Packing cubes are fabric boxes that sort your clothes inside a bag. People swear by them, and they do help in some situations. They are not magic, and they add a little weight of their own.
What cubes are good for
- Organization. Each cube is a drawer. You find a shirt without unpacking everything.
- Faster packing and unpacking. Move whole cubes into a hotel drawer.
- Separating clean and worn clothing. A dedicated cube for worn items keeps smells away from clean ones.
- Tidier bag shapes. A well-filled cube gives a bag a firm, even shape.
Compression cubes
Compression cubes have a second zip that squeezes the volume. This helps soft items such as tees and socks, but it also makes it easier to pack more than your bag can handle by weight. It can also crease structured clothes more. Use compression for casual items and standard cubes for anything you want smooth.
Downsides
- They add weight, usually small per cube, more across a set.
- Rigid sizes do not always fit the odd shapes of a backpack.
- You can fall into using too many.
Choosing a set
| Need | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Carry-on backpack | Two or three medium cubes, lightweight fabric |
| Hardside suitcase | Cubes sized to fill the shell; a flat garment folder |
| Family trips | Different colours per person |
| Weight-limited fares | Ultralight fabrics |
Browse the options in our Packing organizers section.
Cheap alternatives
A zip-top bag, a pillowcase or a stuff sack does a similar job for sorting. If you pack light, you may not need cubes at all.
Frequently asked questions
Are packing cubes worth it for a carry-on?
They help with organization. If you pack very light, they may be optional. Choose lightweight ones if you face a weight limit.
Do compression cubes crush clothes?
They compress soft items well but can crease structured ones.
How many cubes do I need?
Two or three covers most trips: one for tops, one for bottoms, one for small items.
Information here is general and can go out of date. Confirm airline rules with the airline before you travel. See our methodology.