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Roll or fold or packing cubes/bags?

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Old Aug 9th, 2019, 08:11 AM
  #41  
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"crellston, this happened in South Africa, coming back from West Coast NP to Cape Town...." thanks for the tip Mlgb. I will bear than in mind as I travel SA in search of the perfect vintage...
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Old Aug 16th, 2019, 12:39 AM
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I love packing cubes. It keeps everything neat and tidy, and I easily know where things are in my suitcase. I also have loads of cosmetic bags that I use to keep smaller things together. They're really handy for hand luggage too as you can keep your passport/boarding passes etc all in one place so it's ready to grab when you need it.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2019, 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by mlgb
Speaking of red wine, from personal experience having a bottle in the trunk as you drive over a "sleeping policeman" is not a great idea. My backpack managed to contain most of it. There was a faint scent of red wine from the leakage into the trunk mat even after cleaning up.. Fortunately the officer operating a random drunk driving screen said she could tell that I was not DUI when she spoke to me, after I told her about the source of the scent in the car.

crellston, this happened in South Africa, coming back from West Coast NP to Cape Town....
I had read somewhere that one way to safely transport wine in a suitcase was to put a roll of toilet paper on the neck of the bottle, since that's the most likely breakage point. Lightweight, but kind bulky I suppose for a backpack
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Old Aug 22nd, 2019, 11:24 PM
  #44  
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Never heard of the toilet roll tip, but re-Reading that post reminded me of a time driving around NW Argentina. We stopped off at the salt flats and whilst there collected some of the pretty crystalline salt. Put in a plastic bag on the back seat and forgot about it.

Later at one of the numerous roadblocks we encountered, a policewoman looked into the car, pointed to the back seat with obvious concern. Looking around we could see our pretty salt crystals, after bumping around on the very rough roads, had turned into a plastic bag of white powder! A quick taste and a halting explanation in our then dreadful Spanish and we managed to avoid a stretch in an Argentine gaol for possession!
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Old Aug 22nd, 2019, 11:37 PM
  #45  
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@ crellston: BYHs!
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Old Aug 23rd, 2019, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by crellston
Never heard of the toilet roll tip, but re-Reading that post reminded me of a time driving around NW Argentina. We stopped off at the salt flats and whilst there collected some of the pretty crystalline salt. Put in a plastic bag on the back seat and forgot about it.

Later at one of the numerous roadblocks we encountered, a policewoman looked into the car, pointed to the back seat with obvious concern. Looking around we could see our pretty salt crystals, after bumping around on the very rough roads, had turned into a plastic bag of white powder! A quick taste and a halting explanation in our then dreadful Spanish and we managed to avoid a stretch in an Argentine gaol for possession!
If that had happened in Mexico recently, it might not have been a problem, lol.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/21/a...ntl/index.html
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Old Aug 23rd, 2019, 09:56 AM
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I go for all, honestly it depends on my mood. I have not even considered the weight for packing cubes, but I marvel at how neat everything is after I'm done packing. As for rolling and folding, I think I've also mastered it quite a bit after having a few trips now. Folding Marie Kondo-style (like what is illustrated on this page) has ensured crease-free clothes for me too.
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Old Aug 30th, 2019, 12:55 PM
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The Packer

You’ve got to know when to roll ‘em.
Know when to fold ‘em
Know when to pack it
And when to leave it home.

You’ll never want to gate check
When you’re waiting at the plane door.
May there always be enough space
To fit your carry-on.
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Old Oct 19th, 2019, 08:36 AM
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Personal Choice

I've tried all methods (except bundling) and it's really a personal preference. If I'm staying at multiple hotels (road/train trip), rolling is my preferred method because it's easy to take out what I need without pulling everything apart. I like packing cubes (I put the rolled clothes in them.) but they're not always an efficient use of space. Except for my following tip. I always take a small/medium compression cube (empty) and use it to put my dirty laundry when packing (during the road trip or at the end of a single hotel stay). Somehow dirty clothes just seem to expand and the plastic bag (I care about the environment but I haven't gotten around to getting a cloth laundry bag yet.) slips and slides and it's hard to expel all the air. I stuff it into the compression cube and it takes up half the space.
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Old Nov 9th, 2019, 12:57 PM
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We use numerous packing cubes which are very lightweight; I tend to fold 'same' pieces within each one -- tanks, tees, longsleeve tops take up three, underwear in another, Pants folded in half on top of suitcase, along with pj's as we usually arrive somewhere close to bedtime! If I'm taking a fragile linen top or the like, I leave it in a drycleaning bag with as few folds as possible, it works beautifully.
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Old Nov 28th, 2019, 08:33 AM
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I was perusing this thread for a couple tips to see if wife and I could share the same suitcase on an upcoming trip.
Then I saw this, and thought egads, someone actually gives packing classes? And people attend them?
Originally Posted by janisj
ps: as do the 12,000+ people who have attended my packing classes over the years.

