Productive Packing: Packing Cubes

I travel quite a bit internationally.  I make it a rule not to check my bags, so the packing logistics get pretty complex to fit enough clothes for a week long trip into a bag that meets the size requirements for a carry on.  One of the absolute best solutions I have found to getting more changes of clothes into a bag is the use of packing cubes. 

Packing cubes are small zipper bags that come in various sizes and are sold in most travel stores.  Different bags are shaped to optimize for different uses.

I use an Eagle Creek "Half Cube" to pack one day's clothes (minus jacket and shoes).  If you fold your clothes properly, this works great.  I fold my pants in half at the top, then roll them.  For shirts, I fold the shoulders back, then roll from the bottom to the top, careful not to crease the collar.  (Wrinkles can be ironed out in your room, but a creased collar is a bear.)  Undergarments go on top and the whole thing is zipped up, forming a cube.

I've found that in my compact sized carry on, I can fit four or five packing cubes in my bag, or an entire week's worth of clothes!  By removing one carry on, I can usually add a pair of shoes.  Remove two, and I can take a couple jackets.

Comments

[Scott_H]

Ah, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. I also travel almost exclusively with carry-on luggage -- even for international travel. I have an out-of-production Eagle Creek Solo Journey bag that holds lots of stuff (it has hideaway back pack straps and no room-stealing wheels) and yet meets all airlines' carry-on restrictions. If I had to replace it today, probably the next best thing (sizewise) would be Rick Steves' bag -- everything else seems either too big or not big enough. That Solo Journey bag is just right.

I use a medium-sized PackIt folder for shirts and pants, and a small cube or two for other smaller things (underwear, t-shirts, socks, loose accessories, etc.). The folder ensures that the shirt collars stay reasonably wrinkle-free -- even my starched dress shirts. I used to roll my clothes, but with the folder I don't need to roll pants and shirts, anymore.

And then, there's that nifty trick I learned about folding my suit jacket so that it fits in my carry-on bag, too...

[Erik Huddleston]

Hi Scott. Thanks for the note. I'€™ll research Rick Steves'€™ bag. I haven't seen it. I like the folders, but prefer to roll in the cubes as subjectively it feels like I can fit more in my bag. On the jackets, I fold one into my carry on, and carry/wear a second. By wearing the same shoes/belt, I can get 4 days, plus my laptop into a single small carry on.