How To Organize Luggage: Best Travel Packing Cubes

Suitcase: iFly Hardside Fibertech Luggage in rose gold (showing the 24″)
Packing Cubes: Amazon Packing Cube Set in pink lime

my outfit
Top: SheIn Mock Neck Stripe Shirt (S) – use code kileen1 for extra 15% off
Bottom: Abercrombie High-Rise Denim Shorts (24)
Hair: Forever 21 (sold out, similar headwrap)

Travel Packing Cubes

Summer has unofficially started now that Memorial Day weekend has passed, and travel season is upon us!  With my kids a little older now at 4 and 6 years old, I have more travel plans in my calendar and am super pumped about it (see my Molokai and Perfect Day at CocoCay posts for recent trip recaps!).  Packing has always been something I’m horrible at (notorious over-packer here, y’all)  so I’ve been seeing how I can use it as an opportunity to get better, lol!

I was about to unpack my suitcase this past weekend but ended up doing a quick poll on my Instagram stories first to see if anyone was interested in a packing post.  The result was a resounding “YES“!  While ya girl loves to have her options and will probably always be a bit of an over-packer, I recently tried incorporating travel packing cubes and omg, GAMECHANGER!!  Read on to see why you need to start using travel packing cubes for traveling and how I use mine.

Why You Need Travel Packing Cubes

To start, let me tell you why you need travel packing cubes.

• Save SO. MUCH. SPACE  I didn’t realize that I would actually be getting more space back in my luggage simply with the use of packing cubes, but y’all, I was able to get so much more space back that I probably could’ve downsized my full-size luggage to a carry-on size!
• Pack more efficiently.  I group together what I pack in each travel cube (e.g. one for dresses, one for swimsuits + coverups, one for t-shirts/shorts, etc).  It becomes so much easier to see just how much of everything that I have and see whether I’m under / over packing in any given category.
• Stay organized.  Packing cubes are like dresser drawers.  Before I had packing cubes, my suitcase would inevitably turn into a giant pile of clothes after the first day of rummaging through looking for something specific.  With packing cubes, I’m able to just pull out the specific cube that I need and everything else stays nicely organized!
• Prevent spills/stains from spreading.  I think we all remember that one time when lotion or hairspray leaked out and ruined that favorite blouse or pair of jeans, am I right?  While thankfully I haven’t had any accidents in years now, I love that these packing cubes offer that additional layer of protection for my clothes.

When it comes to packing cubes, I bought mine off Amazon — mostly because I fell in love with the cute pink lime print as well as the fact that I could Amazon Prime it in time for my trip!  #alwayslastminute 😅   I love that these came in an 8-cube set, and the various sizes were perfect for letting me separate different items I wanted to pack.  Be warned that the cubes themselves are not structured but the fabric is sturdy and well-made!

SHOP PACKING CUBES

roll your clothes to fit more inside each packing cube

love the interior straps that come with the larger cube to help secure everything

How To Use Packing Cubes

Figuring out how to best use packing cubes took a bit of trial and error as well, so here are my lessons learned!

• Roll your clothes.  I learned this tip from my husband, and for him, it was a lesson passed down from his dad who was in the Marine Corps.  Not only do you prevent creases from showing up in your clothes, but it also really maximizes space!  Plus, I find that it also makes taking clothes in and out of the packing cube much easier as it doesn’t mess up the other clothes alongside.
• Stack vertically. I didn’t learn this one until my trip back but it’s definitely a trick that lets you instantly get so much more space back!  Instead of laying the packing cubes flat on the bottom of your suitcase, try setting it down vertically instead.  Test out closing your suitcase to see if space allows and if so, you’ll be amazed at just how much new free space you have!!

And lastly, because my packing cube set came with a toiletry organizer (love the size and the hanging clip is so convenient!), I thought I’d share a quick peek at my bathroom travel essentials:

• Hollywood Fashion Tape – a necessity for keeping those strapless/low-cut tops in place.
• Dermalogica Clear Start Mattifying Moisturizer – keeps my skin from looking too oily if I’m out in the sun all day.
• Fresh Sugar Peach Hydrating Lip Balm – my daily go-to chapstick.  not sticky, light scent/taste, very moisturizing!
• Fresh Rose Face Mask – fave face mask for instant hydration.  the entire Fresh Rose line is incredible if you have dry skin!
• Colleen Rothschild Cleansing Balm – love using this to remove makeup and impurities.
• SOL de Janiero Brazilian Bum Bum Cream – love the scent, really does tighten skin and help with cellulite!
• Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – omg this smells and feels amazing!  my first Fresh product and what got me hooked on the line.
• Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant – not too harsh but so effective at gently exfoliating.  been using since my college years!
• Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery – such a great daytime moisturizer and has SPF 50.
• Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask – my favorite for years and years (first mentioned in 2015!).  I wake up with baby-smooth skin!
• Kerastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp & Hair Serum – using religiously 2x/day to get my hair to grow.
• The Body Shop Coconut Body Milk – lightweight daily lotion that I can spray on before getting dressed.
• Foreo UFO Smart Mask Device – obsessed with this device.  so amazing for activating skincare products with LED and improving penetration.
• Foreo Call It A Night Mask / Glow Addict Mask – been using for 2 weeks now and these are like a mini spa treatment – use with the Foreo UFO!

Suitcase: iFly Hardside Fibertech Luggage in rose gold (showing the 24″)
Packing Cubes: Amazon Packing Cube Set in pink lime

my outfit
Top: SheIn Mock Neck Stripe Shirt (S) – use code kileen1 for extra 15% off
Bottom: Abercrombie High-Rise Denim Shorts (24)
Hair: Forever 21 (sold out, similar headwrap)

That’s a wrap!  Let me know if you’ve used travel packing cubes before or if you give them a try!

pin for later!

++ all photos were taken by yours truly with this camera, lens, tripod, and remote. ++
edited using Dreamy Presets – Millenial Pink (tutorial)