I’ve lived on multiple continents and traveled my entire life, but I’m still one of the worst packers in the world.
I’ve lived on multiple continents and have traveled all my life, but I’m still one of the worst packers in the world.
You know that girl who frantically stands by the side of every airline check-in counter, playing a real version of Tetris while trying to change clothes, stuff a different pair of shoes in her carry-on, and change into a different sweatshirt or two? This is me, I’m the girl.
It’s often the case that I’ve packed so much too much that I just had to swallow the excess baggage fee. And it’s probably a wonder I haven’t broken my back trying to lug a 60-pound suitcase up the tiny stairwells of European hostels. Read also : How to handle laundry day according to your lifestyle. But the worst is always during the trip when my luggage has become a disaster area and I can’t find anything I really need.
Something, I realized, had to change.
After planning almost two straight months of travel this summer, I decided it was finally time to become a better packer.
After planning nearly two straight months of travel this summer, I decided it was finally time to become a better packer.
Within eight weeks I traveled through three different countries, two different continents and nine different cities. See the article : The 10 Best Suitcases For All Types Of Travel. If ever there was a time to learn to pack, it’s now.
My trusty TravelPro luggage was over 10 years old and starting to break down, so I decided to invest in a new suitcase. I started researching popular luggage brands and asked friends who traveled a lot if they had any good recommendations.
So many of my friends raved about their away suitcases that I knew I had to see them for myself.
So many of my friends raved about their Away suitcases, I knew I had to check them out for myself.
I live near the Away store in Venice, California so I stopped by the day before my big trip. See the article : Billie Eilish is buying works from an Albuquerque artist for a world tour. I tried a few and loved the color variety and 360 degree spinner wheels, but what really drew me in was the internal compression system.
While my old soft-sided TravelPro suitcase only had one large compartment for clothes, the hard-sided Away suitcase has two. One side can be zipped closed, while a separate center panel – which has its own mesh compartment – can be used to compress whatever’s packed on the other side. Everything seemed very organized.
Along with a large suitcase, I bought the packing cubes from Away.
Along with a large suitcase, I bought Away’s packing cubes.
According to Away’s website, the packing cubes “compress and organize everything in your suitcase, from socks to shirts to your bulkiest items.” Having to pack a variety of clothes for weddings, fancy dinners, work assignments and a beach vacation, this sounded like the perfect investment.
I opted for the $65 set of six packing cubes, which Away says “fit perfectly in our luggage.”
As I started sorting my clothes for the big trip, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
As I began sorting my clothes for the big trip, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
I had no idea where to start and I realized I always end up overpacking. I just throw out any outfit that I think has potential and hope it does when it comes time to weigh my suitcase (which isn’t usually the case).
But now I had my packing cubes. So I decided to just take one cube at a time.
First, I organized my clothes into stacks based on where I would be wearing them.
First, I organized my clothes in piles based on where I’d wear them.
I stacked my wedding guest dresses and more formal dresses together while all the clothes I wanted to wear for my Mallorca beach vacation had their own section.
I made piles for workout clothes and outfits to wear to bars or clubs. I also grabbed one of the smaller cubes and stuffed it with underwear.
My dice helped me recognize when I’d packed too many clothes for an occasion.
My cubes helped me realize when I was packing too many clothes for one occasion.
As I placed each item in the cube, I could visually see that I had packed far too many club wear or beach cover-ups. It became significantly easier to eliminate certain clothing items and reduce luggage loads.
The cubes have also helped me pack different items with my clothes which has made finding things so much easier while living out of my suitcase.
The cubes also helped me pack various items with my clothes, which has made finding things so much easier while living out of my suitcase.
I packed all of my socks and sports bras—small items that usually get lost in my luggage—with the resistance bands I brought with me on my travels to work out.
The workouts weren’t very successful (oops), but on the rare occasions I found time to sneak one, I always knew where to get my gear.
The cubes are also handy for toiletries.
The cubes are handy for toiletries too.
I used the smallest packaging cube to round up some of my random toiletries including razors, eye masks and extra toothpaste.
The packing cubes also helped me organize my carry-on luggage.
The packing cubes also helped when I was organizing my carry-on.
I was about to set off on my trip when the horror stories of lost luggage made the headlines.
Since all my clothes were organized by occasion, I just slipped the cube that I knew was most important for a particular leg of the trip into my holdall.
Before heading to Mallorca from London I threw in a cube full of all my fun beach clothes and swapped out the larger cube for dresses I wore to my friend’s wedding in the Cotswolds. When I flew back to the US for another wedding, I swapped the dice again.
I didn’t have enough cubes for all of my clothes, so I skipped my jean shorts, tracksuits, and loungewear.
I didn’t have enough cubes for all of my clothes, so I left out my denim shorts, workout clothes, and loungewear.
I packed these clothes on the side of my luggage using the zip-flap to keep them in place.
I put all my dice on the other side of the luggage.
I packed all my cubes on the other side of the luggage.
Later during my trip, when I opened my suitcase to pull out bug spray for a friend, they remarked on how organized my luggage looked – words I never thought I’d hear.
I used the compression plate in the middle to store my remaining items.
I used the compression panel in the middle to store my remaining items.
I threw in my purses, an extra pair of flip flops, and my sunglasses.
My packing cubes have kept me sane all summer.
My packing cubes have kept me sane all summer.
Unpacking was no problem at places I’ve stayed longer than a week, and life out of a suitcase was a breeze for the shorter mini-trips. I was able to quickly find everything I needed for any occasion, and the organization definitely kept my stress at bay – even in a summer marked by travel chaos (and my own travel nightmare when my passport was stolen).
At a time when airlines are charging baggage fees more than ever, these cubes have also helped me identify what I tend to overpack. As I continue to use them through a hectic fall of weddings and bachelorette trips across the country, I’m hoping to continue to become a savvy packer.
And when all else fails, I always hide my extra clothes in a pillowcase.
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