Packing Systems: Useful or just a gimmick?
 

I just recently learned about Pack-It Folders by Eagle Creek, a system for packing items flat & compact. They cost about $30CAD for an 18"X12" folder. Just wondering if they (or similar products) are really useful & practical or are they just a gimmick?

gimmick

onebag.com great site all you need and free!

I've seen posts on these forums by some people who use/like packing cubes. I have found that rolling my clothes works best for me. There's less wrinkling and better use of space. I put socks, underwear and other lightweight clothing (e.g. t-shirts) in large zip lock bags. It helps keep things organized.

I think it depends the type of trip you are taking. I don't bother with them when I am going on a vacation that is to one place, unpacking, and staying a week or two. I think they can be useful to keep things organized in your bag, say if you are going to Europe and moving city to city every couple days.

Thanks for your replies & suggestions!

I am a traveler who likes to unpack my bags unlike my husband who is happy to live out of his suitcase! So, I was looking for ways to make the process more efficient.

That said, I think I will save my $$$ and invest in XL ziplock bags instead! Any ideas where I can buy them?

"That said, I think I will save my $$$ and invest in XL ziplock bags instead! Any ideas where I can buy them?"

buy that stuff at places like Target, WalMart, etc.
have a great trip.

The 1-gallon size is the largest ziplock I use. They work fine for collecting socks, undies, a few tshirts, etc. You can get them anywhere.

I use the 2 gallon size zip lock which I get at Target.

I can get 2 or 3 prs of pants in each bag and at least 2 tops into another bag. I am a large size woman so mah stuff takes up more room!!! :)

I love packing cubes on a personal level because I struggle to pack, I struggle to unpack, and I struggle to keep things organized. I almost always use packing cubes (even just visiting family) because I prefer living out of my suitcase (why have to pack and unpack twice?!) wherever we go. In a worst case scenario I can throw my things into the cubes, shove them into my bag and be ready to go in a matter of minutes!

If you unpack into the hotel dresser and are staying in one place for awhile... use dry cleaner bags wrapped around small stacks of folded clothes. Upon arrival use the dry cleaner bags to line the dresser drawer and put the folded clothes stack on top of that.

I've never been big on packing cubes myself because to me it seems like they just make extra weight and take space in the suitcase & you can't even wear 'em!

You MAY like packing cubes/envelopes, but you won't know until you've traveled with them a few times. Ziplocs are an excellent way to test this premise without investing ~$100 to get a set of organizers. Ziplocs come in some many sizes, from 1 gallon up to 20 gallon (XXL size, about 2ft x 2.5ft), so I'd go this route for starters. You can find all of these at Target.

I'm an Eagle Creek organizer junkie, and probably have several hundred dollars invested in their Pack-It systems of cubes, sacs, folders and toiletry kits. I've given these items to many people as gifts, and most of them end up finding that they like using the system (but not everyone).

What suze said is very true - they are most helpful if you are moving your hotel frequently. If you are taking a cruise or renting an apartment for a couple of weeks they will probably just take up valuable space in your suitcase. It's more about your travel style than whether or not they are actually useful gadgets.

I saw them on SierraTradingPost.com

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/sea...criptions=True

might be a significant discount

I'm happy with ziplocks for keeping underwear and socks and assorted things that tend to scramble around in the suitcase.

Many thanks for your suggestions & packing ideas!

I see that Sierra Trading Post only ships within the US. Also, here in Canada, we are waiting anxiously for Target's arrival! So, I will be going to Walmart this week.

What did we do before the invention of ziplock bags?!?!;)

Yes it is absolutely right that its all depends on the type of trip you are taking. But it gives quick and easy access to our kit without having to unpack everything, and makes it easier to keep everything neat and organized.

Pack-it folders keep pressed clothing wrinkle free.shirts, slacks. Pack-it cubes help orgnaize my suitcase and I couldn't stand to travel without them. Both of these products are very useful, but different.

I had a successful shopping trip to Walmart where I bought XL (33cm x 39.6cm) Ziploc bags. The XXL were larger than my suitcase so I didn't get those!!!

I love the idea of keeping everything neat, organized & accessible in our suitcases so it's worth a try!

Thanks for everyone's suggestions & explanations!

2010 - Let us know how it goes. I've tried various systems in the past and found them helpful for the first trip I take.

But by the next trip I'm less enthusiastic about them and then I go back to just rolling my clothes.

I love the large Ziplocs but have discovered the Hefty bags XL size which will fit even more clothes. The zipclip makes opening/closing easy.

I love the large Ziplocs but have discovered the Hefty bags XL size which will fit even more clothes. The zipclip makes opening/closing easy.

