Now that summer is finally here: we're sure you're dreaming about your next summer holiday. Wherever you're heading somewhere far-flung and exotic or staying in the UK for an adventure closer to home, one of the worst parts about getting ready to explore is packing your suitcase. It can be a struggle to fit everything you need inside your suitcase and hand luggage, and that's where the best packing cubes for travel come in handy.
What are the benefits of using packing cubes?
They keep things organised
Packing cubes are the best for ensuring every item has a spot while you're travelling. You can pack all your tops in one cube with bottoms in another. Give your summer dresses all the room they need, and keep your toiletries separate from all your lovely, clean clothes.
Save time
The last thing you'll want to do is spend an hour sorting through your suitcase and remembering what you've packed once you get to your destination. The best packing cubes for travel have a mesh window, so you can see what you've stored in it without taking anything out of each one.
Separate dirty and clean washing
You can never have too many clothes on holiday, right? So the chances are you'll overpack. When you don't use packing cubes, your clean and dirty clothes will mingle together on the journey home. It means your fresh stuff might not be as crisp as it was when you left. By using packing cubes, you can keep everything separate and save yourself some unnecessary washing once you're home.
Protect your clothes
Suitcases can take a bit of a battering on their way to their destination - you could end up with shower gel and sunscreen all over your holiday clothes. The best packing cubes for travel will put another layer of protection between your clothes and the rest of your suitcase, so your outfits should be safe from ruin if there are any accidental spills.
Best packing cubes for your next holiday
Top pick
From your tops, bottoms and dresses to your shoes, toiletries and even your toothbrush, there's a bag for everything in this packing cube set. They're made with durable, waterproof fabric and designed with handles so you can easily move them from suitcase to wardrobe once you've arrived at your destination.
Pros: Mesh panels on the top make it easy to see what you've packed
Cons: Some customers wished they were bigger
Review: "These have been an absolute godsend! I used these on a holiday before lockdown and now use them while working away and they make living out of a bag soooooooo much easier! I couldn't recommend them enough, these particular bags have a good variety of sizes, and also have straps inside to help compress your clothing a bit more. Very lightweight, but sturdy and easy to use, wouldn't be without them now."
Editor's choice
Say goodbye to a chaotic suitcase and hello to an organised one with the help of these packing cubes. We especially love how this set comes with a cosmetics bag so even your make-up can be stored neatly.
Pros: Funky design
Cons: You can't see what you've packed without opening the cubes
Review: "This was perfect to organise my suitcase. Good size too. Love the shoe bag & toiletries bag too."
Best value for money
Want great value packing cubes? Look no further. You'll find ten pieces in this set, including three drawstring laundry bags you can keep your dirty washing in. Our favourite design is the leopard print, but if that's not a bit of you, there are five plain colours to choose from too.
Pros: Made using lightweight, water-resistant fabric
Cons: Some reviews have stated the packing cubes are quite flimsy
Review: "I love to be organised and these really help! Different sized ones for different things eg hoodies or towels, t-shirts and undies and even footwear. I hate wasting time searching for and not finding something in my case - these avoid that! Super lightweight, fold away really small and into one another, taking up very little space when not in use. Can see through the mesh top, so you know immediately what’s in which one. How did I ever manage without them lol."
Recommended
If you've gone a bit overboard on holiday shopping and have loads of fresh outfits to pack, this packing cube set is a great option. There are only six included but, with one extra-large, two large, two medium and one small cube, there's plenty of room to fit everything you need.
Pros: Includes larger size packing cubes compared to other sets
Cons: Not as many in a set compared to others on this list
Review: "These are such a good idea and I will put them to good use time and time again as we tend to travel quite a bit plus they are very easy to store when you are not using them as they can all go inside each other and don’t take up much room as they are soft too. They have a great selection of sizes you can use all with an easy-to-carry handle and mesh side so you can see what you have got in each cube. It really minimises the amount of hassle you have when packing your bags for holiday as you can section off all your clothes and keep all your toiletries or bags or shoes separate too. I would really recommend these to anyone who is a keen traveller like us as it really makes packing a lot more hassle-free."
Recommended
If you're someone who travels light, this packing cube set is for you. It has three cubes for packing plus three pouches for laundry. You can separate your dirty washing into lights, darks and delicates, making it easier to start tackling your holiday washing when you get home.
Pros: Helps keep clean and dirty clothes organised
Cons: Only three packing cubes compared to other sets
Review: I have just used these cubes on a week-long holiday and I am really pleased with my purchase. I don't travel particularly light when I go away and these handy cubes and bags have made a huge difference in keeping my belongings very neat and easy to find in my suitcase. You don't even have to limit the use to clothes. I purposed one of these cubes to hold all of my chargers, cables, batteries etc and the very reasonable cost of this set is definitely offset by the time I would previously spent trying to find things in my suitcase. The cubes/bags are very lightweight, the mesh front makes it easy to see what's inside them but as some other customers stated the zips are a little on the flimsy side. Still, with careful use I can see myself using these packing aids on many more travels and trips."