Packing cubes: frequently asked questions

What are packing cubes?

Packing cubes are zipped fabric boxes that divide a suitcase into compartments. Each cube holds one category of clothing - tops in one, bottoms in another, underwear and socks in a small one - so your case works like a portable chest of drawers. You open a single cube instead of unpacking everything.

Are packing cubes worth it?

For anyone who packs more than twice a year, yes. A standard cube will not make your clothes smaller, but it makes packing faster, unpacking a two-minute job, and finding one item a matter of opening one cube rather than the whole case. If you travel light once a year, a single cube for smalls is plenty.

Do packing cubes save space, or do they just organise?

A standard cube is mainly about order: clothes stay flat and compact instead of spreading across the case. A compression cube saves genuine space, because a second zip forces the air out and cuts packed height by roughly a third to a half. Neither makes your luggage lighter - weight stays exactly the same.

What is the difference between packing cubes and compression cubes?

A packing cube organises. A compression cube organises and shrinks. The compression version adds a second zip that squeezes the air out of the contents as you close it. The gain is biggest on soft, bulky things - jumpers, fleeces, towels and coats. Shirts and structured items travel better in a standard cube.

Are compression cubes better than vacuum bags?

For travel, usually yes. Vacuum bags need a pump or a hoover, they can split if over-filled, and there is rarely a vacuum cleaner in a hotel room when you pack for home. A compression cube does the job by hand with a second zip, opens and closes as many times as you like, and works on the return leg.

What are mesh packing cubes for?

The mesh panel lets you see what is inside without opening the cube, and it lets damp or worn clothes breathe rather than sitting sealed in. Solid-sided cubes give a little more protection and privacy; mesh-topped cubes are quicker to live out of. Most of our cubes and sets use a mesh top for that reason.

How many packing cubes do I need?

For one person on a week-long trip, three to four cubes plus a flat pouch: a large for trousers and knitwear, a medium for tops, a small for underwear and socks, and a pouch for chargers and documents. A carry-on weekend needs two or three. A family is easiest with one cube per person, in one colour per person.

What size packing cubes should I buy?

Small cubes for underwear, socks, swimwear and children's clothes. Medium for t-shirts and tops. Large for trousers, jumpers and a week of one person's clothes. Extra-large for coats, towels and bedding. Most people over-buy large and under-buy small. Exact dimensions are listed on every product page.

Should I buy a set or individual cubes?

A set is better value and removes the guesswork, because the sizes are designed to stack together and cover a whole case. Buy individual cubes when you are topping up a system you already own, or when you only need one specific size. Our sets run from three-piece carry-on kits to nine-piece family systems.

Are cheap packing cubes any good?

It depends entirely on the zip. A cheap cube can safely skip fancy fabric, branding and clever pockets, but a weak zip is what fails first and there is no fixing it mid-trip. Everything in our cheap packing cubes range uses the same zips and carries the same 30-day money-back guarantee as the rest of the shop.

What are the best packing cubes for backpacking?

Taller, slimmer cubes that stack up a rucksack rather than the wide, flat cubes made for suitcases, plus at least one compression cube for bulky layers. Weight placement matters more than tidiness in a backpack: heaviest cube against your spine, at about shoulder-blade height. See the backpack and rucksack cubes range.

Do you sell waterproof packing cubes?

Yes. The waterproof range covers water-resistant cubes and lightweight dry organisers for swim kit, wet weather gear and anything that needs to stay separate from dry clothes. Most of our standard cubes also use a water-resistant shell with a wipe-clean lining, which handles spills and damp beach days.

Which cubes make good gifts?

The gift-friendly end of the shop is the personalised and gift collection and the pink and pastel range - bright colourways and complete sets that arrive looking like a present rather than luggage. A full set is the safest gift, because it does not require knowing which sizes someone already owns.

How do you use packing cubes?

Give each cube one job. Roll soft items like t-shirts and gym kit; fold structured items like shirts and smart trousers flat. Pack each cube to about ninety per cent full so it stays square, then load the cubes into the case like bricks with the heaviest near the wheels. To unpack, lift each cube onto a shelf.