I used to use Ziplocs, but I found they slipped around alot, and if my small suitcase was full, I could lose one easily. For me, the packing cubes and folders are great. I use different colors so I always know where everything is. Purchased them from www.rei.com after seeing a packing demonstration.
(I was a failure at rolling; my clothes were more wrinkled than ever)!

I pack my clothes in ziplocks and the small things go in my ancient Clinque bags.

When I roll my clothes I snap them on to a clean surface and then smooth them out as I roll them.

Yes, men are entirely okay living out from their travel bags while for us women, we can't help but to pack and unpack (How many times did we end up in a bad mood because we can't find a sock or because the cute top is all crumpled up?). So, yes packing systems isn't just a gimmick. You can look into this:

http://www.adventurouswench.com/travel/s-packing/

I love the packing systems and use them religously - whether staying overnight or going for two weeks. The LLBean are as nice as the Eagle Creek and cost about half the price. If you're going thru customs it makes it easier for the inspector - you don't find you "unmentionables" tossed all about! They really came in handy when I was checking in and my luggage was overweight. I just reached in, grabbed a cube, and carried it on the plane. I've tried the large ziplocks, but as others mentioned, they really slide around and my clothes still got wrinkled. Everything stays neat in the cubes! Love em!

onebag.com is my go to for packing ideas. I am a woman and one bag traveler, for a weekend or a month. I would not buy a packing system at any price. It takes a little practice to pack well, but anyone can do it.

If you need to compress bulky items like socks, stick them in a ziplock bag, seal most of the way and then sit on the bag to squeeze out the air. Flat as a pancake in under a minute. And rolling is far better than folding for keeping clothes wrinkle free.

Happy travels!

I, too, just went through this question for my upcoming trip. I found myself at the local luggage store looking at compression bags. I bought some, came home and tried them out. They will be perfect for me. Eagle Creek sells some, but I found that the Spacebags were less expensive and work the same for me. https://www.spacebag.com/12/Default.aspx

FYI: I use the small ones for socks, bras etc... and I always use one for dirty clothes.

The 2.5 gallon and 1 gallon Ziploc bags work well for me.
Roll everything tight. Another tip-If you buy something that won't fit in your suitcase or will put your suitcase in overweight in the US. Stop at the US Post office and mail the heavy item and some dirty clothes in a bag in the medium size Priority Mail box. The box mails for $10.95 which is a lot better than what the airline charges. No sense carrying 12 lb of dirty clothes or books you've already read on the flight home.

As I sew, I made a similar folding system when I was traveling to France this year for 3 weeks with only carry on. I also picked up rectangular/square cosmetic bags at my local Value Village for a dollar or two - all much cheaper than the Eagle Creek systems. I used a wheeled back pack with a second attachable day pack and found the cubes and folding system worked really well as I could pack my folder bottoms and tops into 2 folding wraps and they fit perfectly into the section meant for a laptop. My close stayed surprisingly wrinkle free and I knew where everything was stored in the back pack. The wrap and velcro system also kept the clothes very compact and I was surprised how many I could pack. The ziplocks would also work, but consider using some kind of cardboard or foam core to hold your clothes with and keep it in the bag to support the clothes (remember to get out as much air as possible). I like these travel systems, but agree that it depends on what kind of travelling you do.

Most of us on here are going to regular tourist type places - we're not going for a weekend at Balmoral with the queen so I think a few creases or a bit of squished luggage would be a bit of a problem!

Unless all these gizmos float (weigh LESS than nothing) all they do is add weight.

I use a 3 section zippered pencil case that I purchased as a discontinued line from Smiggle for about $2.
It easily fits 5 bras, knickers and pairs socks and I know where everything is. And the lime green colour means I am unlikely to misplace it.

I am a carry-on traveler who often combines work with leisure travel, so squishing all my clothes into plastic bags is not the best choice (and many of the places I stay do not have iron/board). If I use the 22in Travelpro with the suiter accessories in the top, it keeps my suit or other nice clothes practically wrinkle free, but it is large by some airline standards and heavy. I bought 1 18-inch no-name folder on closeout online that I can pack and put in a smaller, lighter rollaboard. I have used it 3 or 4 times and have been pleased with the results--only one wrinkled pair of slacks from my poor packing.

I also picked up a few cubes on sale somewhere to use for socks, undies, etc. I find they are neater, pack better than plastic bags, and do not slip. Once the clothes are all dirty and I don't care if they are organized, then the cubes are just wasted space and weight. So I have mixed feelings on them when space is tight, but like them when I have lots of room to spare.

