I Went to Europe for 10 Days, and I Fit 15 Outfits in a Single Carry-on—Thanks to This $12 Packing Hack

I used to scoff at my mom’s persistent use of packing cubes; I was convinced that using them only added extra material to your suitcase and made no difference. But once I gave her beloved packing hack a try for a 12-day trip to Italy, I was hooked: I couldn’t believe how much I fit in my carry-on luggage. That said, I knew I’d really be putting my cubes to the test on a 10-day trip I took this past September, where I visited Amsterdam, Brussels, and Copenhagen—three cities with temperatures that were already starting to dip, plus rain in the forecast every single day. Unlike my summer Italy trip, this one required plenty of layers. I was nervous about fitting everything I needed. 

As it turns out, my Cambond Compression Packing Cubes were up to the job, allowing me to pretty easily fit 10 days’ worth of clothes in my carry-on, including pants, cardigans, sweatshirts, and more. At just $12, this set of four packing cubes is basically a lifesaver for fellow carry-on-only travelers.

Cambond Compression Packing Cubes

As a travel editor, I’ve tested a few different sets of packing cubes. A lot of the time, I opt for my Cram packing cubes because they’re gorgeous and, honestly, make packing more fun. However, I break out my Cambond packing cubes when I’m headed out on a bigger trip and need to shove a ton of clothes in my one carry-on. With four cubes in a set, I typically use the small one for socks, underwear, and bras, a medium bag for shirts, the other medium bag for cardigans, button-ups, and a sweatshirt, and the large bag for pants and dresses. 

On my Europe trip, I packed 10 tops, two cardigans, a sweatshirt, two dresses, six pairs of pants, two pairs of pajamas, two pairs of shoes, and all the necessary undergarments, plus a swimsuit. Every item fit within the four packing cubes, and I fit the medium cubes and the large one in my suitcase, and packed the small one in my backpack.

Cambond Compression Packing Cubes

The best part about these packing cubes is how easy they are to use. Each one works by simply filling it up with your clothes, zipping it closed, then using the compression zipper to push excess air out. I’ve had zippers break on packing cubes before when I stuff too much inside, but I’ve pushed the Cambond cubes to their limits with zero rips. I often have to kneel on the bag to zip the compression zipper because of how many clothes I have inside, and I’ve never had an issue with it zipping shut, even stuffed to the brim. 

Cambond claims that these packing cubes compress down to 50 percent of the original size, and I can attest to that. I took before and after pictures of packing these cubes for my Europe trip, which shows how they really do shrink down to about half their size after being compressed.

Before

After

I also love each bag’s pull handle, which makes it easy to take out of my luggage and place on the hotel room bed to open. I can also hold multiple packing cubes at once, thanks to the durable handles, which makes unpacking easier (I can take everything out of my luggage at once). 

Clearly, these compression cubes are durable, but their resilience goes beyond just packability—they’ve also stood up to wash after wash. When I get home from a trip, I basically just empty their contents into my laundry basket, and then toss the packing cubes in as well. They wash great, and have shown no signs of wear and tear so far.

I never thought I would feel so passionate about a set of packing cubes, but I can’t say enough good things about this set after it got me through my 10-day trip to Europe. I didn’t feel like I had to sacrifice style, comfort, or, let’s face it, cleanliness, to stick to carry-on-only packing. Thanks to the Cambond packing cubes, I brought all the clothes I wanted and felt totally prepared for anything the drizzly, gray fall European weather had in store.

More Packing Essentials at Amazon:

Travel Inspira Luggage Scale

Coidea Waterproof Travel Drawstring Shoe Bags

Bagsmart Travel Toiletry Bag

Morfone 16-pack Travel Bottles Set

Fyy Travel Cable Organizer Pouch

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