How I Use Travel Packing Cubes to Organize My Entire House

Ashley Chalmers headshot By
Ashley Chalmers
Ashley Chalmers headshot
Ashley Chalmers
Ashley Chalmers is a lifestyle expert and writer with over a decade of experience traveling the world and translating her adventures into decor. She specializes in writing about farmhouse decor, small space organizing, and urban living. Ashley is also the co-founder of The Lazy Travelers blog.
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Published on 07/11/22

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Away Travel Packing Cubes

Product: Away / Illustration: The Spruce

In another life, I traveled a lot. Unfortunately, despite logging a lot of air miles, I never quite mastered the art of efficient packing until I learned about packing cubes. Now, I don’t just use them inside my suitcase—I use them almost daily.

I bought my first pack of packing cubes for a five-month backpacking trip around the world. I was definitely obsessed with them from the start and even continued using them even once I transitioned out of my backpack and into a regular old suitcase. It wasn’t until recently, though, that I realized that packing cubes are the answer to almost every storage-related conundrum ever.

Away The Insider Packing Cubes

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The Insider Packing Cubes

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The 12 Best Packing Cubes for Travel of 2023

They’re Perfect for Seasonal Storage

My current closet is less than ideal. I have to be extremely picky about what’s within arm’s reach and what is packed up high atop shelves. My seasonal pieces have to be squished down tight and shoved away to leave room for what’s in season, and packing cubes are key for making this possible. They also make the transition between seasons much, much easier.

While plenty of people suggest vacuum-sealed bags, I’d argue that packing cubes are much easier. You can pack them as tight as you want, or leave a little room so that everything squeezes together.

They’re Amazing for Excess Cords

We all have that box of cords we can’t bring ourselves to throw away, even if we’re not quite sure what they’re for. In our flat, that box became a bag, which got shoved into a cabinet and would explode every time we opened it up. It was a huge pain. 

Enter: the packing cube. Because they come in different sizes, the smaller ones are perfect for holding the cords you actually do need—think travel converters, extra chargers, and USB cables. There’s just something about folding the cords up, tying them off with a twist-tie, and nestling them into a neat little cube—even the ones you probably will never use again.

Organizing Baby Clothes and Kid Stuff by Age is a Breeze

I’m not much of a hoarder, except for when it comes to keepsake baby clothes and other kid-related items. Packing cubes are great for this, as you can organize everything more easily by age within your container of choice. We use large watertight plastic bins, and then within, packing cubes keep things easy to sort through as needed.

Plus, because they’re fabric, they work for everything from old clothes to art projects.

They're the Best for Grab-and-Go Activities

Along with storing kids’ stuff, packing cubes are also great for day-to-day kid activities. We have one packed up with restaurant activities like coloring books and crayons, one with backup clothes for long and potentially messy days out and about, one with everything we need for swim class, and one full of the most essential parenting item of all: snacks.

But even if we didn't have kids, I keep my travel essentials ready to go in a packing cube, making it easy to grab everything we need, even if it's just for a night or two away.

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