Should I roll or fold clothes inside a packing cube?

Both, depending on the garment. Roll soft, casual pieces - t-shirts, jerseys, pyjamas, worn-in jeans - because rolling squeezes air out and resists the deep crease. Fold structured pieces - shirts, linen, anything with a collar - flat so they keep their shape. Most cubes end up a sensible mix of the two.

Where should packing cubes go in a suitcase?

Heaviest and densest cubes at the bottom, near the wheels, so the weight sits low and the case pulls straight. Lighter cubes on top. Fill the gaps around the edges with soft items so nothing shifts in transit. Pack each cube firm rather than stuffed - an overfilled cube bulges and wastes the flat-stacking advantage.

Do packing cubes fit in hand luggage?

Yes, and cabin bags are where they arguably help most. Cubes are soft-sided so they flex to fit, and a compact set or a compression cube is the easiest way to get more into a strict allowance. Measure the packed cubes against your airline's limit, and keep liquids of 100ml or less in a clear bag for the security tray.

Can I use packing cubes for a hospital bag or a house move?

Yes. Anywhere you need one bag to hold several categories that other people may have to find in a hurry, cubes work. A hospital bag is the classic case - one cube for you, one for the baby, one for documents and chargers - and colour-coding means someone else can find the right thing without emptying the bag.

How do I wash packing cubes?

Machine wash cool on a gentle cycle, or sponge clean with warm soapy water, then air dry with the zips open. Do not tumble dry, bleach or iron. Wash bags and tech cases should be wiped out rather than machine washed, and everything stores best packed flat between trips.

What are the airport rules for liquids in hand luggage?

Liquids must be in containers of 100ml or less, and every container has to fit inside one transparent, resealable bag holding no more than a litre – roughly 20cm by 20cm. One bag per passenger, and it normally comes out of your luggage into the tray on its own. It is the size printed on the container that counts, not how much is left in it.

What counts as a liquid at airport security?

Anything you can squeeze, pour, spray or spread. Catching people out most often:

• Toothpaste and other pastes
• Roll-on, gel and spray deodorant
• Sun cream and moisturiser
• Mascara, foundation and lip gloss
• Hair gel, wax and dry shampoo
• Contact lens solution
• Perfume and aftershave
• Jam, honey and soft cheese

Solid deodorant sticks, shampoo bars and soap are not liquids, so switching to those is the quickest way to free up room in the bag.

Do I still need a clear bag if my airport has the new scanners?

Assume you do. Allowances at UK airports fitted with next-generation scanners have changed more than once, and they can differ from one airport to the next. Packing to the 100ml rule costs you nothing if the rules turn out to be looser, so check your departure airport and the gov.uk hand luggage guidance before you fly.

Can medicines and baby milk go over 100ml?

Yes. Essential prescription medicines, baby milk and baby food are exempt from the 100ml limit. Carry a prescription or a doctor's letter for medicines, keep them somewhere you can reach, and tell the officer before you go through – they are usually screened separately. A clear medicine bag makes that conversation a lot shorter.

Do you sell clear toiletry bags?

Yes – four of them, in clear toiletry bags & airport liquids bags: a set of three, a two-pack sized for airport liquids, a two-pack of clear make-up bags and a clear medicine bag. They are made to the one-litre limit, so you cannot accidentally overfill one. Fabric and hanging styles are in toiletry & wash bags.

Do I need a clear bag as well as a wash bag?

For flying, yes, and it makes life easier. Keep the liquids in a clear bag that already meets the size rule and never unpack it between trips. Everything else – brush, razor, solid deodorant, plasters – lives in your normal wash bag. At security only the clear one comes out. The full method is in our guide to the 100ml liquids rule.

Where can I buy packing cubes in the UK?

