Packing Guides
Eight long guides that cover the whole subject – the method, the kit, the trip types and the airlines. Free to read, and written to be useful whether you buy anything or not.
Where do you start with packing cubes?
Start by giving every cube a single job, then roll soft clothes and fold structured ones and fill each cube to about ninety per cent so it holds its shape. Once that is habit, the guides below cover cabin bags, compression, family trips and full packing lists in turn.
Start here
If you are new to all of this, read the complete guide to using packing cubes first – everything else assumes it. If you already pack with cubes and want a specific problem solved, pick the guide that matches it:
- Fitting a week in hand luggage: the carry-on packing guide
- Whether compression is worth it: do compression cubes really save space?
- Packing for a family: one suitcase, no chaos
- Knowing what to buy: best packing cubes UK, tried and tested
How to Use Packing Cubes: The Complete Guide
The whole method in one place - one job per cube, roll the soft things, fold the structured ones, and fill to about ninety per cent so each cube stays square.
Read the guide →GuideBest Packing Cubes UK 2026: Tried and Tested
What actually separates a cube that lasts from one that does not: fabric weight, zip type and bound seams, tested rather than guessed.
Read the guide →GuideCompression Packing Cubes: Do They Really Save Space?
An honest answer with numbers - roughly 20 to 30 per cent on soft, bulky clothing, and next to nothing on things that were already flat.
Read the guide →GuideCarry-On Packing Guide: Fit a Week in a Cabin Bag
A strict capsule, compressed bulk and packing by category - the three things that make hand luggage only work for a full week.
Read the guide →GuideThe Ultimate Packing List for Every Trip Type
Start with the trip, not the wardrobe. Nights, weather and dress code first, then a capsule built around them for city breaks, beaches, ski and more.
Read the guide →GuideFamily Packing System: One Suitcase, No Chaos
A colour per person inside one shared case, a full outfit per child per day, and a system that survives contact with an actual family.
Read the guide →GuideTravel Organisers Beyond Packing Cubes
The four organisers worth owning once the clothes are sorted: a hanging wash bag, a tech case, a shoe bag and something clear for liquids.
Read the guide →GuideStress-Free Packing: Travel Lighter, Feel Freer
Less a packing list than a habit - a repeatable system, a small capsule, and a wash bag that never gets unpacked between trips.
Read the guide →Shorter, more specific answers
The guides are the long pieces. For a single airline's cabin allowance, one packing mistake or one type of trip, the blog is usually quicker, and the FAQ page answers the questions we are asked most often about the products themselves.
When you know what you need
Most of these guides end up pointing at one of four things. Packing cubes for the clothes, compression cubes when the bag is too small for what you are taking, wash bags for the bathroom shelf and a clear bag for airport liquids. If you would rather just see what other people buy, there is the best sellers page.
Delivery is free over £20 and takes up to eight days, returns are free for 30 days, and the full terms are on the delivery and returns pages.
About these guides – FAQs
Where should I start if I have never used packing cubes?
Start with the complete guide to using packing cubes. It covers the one rule that makes the whole system work - one job per cube - along with rolling versus folding and how full to pack each cube. Everything else on this page builds on it.
What is the difference between a guide and a blog post here?
The guides are the long, permanent pieces that cover a whole subject and get updated as things change. The blog is shorter and more specific - a single airline's cabin allowance, one packing mistake, one trip type. Guides link down to the relevant posts.
Do I need to buy anything to use these guides?
No. The guides are written to be useful whether you buy from us or not, and several of them will talk you out of buying more than you need. Where a particular type of cube or bag genuinely solves the problem, we say which one and why.
How often are the guides updated?
They are reviewed whenever something they describe changes - an airline allowance, a security rule, or a product in the range. Anything time-sensitive, like cabin bag dimensions or liquids rules, carries a note telling you to check the airline or airport before you fly.
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Every order from The Packing Cube Co. is covered by our 100% money-back guarantee. If it's not right, tell us and we'll refund the lot.
Not happy? Full refund – we even pay the return postage.