Paking cubes worth the $$$?

[DisneyAndRedSox]

Our family uses LLBean rolling duffles so packing cubes is a must! We have both Eagle Creek and eBags cubes- I like both equally. I am another person who has had them for ages and now wants some of the funky colors and patterns!

Cubes also help if you cross-pack. Ever since we had a bag go to Guatemala instead of Orlando, I cross-pack my and DD's bags. I throw two identical size cubes on my bed and will split our swimsuits, then do the same for underwear, etc...

When I run out of cubes, I also use the very large zippered bags. Recently I discovered Dollar Tree is now selling them in 3 sizes (L, XL, XXL). The large has 3 in box and are 15" x15". It is definitely easier to pack in cubes vs a flat zippered bag- but these are fine for some things and you can't beat the price. I also have been stocking up on them for when DD goes to overnight camp this summer for her camp trunk.

http://www.dollartree.com/household...ge/500c541c541p299576/index.pro?method=search

EDIT: Thank you everyone for the Ikea recommendation! I am off from work and going there with girlfriends on Monday. NO KIDS!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Another big fan of packing cubes. I used to use the packing envelopes but have found the cubes easier to use. I pack for my family of 5 in 2 checked bags with half of each persons clothes in each bag.

I have found some good deals on the Eagle Creek ones on Sierra Trading Post.

 

[bokolo]

So...this might be a dumb question....but do you fold or roll your clothes before putting them in the cubes? What are your best strategies to get the most clothes in each bag. You all have convinced me to try them!

 

[Disneylover99]

My husband is the king of packing cubes. Seriously. He's addicted to them. We have packing cubes in every colour and size. I think they're okay, but I don't get excited about them like he does.

My only beef is that I have to unzip them to see what's inside. I would prefer them to be see through like ziplock bags. Or maybe they do sell see through ones, but we only have colored bags.

 

[Disneylover99]

So...this might be a dumb question....but do you fold or roll your clothes before putting them in the cubes? What are your best strategies to get the most clothes in each bag. You all have convinced me to try them!

My husband rolls. I fold. Then he unpacks mine and rolls.

 

[JillyBean1899]

So...this might be a dumb question....but do you fold or roll your clothes before putting them in the cubes? What are your best strategies to get the most clothes in each bag. You all have convinced me to try them!

It depends on what I'm putting in them. Jeans/pants work better for me when folded, t-shirts/tank tops seem to fit better when rolled.

 

[kkmcan]

I love our packing cubes! We have a set in a different color for each family member. Only time they didn't work is when dh went to Israel for two weeks in one large backpack. Everything fit much better when he rolled his stuff and didn't use the cubes. That backpack has tons of different pockets and he could put all kinds of stuff in the cracks and crevices. We tried it with the cubes and it just wouldn't all fit.

Otherwise we love ours and it allows us to share suitcases or duffel bags without everyones stuff getting mixed up or sloshed around during travel.

I'm hoping to get all 4 of us into one large suitcase and 2 rolling duffels for our trip to Hawaii this month.

 

[JanaDee]

I often share one suitcase with two kids. No way can we keep anything neat with three people packed in the same bag. The ebags make it super easy for each person to get their stuff without making a mess of the suitcase for everyone else.

It's also very helpful if you are stopping over for one or two nights in one place and then going somewhere else after.

That could be why they don't make sense to me. I only put my stuff in my suitcase. The kids have their own.

 

[mum of two pirates]

My cuz are going on a long trip to another country. I wish I could get a couple sets of each of the ikea ones for them, but I'm not driving 8 hours to get them. lol We have quiet a few and I might have to give them our plain colors and then order the new colors for us. I have bought ebags for the family and cute blue plaid eagle creak ones for me in 06 when we went to Disney for the first time. I use them all the time.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I'm the only one in my family who likes them. I like them because I can organize my clothes nicely in the suitcase and they seem to give me more space.

I still like to use ziploc bags for underwear and bras when I fly. That way if TSA needs to go through my bag, they aren't digging through those. I hate the idea of that!

I fold my jeans and shorts and roll the shirts. And I usually have one small packing cube with all my electrical cords and such that goes into my carryon. I even have a list inside it of what is in that one in it so I don't accidentally leave something in the hotel room. I did that once so don't want to do that again.

 

[bookgirl]

I have always kind of poo-poo'ed the idea of packing cubes since I thought gallon ziplocs were fine for small items, and it seemed like a waste of money and effort, but I bit the bullet and bought a starter pack because there was so much good info on them and one of my favorite vloggers has done a number of packing videos with them. I figured I'd try them out and if I didn't like them I'd return them.

Used them last week at the world. I really liked them. They hold a ton (and I'm plus sized so not small clothes) and they keep it contained in the suitcase and you can just put the whole thing in a drawer or on a flat space and you're set. I did notice less wrinkling as well.

I won't be sending mine back and will probably be using them from now on.

I just bought the ebags brand (not the new specter line but the basic ones) and got 6 of various sized for about $40. I also bought a packing envelope but I'm not sold on it yet. But think I will still hold on to it. It looks like it would be great if you needed to pack dress items and this trip was totally casual.

 

[eangel12]

Any opinions on the IKEA packing cubes?! We have 2 IKEAs within 20 minutes of our house. I was going to order on Ebags but Ikea is much cheaper.

We have 2 big trips planned this summer...the first trip has 4 destinations. I thought packing cubes would be easiest because we would only have to bring in the cubes for each stop rather than the suitcases at each place.

Is it safe to say that an adult would be okay with 3 medium size cubes for a 10 night trip with sure clothes? I was thinking 3 smalls for my 2 and 4 year old!