Packing Cubes saved me more time than any productivity trick I've learned. Whether you file fold, shove clothes in there, or put loose items like cords and chargers, packing cubes are there to support you and help you gain time back into your day.
I love packing cubes so much that after I got off tour, I still find a use for them almost every day. Seriously. Anytime I travel, I use one small packing cube in my purse to carry my travel toiletries. I throw the cube into the bin at security and walk through that creepy X-Ray machine like a Boss.
I would also use them daily when I was commuting into NYC for a round trip of 3 hours. I usually had to bring a change of clothes for work and two meals for my 12 hour shift. LOL what is this life and why do we do this to ourselves? Aaaanyway...
Imagine rolling up to the hotel, fresh off a flight from Cleveland (It's always Cleveland, am I right?) and you have to be at the at theater in an hour after check in. You get into your room, open your suitcase and throw your packing cubes into the drawers. BOOM. You've unpacked. Life is good, and you have time to start watching that Documentary series: *Insert whatever new series Netflix or HBO has out right now*
One-Nighter's Don't Phase The Packing Cubes
You don't have time to unpack your suitcase? That's fine. Packing cubes laugh in the face of one-night sit downs. Unzip your suitcase and congrats, you have access to everything you need without making a mess. OR You've used one of your large packing cubes to pack an entire outfit (shoes included) for tomorrow as well as your Pajama's for tonight's sleep on the charter bus. You were smart and packed it by in the top of your suitcase so you don't even have to unzip your suitcase all the way to get what you need. You nailed it. Thanks, Packing Cubes!
Choose Your Cubes Wisely...
Here are some options for Packing Cubes! I will say that you don't HAVE to invest a ton of money to get good packing cubes. I got my set of Sharper Image cubes at TJ Maxx for about $20. They are the same thing as the eBags packing cubes. Eagle Creek cubes are the Rolls Royce of packing cubes. You can tell how well acquainted I am with higher end things because I had to Google "Rolls Royce spelling". EZPacking Cubes are completely clear and would be an excellent choice for your larger suitcases. There are so many more options! These are just the ones I feel comfortable personally recommending. Here are some tips:
Get cubes with some mesh fabric. Not only does it allow you to see your items at a quick glance, it also lets your clothes breathe a little. It also helps the cube stretch easily if you need to put thicker clothes items in now and then.
Don't overstuff them. Most people experience tears in their packing cubes because they overpack them. So like...don't do that, k?
Do your research. Buy cubes that fit your packing needs. Just because Sharper Image/eBags works for me, it does not have to be your first choice in purchase. As long as it's contained in the cube, you're nailing it.
Happy Packing!