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Packing cubes make vacation travel easier — and these are the best

Packing for travel is one thing, but packing for travel with kids is another. When packing for a family trip, one suitcase may contain your clothes, their clothes, toys, diapers, books, toiletries, snacks, and more. When it’s all in one suitcase, it’s hard to keep it organized. That’s where packing cubes come in.

These organizers make different sections out of your suitcase, so you know what’s where and nothing gets mixed in together. Consider the number of cubes, sizes, colors, opacity, compression, and material when choosing the best packing cubes for travel. Here are our favorites.

Well Traveled 3-Piece Compression Packing Cubes

These packing cubes use double-zippers to help compress the contents of the cube, so it takes up 30% less space in your suitcase. In a three-pack with a small, medium, and large, each of the cubes has not only a different color but a beautiful design to keep it interesting. They’re durable with double-stitched seams and rip-stop fabric, and they’re ultra-light, weighing just 10 ounces. They’re even water-resistant!

Why we like these:

  • Aesthetically pleasing design
  • Water-resistant
  • Designed to take up less space in your suitcase

ZOMAKE 6 Set Packing Cubes

This set of six packing cubes features mesh tops that let you see inside. With 30% space compression, a lightweight tear-resistant material, and carrying handles, these cubes are top of the line.

Why we like these:

  • Mesh tops make it easy to see what you’ve packed
  • Designed to take up less space in your suitcase
  • Features tear-resistant material

Idesort Packing Cubes

This pack includes more cubes than most — eight. They are split into two colors (you could use one color for you and one for your child, for example), and each cube also has small icons on the exterior to show what’s inside, like underwear, shirts, shorts, and pants. Each of the cubes has extra-small, small, medium, and large sizes that include a carrying handle. They’re all made of durable double-stitched nylon that is water-resistant, and they have mesh tops to see inside.

Why we like these:

  • Comes with more cubes than most sets
  • Each set has two colors to better help you organize
  • Water-resistant

Veken 6 Set Packing Cubes

We love this set because it comes with a shoe bag and a laundry bag in addition to the four cubes of varying sizes. A shoe bag is perfect for keeping everything else clean, and the laundry bag is a major upgrade from the old plastic bag from the grocery store you might have used. These waterproof cubes might all be one color, but you can see what’s inside with the mesh tops, and each one has a unique symbol to identify them from the outside.

Why we like these:

  • Comes with a shoe bag and laundry bag
  • Waterproof
  • Comes with mesh tops and unique symbols to better help you organize

There’s no question that packing cubes are a great idea for your next trip, but think about ease of use, durability, and other factors when shopping. You want to be able to tell what’s inside without opening every single one to find what you’re looking for, so make sure this is possible with either colors, icons, tags, or mesh tops. Also, consider double zippers and double-stitching for long-lasting cubes and a variety of sizes, so you don’t need an oversized cube for toothbrushes. Any of the four choices above will do the job, but which is best for your family?

Editors' Recommendations

Sarah Prager
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
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