Packing with cubes/folders/compressible bags

[We_love_WDW]

For those of you who pack with cubes/folders/compressible bags...where can I buy them besides online? Do they really help make more space? I am trying to do carry-ons this trip. Thanks

 

[skiingfast]

I once borrowed a friends bags that you use a vacuum to suction down. Of course I could only do this because I was visiting a friend who had a vaccum. May of been harder staying in a hotel to get the vaccum.

Anway going it crushed clothing and they got many more wrinkles that I would of gotten normally. Going home this didn't matter.

I think the room saved was minimal. I wasn't interested in using them again.

 

[jkshel]

I have seen them at Target. The Container Store has them too. Also check Ebay as I have seen them on their quite a bit. ricksteves.com is where I got ours. Have used them over and over. Such a great resource when trying to pack for a trip!!

 

[ZoZo]

I did a "test pack" once, filling the same suitcase two different ways: 1) rolling my clothes; and 2) with "travel" space bags (the kind that you don't need a vacuum for; you simply "roll" the air right out).

I didn't find that using the space bags gained me much space. By tightly rolling my clothes, I was able to pack a lot, and my clothes didn't get wrinkled.

 

[We_love_WDW]

I did a "test pack" once, filling the same suitcase two different ways: 1) rolling my clothes; and 2) with "travel" space bags (the kind that you don't need a vacuum for; you simply "roll" the air right out).

I didn't find that using the space bags gained me much space. By tightly rolling my clothes, I was able to pack a lot, and my clothes didn't get wrinkled.

Good to know - thanks! Rolling clothes = free buying bags = $$$

 

[Snappy in OK]

I tried something similar for our last trip. I used gallon size ziploc bags for the kids clothes. I had gotten the idea from the DIS to put each day's outfit into a ziploc bag, and to include everything from shirt, shorts, undies, socks, hair bows, etc. This made it very easy to get them dressed each morning, but it also saved some room in the luggage - I pressed the air out of each bag before putting it in the suitcase.

As far as savings - I keep the bags with the luggage & have been re-using them.

 

[aubriee]

I'm a big fan of packing cubes and folders. We're leaving Saturday to go to WDW for eight nights/nine days and since I know I'll be busy all this week, I went ahead and packed this past weekend. I'm pooh size and still managed to get nine pairs of capris/shorts and nine blouses in one 18" packing folder, which easily fit into my carry on. I also squished my panties and nightgown into a slim cube and my bras into another slim cube. I used a small Vera Bradley makeup bag to hold a battery charger, cell phone charger, and camera battery charger. I added a few other odds and ends in a small packing cube, packed two swimsuits and a coverup in another small packing cube, plus packed two pairs of flip flops, a Vera Bradley mini hipster, and still had room left in my 22" carry on. My husbands pooh sized cargo shorts were alot thicker than mine, but I was still able to get seven pairs cargo shorts, plus seven shirts into a 18" packing folder and nine pairs of underwear in a slim cube. I added two caps, a belt, a Handy Cooler fan, and a pair of sandals and again had some room left in a 22" carry on. I used to roll my clothes and use zip lock bags, but really prefer the packing folders and cubes. A 18" packing folder fits perfectly into a 22" carry on and you can squeeze alot clothes into those things and still have room left. As long as you can get the velcro to catch they will hold. I have a fear of the airlines losing our luggage and got almost everything into the carryons. We are doing only one checked bag and the only thing in there is another packing folder with my husband's extra three pairs of shorts and three shirts, a hanging toiletry organizer full of travel size stuff, another packing cube with three cans of sunscreen, and a hanging organizer to put our clothes in once we get into the room. On the way back, we'll put alot of the stuff from the carry ons into the checked bag. On the way down there I'm just a little paranoid about the airlines losing our luggage, so like to take most of our stuff with us in carry ons.

I got my original packing folders and cubes on Ebags, but then found them cheaper at a local luggage store outlet and also found some cheap at TJ Maxx. The Eagle Creek ones are the best.

 

[We_love_WDW]

Thanks for the reply aubriee! I am going to check out tj maxx later today! I hope they have those folders.

 

[micheleq]

I recently purchased packing cubes (thanks to a heads up from aubriee!) and plan on using them on our upcoming trip. GOt medium sized ones for my girls to pack clothes in their carry-ons (keep clothes separate from other items) and smaller long cubes for me and DH for socks & undies.

 

[aubriee]

I recently purchased packing cubes (thanks to a heads up from aubriee!) and plan on using them on our upcoming trip. GOt medium sized ones for my girls to pack clothes in their carry-ons (keep clothes separate from other items) and smaller long cubes for me and DH for socks & undies.

Hey, I wish I could take the credit for them, but it was Jamstew here on the Dis that turned me onto them. I like my packing cubes for underclothes, swimsuits, and odds and ends, but really love my 18" packing folders. No way would I be without those. By the way, don't worry about really stuffing those cubes. They'll just keep on streching. I've yet to have one rip or break a zipper.

 

[book_junkie]

I have the cubes (medium and large sizes) as well as compression bags at my local Target stores (Target brand) and all sizes of cubes and bags at the Container Stores (Eagle Creek), but not TJ Maxx. The cubes didn't help with compressing my packing, but it did help corral things for organization- toiletry things in one, electronics in another, etc. so that I could just grab a bag and unpack easily...

I didn't pick up any compression bags- we just use ziplock...