Here. The Packing Cube Co. is a UK business selling packing cubes, compression cubes, matched sets, suitcase organisers, wash bags, tech cases and shoe bags direct, with UK-wide delivery and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Start with the packing cubes collection or the sets.

How much is delivery?

UK delivery is free on all orders over £20. Orders under £20 ship for a flat £5.99. There are no other delivery charges, surcharges or handling fees at checkout.

How long does delivery take?

Every order is picked, packed and dispatched within 48 hours of being placed, Monday to Friday. Your order lands within 8 days of being placed, dispatch and delivery included, and we email you when the parcel is on its way. Personalised items take one extra working day.

Do you deliver outside the UK?

No. We deliver everywhere in the United Kingdom, and nowhere else at the moment.

What payment methods do you accept?

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Discover and PayPal, all through Stripe secure checkout. Card details are handled by Stripe and never touch our servers.

What is your returns policy?

You have 30 days from the day your order arrives, and a 100% money-back guarantee: a full refund, not credit and not a voucher. Email us with your order number, we post you a prepaid return label so it costs you nothing to send back, and your refund lands within 5 working days of the parcel reaching us. Your statutory rights are not affected.

How do I contact you?

Email hello@thepackingcubeco.co.uk and a real person replies. Use the same address for order questions, returns, delivery problems and product advice, or the form on our contact page.

Do packing cubes make my luggage heavier?

Barely, and never enough to matter. A full set of cubes adds roughly 200-400g depending on the fabric - about the weight of a paperback - and lightweight or ultralight cubes come in well under that. What cubes cannot do is reduce weight: compression shrinks the space your clothes take up, not what they weigh on the scales at check-in.

Will packing cubes fit a Ryanair or easyJet cabin bag?

Yes, if you size down. Small and medium cubes fit a strict under-seat allowance comfortably; a large cube usually will not once it is full. Ryanair's free under-seat bag is 40x20x25cm and easyJet's is 45x36x20cm, so measure your packed cubes against the current limit on the airline's own site before you fly - these dimensions do change.

Do you sell vacuum packing cubes?

No, and it is a deliberate choice. Vacuum bags and vacuum seal cubes need a pump or a hoover to work, they split if you over-fill them, and there is rarely a vacuum cleaner in a hotel room when you need to pack for home. A compression cube gets most of the same space saving with a second zip you close by hand, and it works just as well on the return leg. See the compression cubes range.

Are supermarket packing cubes any good?

Some are fine, and the honest test is always the zip. Budget cubes can skip clever pockets, premium fabric and branding without any real loss - but a weak zip is what fails first, usually mid-trip, and there is no repairing it in a hotel room. Check the zip pull and the stitching at the corners before you judge on price. Our cheap packing cubes use the same zips as the rest of the shop.

How long should a packing cube last?

Years, if the zip is decent and you do not over-stuff it. The two things that kill a cube are forcing a zip past a bulging load and leaving it packed damp. Fill to about ninety per cent, let it dry fully with the zip open after a trip, and store it flat rather than crushed. Every cube we sell carries a 30-day money-back guarantee if it disappoints sooner than that.

Can I use packing cubes for storage at home?

Yes, and plenty of customers do. Cubes work well for out-of-season clothing on a wardrobe shelf, spare bedding, children's outgrown clothes waiting to be passed on, and keeping a gym or swim kit ready by the door. Mesh-topped cubes are the better choice for long storage because they let the contents breathe rather than sealing them in.

Are packing cubes worth it for a short trip?

For an overnight or a single night away, probably not - one small cube for underwear and chargers is plenty. Cubes start earning their keep from about two nights, and they become genuinely hard to give up on any trip with more than one stop, because you never fully unpack. If you are unsure, buy one cube rather than a set and see whether you reach for it again.

What happens if a zip fails or something arrives damaged?

Email hello@thepackingcubeco.co.uk with your order number and a photo. You have 30 days from delivery under our 100% money-back guarantee, we post you a prepaid return label so it costs you nothing to send back, and the refund lands within 5 working days of the parcel reaching us. Your statutory rights are unaffected.