Saw this when posting a question.

I have used the Pack-It Folders by Eagle Creek for years (slightly earlier model), it's construction is top notch, and with a little practice you can get things to your destinations with relatively fewer wrinkles, and in a relatively more compressed amount of space. Works particularly well for dress shirts, sweaters, etc., when used in a carry-on. The slide in folding board helps fold in the right place, and gives some extra protection. Anything that gets more in that carry-on is worth it.

The cubes are OK, sturdy, well-made, but like a lot of others, I also use zip-locks, and for the checked luggage, you have to keep things reasonable, nothing too exotic, so the TSA screeners can repack them. For check-ins, I usually find that I have to pack a little bit on the empty side, in case I buy something along the way, but more particularly to stay under the weight limits. So mostly I keep the check-ons simple, for weight reasons, maybe a few extra zip-locks, tons of home address labels (for shipping + when the bag gets lost), plus an extra TSA lock or two (these are always getting lost), and a few extra zip-ties for when the zipper handle is damaged.

The suitcase is all packed for tomorrow's departure. I used every size of Ziploc bags (XL/L/Medium/Small/Snack-size) for my clothes (rolled); to hold bottles filled with liquids: hair conditioner, laundry soap & skincare products; to organize jewelry, journalling necessities, and other sundry items. There's nothing loose in my suitcase! Everything is visible. I even packed some extra bags!

My husband did not buy into the 'packing system'. He just placed his rolled garments into his suitcase. He will likely live out of his suitcase as he prefers! We will be able to compare our 'experiences' as we travel to our 5 destinations during our 3+ weeks in Italy!

I will try to report back when we return!

Have a great time. Those ziplock bags work great for souvenirs too.

Just returned from a 16-day adventure, and was again happy to have used my Eagle Creek packing folders. I only needed one this time (for trousers and blouses/ T-shirts) with one half cube for the undies and socks. Rolling doesn't work for me and none of our lodgings had an iron available anyway. I did take a compression bag for dirty laundry and rolled those items successfully. Zip-locs were useful for organizing make-up and also liquids for TSA. I liked my new little compact Rick Steves toiletry bag - it was the smallest one with a collapsible hook. My carry-on had room to spare and I knew exactly where everything was. Oh, I did take along 2 plastic coat hangers, just in case, so I could hang up a couple items each night.

I go back and forth. Most recent trip I rolled, and got a lot in a little space. However, I have used both the packing cubes (which are extremely light) and the eagle creek folder and liked both systems. I use the compression bags for dirty laundry on return trip. Always carry on.

I haven’t tried it, but another option to the packing cubes is to use the zippered cases sheets and curtains are packed in when sold. I saved some when I bought new sheets recently because they reminded me of the packing cubes, except they are plastic and without a mesh side, like I’ve seen on some packing cubes.

I generally use Ziploc or Hefty XL bags, so I may try these on a future trip.

Returned a few days ago from our 23 day/5 destination trip to Italy and thought I would report back on my experience using ziploc bags for packing.

It was interesting to find out that while all our hotels provided wardrobes for hanging clothes, not all rooms had drawer space. In the latter instance, I found myself doing what my husband prefers ... living out of my suitcase!

With all my clothes in XL/L bags and sundry items in M/S bags, it was a snap to unpack my suitcase and place them in drawers. Everything was visible. Everything had its designated bag. During our stay, it was easy to pull out the bag with my tops and the one with my pants; and simply take out the garments I needed for the day. No longer did I have to dig around for things at the bottom or at the back of a drawer!

In preparation for repacking, it really was a simple matter of rolling & placing items in a bag. According to DH, it was entertaining to watch how I sat on the bag to 'squish out' the air and quickly zipped it up!!! This technique was sufficient enough to compress the bag flat for packing. It really was space-saving and kept me organized throughout the trip!

Hint: Take extra bags of all sizes! Not all will survive the entire trip!

So, will I use this 'packing system' again? I certainly will! :)

Here's an article that you may enjoy about packing. It's full of great tips (and it's funny, too). www.AnniesNuggets.com

I haven't used the packing cubes yet and have used sip locks over the years and an assortment of free cosmetic pouches for all sorts of things.

However, I have purchased a tote bag as my second carryon to replace the backpack I used for years. It is lighter weight with a flat bottom that will slip over the handles and stay put(I hope) could never do that with the backpack and it just got heavy to carry.

Anyway have decided to do the cubes with this bag because it is formless and difficult with all the mismatched bags I did have. And I found that LL Bean and Magellan's have them for a lot less than Eagle Creek so I have ordered them.