I've rolled shirts to save space. I've laid them flat. I never preferred one over the other. Probably rolled them when I use backpacks, and lay them flat whenever I had to pack something dressy or when I used suitcases.
The packing cubes changed my life :) It was introduced to me by Sam and I was hooked. He showed me how he can fit in 10 shirts in one cube, and 3 cubes in one backpack. He showed me how they keep your bag organized and your gear grouped together as needed!
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| Pink and Black from Daiso. Khaki at the bottom from SM Makati. |
They're is particularly helpful when you are traveling to different destinations with one suitcase, since you can just pull out what you need without messing up the whole bag. I hate having to fix to dig through a full suitcase to get what I need. Or pulling something out of a backpack and having 3 other shirts fall out too!
I also like re-organizing contents in the middle of a travel period, when I classify used clothes vs clean ones. And.. packing cubes come real handy when you exceed your luggage weight limit. You can just transfer one cube from your checked in bag to your carry-on!
Some packing cubes are better than others. We like the really thin and flexible ones made of thin nylon or mesh. They are extremely lightweight and can be stuffed together to fill in "empty spaces." They make your suitcase organized and keep personal effects in wraps, just in case they inspect your luggage for everyone to see (underwear popping out during inspection!).
With backpacks, the cubes keep your clothes from getting all jumbled together.
When traveling as a family, I allocate cubes for each person.
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| "This is the way we pack away" - prevent embarrassing surprises when customs inspects your luggage. Or when your kid decides to "help" you pack :-/ |
They can also come in different sizes, though we like the 9" / 10" the best since they fit folded shirts perfectly. I once bought a large one meant for jeans, but it was pretty useless (since I don't usually bring bulky stuff for travel, the large packing cube just went topsy turvy inside my suitcase and was just an extra thing to open). Better to just lay down your jeans flat in between smaller packing cubes :-)
Where to buy:
Cheaper Options
SM Department Stores (less than Php 100 - says Sam, though difficult to find them lately)
Japan Home or DAISO stores - between Php 66- Php 88, several sizes - available in pink / black the last time I checked. They also have flat "envelope" mesh bags good for shirts / towels.
Pricier Options
Powerbooks (that travel brand that they have) - available in 3-size sets, made of 'Jansport-like' fabric+mesh (a bit bulky for my needs)
Beabi - Php 200 ++
Muji - Php 400 ++
