Travel tip: how I learned to love packing cubes

Like most frequent flyers, packing and unpacking is something I do almost on auto-pilot.

Yes, I derive unusual pleasure from writing my packing list ahead of each trip, and even a sense of smugness in putting together the separate wardrobe list with mix-and-match items to suit the itinerary.

So very early on in my career, I figured I had The Art of Packing pretty much nailed.

Write and refine my list, put on some music and get packing. Not too fast – rushed packing is how I left my warmest jacket at home when I was headed to Japan in the middle of winter – just steadily working my way through the list and actually enjoying the process.

Even if you're already an efficient and proficient packer, cubes will ace your game.

Then a colleague and fellow frequent flyer mentioned packing cubes.

The name threw me: how can cubes make for more efficient packing, unless everything fits into that strict cube shape and those cubes in turn fit into your luggage?

Of course, packing cubes – sometimes also called compression cubes – are rarely actual cubes with all sides of equal length. They come in a variety of shapes, to slot neatly into your bag and let you justify all those hours spent playing Tetris.

And as it turned out, these zippered pouches are a game-changer.

A new level of organisation

Let’s start with the obvious: packing cubes make organising your stuff (mainly clothes) a breeze.

I’ll generally designate one cube for tops, one for pants and perhaps jackets, another for smalls. Sometimes another slim cube will contain my running or gym gear (including shoes in their own bag).

Start with a set of packing cubes in various sizes.

On a recent trip from hot Singapore to chilly Europe, I packed a cube with warmer clothing including a scarf, gloves and cap, then left this sitting at the top of my cabin bag so I could easily change into it on arrival without rummaging around in my bag.

You might also want to dedicate a small cube to assorted tech accessories such as power boards, adaptors and cables.

And if you’re an aficionado of capsule wardrobes, then packing cubes are a match made in heaven.

There's a better way to pack...

Unpacking made easy

The flip side of the coin is that packing cubes make unpacking easy, too.

When I arrive at my hotel room I just transfer some cubes – such as smalls and T-shirts - from suitcase to drawer, while everything that needs to be hung in the closet is also ready to grab.

And as an added bonus, packing cubes help keep items secure within your bag, minimising movement which can see creases and folds settle in.

Do packing cubes save space?

One thing I didn’t expect packing cubes would do was save space within my bag – and as I’m almost always in carry-on only mode, space is always at a premium.

But because cubes keep things folded and together, they have the side effect of making the best use of space compared to everything just floating around loose.

Packing cubes help you keep everything organised.

Maybe some of this is psychological, from seeing everything in neatly ordained compartments. All I know is that I can actually get more stuff into my cabin bag when I use packing cubes.

If you’re not already using packing cubes, they’re really worth a shot. And you don’t need to spend up on brand-name packing cubes. You can find them at most department stores, while Amazon includes packing cubes in its value-oriented Amazon Basics line.

Don’t go overboard: just start with a set of four or six cubes, in different shapes, and see if they don’t make life on the road just that little bit easier.