Need?
For a weekend trip, two or three cubes is usually plenty. For a one to two week trip, a set of six cubes in mixed sizes gives you enough to separate clothing categories, keep dirty clothes contained, and store accessories and toiletries separately.
A good rule of thumb: one cube per clothing category — tops, bottoms, underwear/socks, and one spare for anything else.
How to Pack Packing Cubes Like a Pro
- Roll, don’t fold — rolling clothes before placing them in the cube maximises space and reduces creases
- Pack by outfit — some travellers prefer to pack complete outfits per cube so getting dressed each day takes seconds
- Use a dedicated dirty laundry cube — flip one cube to store worn clothes so clean and dirty never mix
- Put heavy cubes flat at the bottom of your luggage, lighter cubes on top
Ready to Travel Smarter?
At Just Go For It we stock quality packing cubes and travel organisers designed for real travellers who actually go. Durable, lightweight, and built to keep your gear sorted from the moment you leave home to the moment you get back.
Shop Packing Cubes at Just Go For It → Shop Now
Final Word
Choosing the right packing cubes comes down to size variety, material quality, zipper strength, and whether you need compression or standard. Get those four things right and you’ll wonder how you ever travelled without them.
Pack smarter. Travel further. Just go for it.