Are Packing Cubes Worth It? One Travel Expert Weighs In

AFAR

Packing cubes, do you really need them? Are they worth buying? The travel experts at AFAR weigh in on whether you really need packing cubes, how to use them if you do choose to buy a set, and what to look for if you don't yet own them.  Packing cubes featured in this video: * Cotopaxi: https://fave.co/3otzMuL * Thule: https://www.afar.com/thule * Tortuga Backpacks (slightly newer model): https://www.afar.com/tortuga  See our full list of packing cube recommendations: https://rebrand.ly/d17x7km  Why you shouldn't put your suitcase on the bed: https://rebrand.ly/oz1qo41  ---- CONNECT WITH AFAR Afar.com is a digital and print magazine that publishes travel tips, guides, news, and stories: https://www.afar.com  Get updates on the latest articles, travel news, and more from AFAR by signing up for the AFAR newsletter: https://afar.com/newsletters  Follow AFAR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfarMedia Follow AFAR on Twitter: https://twitter.com/afarmedia Follow AFAR on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia Follow AFAR on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/afarmedia  ---- CREDITS  Claudia Cardia - Video Editor Jessie Beck - Senior Manager, SEO & Video Elizabeth See - Designer Sarika Bansal - Editorial Director Michelle Heimerman - Photo Editor Lyndsey Matthews - Senior Commerce Editor  MUSIC “Better Days” by Brian Brown / Musicbed  FOOTAGE / PHOTOGRAPHY Jessie Beck iStock  --- 00:00 Introduction 00:19 Are they worth it? 01:12 How to use them 02:00 Packing cubes to buy

Transcript

00:00 (upbeat music)

00:02 Hi, Justine here, and today I'm going to talk to you

00:07 about one of my absolute favorite travel accessories,

00:10 packing cubes.

00:12 (upbeat music)

00:15 Some of you might be wondering,

00:19 are packing cubes even worth it?

00:21 Honestly, I thought the same question for years,

00:24 especially since I'm a bit obsessive about packing light,

00:26 I really didn't want to add anything into my bag

00:28 that I didn't absolutely need.

00:30 But after hearing how much other people

00:32 really enjoyed using packing cubes when they traveled,

00:34 I decided to give it a shot.

00:36 Spoiler, I cannot imagine traveling without them now.

00:38 (upbeat music)

00:41 Okay, so maybe that's a bit dramatic,

00:46 but in all seriousness, I love this travel accessory,

00:50 and I find them incredibly useful

00:51 because they help you keep your bag organized,

00:54 they can save you space,

00:55 especially if you use a compression technology,

00:58 and they allow you to pack and unpack your bag

01:00 without putting it on the bed,

01:02 which by the way, if you're wondering why that's important,

01:04 we'll link to another video

01:05 that we covered on that topic below.

01:08 So yes, packing cubes, absolutely worth it.

01:11 Here's some more.

01:12 Packing cubes are a pretty simple concept.

01:15 They're basically smaller bags that you use

01:17 to organize all of your items

01:20 in your larger suitcase, duffel, or backpack.

01:22 To use them, I recommend you first group similar items

01:25 or clothes together, underwear and socks in one cube,

01:27 hiking clothes in another,

01:28 whatever makes the most sense to you.

01:30 Next, it's best to roll your clothes

01:32 before you place them in the cube.

01:33 This will make it easier to see everything

01:35 that's in a single packing cube

01:36 without rummaging through it.

01:37 Finally, if you have some extra space,

01:40 fold and lay any item that's just a bit too bulky

01:42 to be rolled, like a pair of jeans,

01:44 and place them on top of your rolled items.

01:47 Once your cubes are packed,

01:48 put them inside your suitcase or backpack,

01:50 along with anything that you haven't organized

01:52 in a packing cube, such as your toiletry kit,

01:54 camera, date bag, and you're done.

01:58 If you don't yet own packing cubes,

02:00 I recommend looking for something

02:01 that is designed to fit within your luggage.

02:04 So some brands, like Tortuga Backpacks or Moa and Away,

02:07 they have packing cubes that are designed

02:09 to fit specifically inside their luggage.

02:11 Otherwise, if the suitcase that you normally use

02:13 doesn't have an option like this,

02:15 I would just recommend using something of varying sizes.

02:18 I personally like using an extra small cube

02:20 for socks, underwear, little things like that,

02:23 and a couple of medium-sized ones

02:25 for larger clothing and items.

02:27 For a full list of packing cubes

02:29 that the editors here at Afar have tested

02:31 and really love traveling with,

02:33 I recommend going over to afar.com.

02:35 I'll also link to that in the description below

02:38 on this video.

02:39 Thank you for watching this video.

02:40 I hope you found these tips useful,

02:42 and please let us know what your thoughts are

02:43 on packing cubes in the comments below.

02:46 For more packing tips and gear recommendations,

02:49 please remember to like, subscribe, and safe travels.

02:51 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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