🧳 The Compression Packing Cubes We Never Travel Without (and Why You Shouldn’t Either)

There are things you pack because they look useful. And then there are things you pack because, after a few family trips, you genuinely wonder how you ever travelled without them.

For us, packing cubes are firmly in the second category.

We travel with two daughters, and somehow their clothes take up twice as much space as ours. Add shoes, swimwear, jackets, toiletries, and all the random extras, and before you know it, you’re sitting on the suitcase trying to force it closed.

Packing cubes changed that—not by magically creating more space, but by making the space you have work so much harder. From tropical beaches to winter trips in Lapland, we don’t travel without them anymore.

💡 Why We Started Using Packing Cubes

Our biggest problem wasn’t fitting everything in—it was finding anything once we arrived.

Arriving at a hotel after a long journey with tired kids usually meant pulling half the suitcase onto the bed just to find clean underwear. Instead of packing one huge suitcase full of loose clothes, we now divide everything:

• One cube per person

• One cube for underwear and socks

• One cube for swimwear

• Cubes organized by activity or destination for longer trips

🎨 Our Favourite Family Trick: One Colour Per Person

Each family member gets their own color. The girls know exactly which cube is theirs, so no one has to open every single bag to find a T-shirt.

This was a lifesaver during our trip to Japan (featured in our Japan with Kids: The Ultimate Family Travel Guide), where we moved between several hotels and navigated busy train stations. When you’re constantly on the move, keeping everything organized keeps the chaos down.

🗜️ Compression vs. Traditional Cubes: What’s the Difference?

While traditional packing cubes only organize, compression packing cubes have an extra zipper that squeezes the air and bulk out of your clothes.

Lapland Case Study: Packing for Finnish Lapland involves thermal underwear, fleece layers, thick socks, and gloves. Compression cubes were the only reason we kept all those heavy layers under control!

👕 The Secret to Packing Less

Packing cubes make it easier to see what you’ve packed, which makes it much easier to stop packing.

We used to throw in items thinking, “I’ll probably need this,” only to bring them home unworn. Now, organizing everything beforehand makes it obvious when someone doesn’t need seven T-shirts for a five-day trip.

• The Laundry Hack: In places like Thailand, local laundry services are cheap and fast. Packing light and doing laundry along the way is far easier than lugging extra baggage around.

🏝️ Practical Uses Across Different Trips

1. Everyday Family Holidays

Instead of unpacking entire suitcases, everyone simply grabs their own cube. Kids can manage their own clothes, and the hotel room doesn’t look like a clothing explosion five minutes after arrival.

2. Beach Holidays

Keep swimwear, cover-ups, and beach towels separated from evening wear so damp gear never touches clean clothes.

3. Hand-Luggage-Only Travel

If you’re flying light, compression cubes maximize every single centimeter of a carry-on and prevent you from having to dig through your bag at airport security.

🧼 What About Dirty Clothes?

We dedicate one specific cube (or a laundry bag) purely for worn items:

1. Start of trip: Laundry cube stays empty.

2. During the trip: Worn clothes go directly inside, keeping them away from clean outfits.

3. Back home: Unzip the laundry cube and dump it straight next to the washing machine.

🎒 How We Pack Our Suitcases: Our Step-by-Step System

• 1. Assign colors: Every family member gets their own distinct color cube.

• 2. Group essentials: Underwear and socks go together in one small cube.

• 3. Separate swimwear: Kept in its own section for fast access upon arrival.

• 4. Separate dirty clothes: Kept far away from tomorrow’s outfit.

• 5. Compress the bulk: Bulky winter jackets or heavy knits get zipped down tight.

• 6. Leave extra room: Always leave a little space for souvenirs, snacks, or new clothes.

🧳 Our Travelicious Packing Cubes

After years of testing different gear, we created our own Travelicious Compression Packing Cubes designed specifically for family travel.

Our target goal when travelling as a family of four is simple: Two suitcases instead of four. Compression cubes are the main tool that makes that possible.

📱 Don’t Forget the Extra Travel Essentials

Packing efficiently is only one piece of the puzzle. Before leaving home, we always sort two practical items:

1. Travel Insurance: Secured well before arriving at the airport.

2. eSIM Connectivity: We set up an eSIM (like Airalo) before flying so we have instant data the second we land. It makes finding directions and keeping tired kids entertained during airport transfers infinitely easier. (Check out our guide: How to Install an eSIM on Your iPhone).

📌 Are Packing Cubes Really Worth It?

In short: Absolutely. Not because they are a gimmick, but because of what they allow you to do:

• [x] Keep everyone’s clothes completely separate

• [x] Find items in seconds without unpacking everything

• [x] Contain dirty laundry effortlessly

• [x] Compress bulky clothing to fit smaller bags

• [x] Move between hotels without suitcase explosions

Our Golden Rule: Don’t start by filling your suitcase—start by deciding what you actually need, then organize it.

Travelling with kids is already an adventure. Your suitcase doesn’t need to be one too! ✈️❤️