But mine is a little different plus has some variations/modifications for different sorts of trips.
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 08:27 AM
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We usually use packing cubes for underwear, tshirts and tops, but this upcoming trip we will use a combination. We will use bags for scrunching down bulky sweaters and fleeces, that don't matter too much if they get wrinkles.
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted by baldone
I was perusing this thread for a couple tips to see if wife and I could share the same suitcase on an upcoming trip.
Then I saw this, and thought egads, someone actually gives packing classes? And people attend them?

lol. Right?

i actually attended one at the public library, because I was curious after Janis has mentioned it so many times. 99% of it was common sense or totally useless to me, but the questions people asked were comic gold.

Most there did not want to hear the basic truth: pack less. Do laundry. You don’t need 6 pairs of shoes to see Paris. I’m related to several chronic overpackers, one of which expressed horror at the thought of seeing Europe with one carry on suitcase. And that was before I pointed out I don’t pack a curling iron and full makeup because why.

i usually roll, and I can fit a lot more that way. But I’m using cubes this trip, and there are definitely benefits. It takes so much less time to pack and unpack.
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 03:14 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by marvelousmouse
i actually attended one at the public library, because I was curious after Janis has mentioned it so many times. 99% of it was common sense or totally useless to me, but the questions people asked were comic gold.
Please clarify: One of janisj's courses?

Originally Posted by marvelousmouse
i usually roll, and I can fit a lot more that way. But I’m using cubes this trip, and there are definitely benefits. It takes so much less time to pack and unpack.
I think it depends on HOW you roll and HOW use use your cubes. For me, cubes do not reduce the time to pack / unpack.
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by kja
Please clarify: One of janisj's courses?



I think it depends on HOW you roll and HOW use use your cubes. For me, cubes do not reduce the time to pack / unpack.

no, not one of janis’s courses. I wouldn’t know how to find her

how do you use cubes/roll?
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 09:18 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by marvelousmouse
no, not one of janis’s courses. I wouldn’t know how to find her
how do you use cubes/roll?
I'm glad you weren't saying that janisj's course was totally useless.

For me, the cubes have to be packed and unpacked when necessary, and then packed and repacked into the suitcase -- so extra steps taking more time, all with less flexibility for use of space. YMMV.
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Old Nov 29th, 2019, 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by kja
I'm glad you weren't saying that janisj's course was totally useless.

For me, the cubes have to be packed and unpacked when necessary, and then packed and repacked into the suitcase -- so extra steps taking more time, all with less flexibility for use of space. YMMV.
Oh! I think any packing course is useful for inexperienced travelers, and if I knew where janis did her classes, I’d probably attend for new ideas. I’ve always liked shopping, so I had a lot of practice before I even knew there was such a thing as a class. It’s like a puzzle, a fun challenge, for me.

i find the cubes involve less digging, and easier organization of laundry. I don’t unpack them—I just unzip to pull out the piece I want. I agree about less flexibility, and if I end up shopping, I’ll probably roll.
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Old Nov 30th, 2019, 05:23 AM
  #58  
 
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I often roll clothes that I put into the cubes. I like how the cubes keep things organized. I especially like them when I'm on a trip that involves visiting several places. If I need a top I know which cube it's in and don't have to dig through my suitcase.
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Old Dec 12th, 2019, 05:54 AM
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Ranger Roll with Compression Cubes

For long term travel .. I just tightly "Ranger Roll" two or three pair of pants and three shirts, and use small compression packing cubes. They fit well in my one bag I carry. (21 liter Minaal Daily Carry On convertible backpack) 21 liter backpack is all I take.. whether going for two weeks.. or two years. (Usually I go for a few months at a time.) I'm convinced that Minimalist One Bag, Carry On... is the way to travel. Especially for tropical countries like in southeast Asia. As a 68 year old Canadian traveler... I'm tired of the cold and snow... I love the hot, inexpensive tropics and Buddhist temples. Can't wait to return to the tropics this coming year..

Last edited by Catoni; Dec 12th, 2019 at 05:56 AM. Reason: Typing error correction.
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