Packing Cubes Have Completely Changed How I Travel

I’ve lived on a number of continents and have traveled all my life, however I am nonetheless one of many worst packers on this planet.

You realize that lady frantically off to the aspect of each airline check-in desk, enjoying a real-life model of Tetris as she tries to change garments round, stuff one other pair of footwear in her carry-on, and throw on one other sweatshirt or two? That is me, I am that lady. 

There have been many occasions once I’ve overpacked so badly that I simply need to swallow the chubby baggage charge. And it is in all probability a miracle I’ve but to interrupt my again making an attempt to lug a 60-pound suitcase up the tiny staircases of European hostels. However the worst is at all times in the course of the journey, when my baggage has become a catastrophe zone and I am unable to discover something I really want. 

One thing, I spotted, needed to change. 

After planning practically two straight months of journey this summer time, I made a decision it was lastly time to turn into a greater packer.

I used to be touring to 3 completely different international locations, two completely different continents, and 9 completely different cities within the span of eight weeks. If there was ever a time to discover ways to pack, it was now. 

My trusty TravelPro baggage was greater than 10 years previous and beginning to break down, so I made a decision to spend money on a brand new suitcase. I started researching common baggage manufacturers and asking pals who traveled lots if they’d any good suggestions.

So a lot of my pals raved about their Away suitcases, I knew I needed to verify them out for myself.

I reside close to the Away retailer in Venice, California, so I popped over in the future earlier than my huge journey. I examined just a few out and liked the number of colours and the 360-degree spinner wheels, however what actually drew me in was the interior compression system. 

Whereas my previous soft-shell TravelPro baggage solely had one huge compartment for garments, the hard-shell Away baggage has two. One aspect could be zipped closed, whereas a separate panel within the center — which has a mesh storing compartment of its personal — can be utilized to compress no matter’s packed on the opposite aspect. All of it appeared extraordinarily organized. 

Together with a big suitcase, I purchased Away’s packing cubes.

In response to Away’s website, the packing cubes “compress and arrange every little thing inside your suitcase, from socks to shirts to even your bulkiest gadgets.” Since I needed to pack a wide range of garments for weddings, fancy dinners, work assignments, and a seaside trip, this appeared like the right funding. 

I opted for the $65 set of six packing cubes, which Away mentioned are “designed to suit completely inside our baggage.” 

As I started sorting my garments for the massive journey, I could not assist however really feel overwhelmed.

I had no thought the place to start out, which I spotted is how I at all times find yourself overpacking within the first place. I simply dump each outfit I believe has some potential and hope it really works out as soon as it is time to weigh my suitcase (which, often, it would not). 

However now I had my packing cubes. So I made a decision to simply take it one dice at a time. 

First, I organized my garments in piles primarily based on the place I would put on them.

I stacked my wedding-guest robes and extra formal attire collectively, whereas all the garments I needed to put on for my Mallorca seaside trip had their very own part. 

I made piles for exercise garments and outfits I may put on out to bars or golf equipment. I additionally grabbed one of many smaller cubes and crammed it with underwear. 

My cubes helped me notice once I was packing too many garments for one event.

As I positioned every merchandise within the dice, I used to be capable of visually see that I had packed method too many clubbing garments or too many seaside cover-ups. It grew to become considerably simpler to get rid of sure garments and reduce the baggage load. 

The cubes additionally helped me pack varied gadgets with my garments, which has made discovering issues a lot simpler whereas dwelling out of my suitcase.

I packed all my socks and sports activities bras — small gadgets that often get misplaced in my baggage — with the resistance bands I dropped at train throughout my travels. 

The exercises have not been tremendous profitable (oops), however on the uncommon event I’ve discovered time to sneak one in, I’ve at all times recognized the place to get my tools. 

The cubes are helpful for toiletries too.

I used the smallest packing dice to group a few of my random toiletries collectively, together with razors, eye masks, and additional toothpaste. 

The packing cubes additionally helped once I was organizing my carry-on.

I set off for my journey simply because the horror stories of lost luggage started making the information. 

Since all my garments had been organized by event, I simply put whichever dice I knew was crucial for a sure leg of the journey into my carry-on duffel bag. 

Earlier than I went from London to Mallorca, I threw in a dice stuffed with all my enjoyable seaside garments and switched out the larger dice with attire I had worn to my buddy’s marriage ceremony within the Cotswolds. After I flew again to the US for one more marriage ceremony, I swapped the cubes once more. 

I did not have sufficient cubes for all of my garments, so I ignored my denim shorts, exercise garments, and loungewear.

I packed these garments on the aspect of my baggage with the zipper flap to maintain them in place. 

I packed all my cubes on the opposite aspect of the baggage.

Later throughout my journey, once I unzipped my suitcase to get out some bug spray for a buddy, they commented on how organized my baggage seemed — phrases I would by no means thought I would hear. 

I used the compression panel within the center to retailer my remaining gadgets.

I threw in my purses, in addition to an additional pair of flip-flops and my sun shades. 

My packing cubes have saved me sane all summer time.

I have been capable of simply unpack at locations the place I’ve stayed longer than every week, and dwelling out of my suitcase has been a breeze for the shorter mini-trips. I have been capable of finding every little thing I want shortly for each event, and maintaining issues organized has positively saved my stress ranges at bay — even throughout a summer time outlined by journey chaos (and my very own journey nightmare when my passport got stolen). 

At a time when airways are charging greater than ever in baggage charges, these cubes have additionally helped me notice what I are inclined to overpack. As I proceed to make use of them by means of a busy fall of weddings and bachelorette journeys everywhere in the nation, I am hoping I will proceed to turn into a savvier packer. 

And if all else fails, there’s at all times hiding my extra clothes in a pillowcase.