I think packing cubes are overrated for carry-on only travel

Everyone swears by packing cubes, but after a 2-week trip to Portland last month, I found they just add bulk and make me cram things tighter. I'd rather roll everything loose and use the dead space in my bag's corners instead. Anyone else ditch the cubes and go back to basics?

2 comments

2 Comments

robertsmith1h ago

Wait, are you telling me those fancy little zippered prisons aren't the secret to a perfectly organized suitcase? I mean, I tried them once and spent more time wrestling with the zippers than actually packing. Ended up just shoving everything back in loose anyway, socks stuffed into sneakers like some kind of chaotic Tetris game.

beth_green4h ago

Oh man, I actually read an article about this from a travel writer who tested packing cubes vs rolling for a whole year. Ngl, their conclusion was basically what you're saying - cubes can waste space because they force everything into rigid shapes. Honestly, I tried cubes once and hated how they made my bag feel like a brick instead of something I could squish into weird overhead bins. Tbh, I think the whole cube thing was invented by companies just to sell us more stuff we don't really need. I still roll my clothes loose and use socks as spacers for the dead zones.