If you’ve read some of my recent articles, then you already know that I travel a lot. Nothing to brag about, but between New York (where I live) and L.A. (where I’m originally from), destination weddings (oh so many), weekend trips, the occasional work trip, and more, I spend a good chunk of my time on the go. Aside from this meaning that I’m more familiar than I’d like to be with a number of airports, more importantly, it also means I do my fair share of packing.
And while I don’t always get it 100% right, I like to think that a good majority of the time, I do—and even more so as of late because of an Amazon purchase that has truly changed my life. After hearing countless people talk about packing cubes for some time now, I decided to finally see what all the hype was about a few months ago. Of course, I didn’t want to invest too heavily in something I wasn’t sure I’d even end up using, so I opted for a $20 four-pack from Amazon. This goes without saying, but it also had a five-star rating (with over 2000 reviews) and was available with free Prime shipping without which who knows where I’d be today.
Anyway, since receiving my "cubes,” I cannot tell you how much of a difference they have made in my packing—and thus, my life. Not only do they help you save space by compressing anything you put in them, but they’ve actually made me a more organized packer. I can plan outfits or group together categories of pieces and know they’ll all stay organized in a cube without ending up all jumbled together in my suitcase—making me even more inclined to pack smartly and efficiently.
Seriously though, after getting used to the cubes, I haven’t been able to travel without them. Even for a one-night or weekend trip, I have just found that they make any suitcase or weekend bag function so much better. And, now that I’ve gotten all that off my chest, you continue on to see and shop the cubes for yourself, as well as some of my other favorite Amazon buys for travel and beyond.
Shop more of my favorite Amazon finds:
I’ve never had a carry-on that fits as much as this.
Another must-pack item for me.
Sneakers are a travel necessity no matter where you’re going.
I recently told our friends over at Byrdie all about how great this wand is.
I truly can’t believe this is even in stock.
I always pack my shoes in dust bags to keep them from getting my other items dirty.
I like to wear one comfortable-but-cute pair of earrings for the duration of a trip so I don’t have to bring multiple.
Comfortable bras are a travel must.
Even though I never end up working out on trips, I always take leggings to lounge in.
I swear by these for tops and dresses that require you to go braless.
I love this cut and color.
I have this cover-up in two colors, and it’s seriously changed my beach game for the better.
Everyone needs a good vanity case, and this one has amazing reviews.
These sweatshirts are the softest.
I love this as a day-to-night vacation bag.
I can’t get on a plane without these headphones.
Love a good white tee.
I have to admit that I’m obsessed with jeans, so I tend to pack too many pairs.
For flights, I always have a scarf in tow.
This story was published at an earlier date and has been recently updated.