How to Pack a Suitcase with Packing Cubes

Why packing cubes help

Packing often goes the same way: everything gets laid out on the bed, pushed into the suitcase in a hurry and then turned upside down on the first morning in search of a pair of socks. By the end of the trip, the case looks like a laundry basket.

Packing cubes change that by breaking a suitcase into small sections. Each cube holds one type of thing, so you can find what you need without unpacking the rest. They also make it easier to move from one hotel to the next, or to share a case with someone else, without everything blending together.

Step 1: Plan by outfit, not by item

Before anything goes in a cube, write a short list of what each day of the trip looks like. Travel days, dinners out, walking days and quiet evenings all ask for something different. Then build simple outfits around a few pieces that work together, so each item earns its space.

Lay everything out once, then take away anything that doesn't belong to at least one outfit. A lighter case is easier to carry, lift and repack.

Step 2: Pick cube sizes by category

Mixed sizes are more useful than a stack of identical cubes. Use larger cubes for pants, sweaters and dresses, medium cubes for tops and small cubes for underwear, socks and swimwear.

If you are starting from scratch, the BAGAIL set gives you eight light, water-repellent cubes in a range of sizes, and their mesh tops let you check what is inside without unzipping, in a carry-on or a full suitcase. The Veken 10-piece set suits longer and family trips: its cubes are twill polyester with two-way metal zippers, and the set adds a hanging toiletry bag and a laundry bag. For a smaller kit, the 6-piece waterproof set comes in six sizes and is designed to compress clothes as well as sort them.

Step 3: Roll or fold, then fill each cube

Roll soft, casual clothes such as T-shirts, leggings and sleepwear; rolled pieces are easy to spot through a mesh top. Fold shirts and structured pieces that crease easily. Mixing both methods in one case is fine.

Keep one category per cube: tops in one, bottoms in another and a small one for socks and underwear. Fill each cube firmly but not to bursting, so the zip closes without strain. If you are packing for others too, give each person their own color or cube size.

Step 4: Arrange the cubes in your suitcase

Put the largest cubes in first, flat along the bottom of the case, then fit the medium and small ones into the gaps. Turn the cubes so the zippers face up, so you can open one without lifting the others out. Heavier cubes go at the wheel end of the suitcase and lighter ones on top.

For a carry-on, the same order works on a smaller scale: one or two cubes for clothes, a small one for essentials and a little space left for anything you need during the journey.

Step 5: Keep toiletries in their own bag

Toiletries are best kept away from clothes, in a bag that is easy to reach at security and easy to set up at the other end. Stand bottles upright and close lids firmly before you pack them.

The BAGSMART hanging toiletry bag is split into four compartments, with straps that hold bottles upright, clear sides so you can see what is where and a hook that swivels a full 360 degrees. Hang it on the back of a door and a small hotel counter stays clear.

Step 6: One pouch for every cable

Chargers and adapters are easy to leave behind, especially when they are spread across hotel outlets. Keep them in one pouch, and return it to the same pocket of your bag every time.

The BAGSMART small cord organizer holds cables, earphones and chargers in elastic loops and mesh pockets inside a slim, water-resistant pouch. It also turns up in our everyday kit for him. Before you leave each place, check the outlets and the bedside table once.

Unpacking and the trip home

When you arrive, lift the cubes straight into drawers or onto a shelf. You are unpacked in a minute, and the room stays tidy for the whole stay. Keep one cube or the laundry bag for worn clothes, so clean and used never mix, and on the way home it goes straight to the machine.

For the flight itself, see our long-flight comfort guide. If you travel with jewelry, the drawer post shows how a jewelry roll works at home and away. More travel helpers are in Travel finds and our gifts for the traveler, and a few of them appear in our practical holiday gift ideas. Prices and availability change, so check the current price at the retailer before you buy.

Packing cube FAQs