If you've ever tried to get more organised when you travel, you've probably looked at two options: packing cubes and hanging organisers. Both promise a tidier suitcase, but they solve different problems. Here's how they compare, and how to choose.
Packing cubes
Packing cubes are zippered fabric pouches that sort your clothes inside your suitcase. Most people use one for tops, one for bottoms and one for underwear or swimwear.
What they do well:
- Keep your suitcase organised and easy to repack
- Compress clothes slightly, so you fit more in
- Work in any bag, from carry-on to a large checked case
- Separate different family members' clothes
Where they fall short: once you arrive, your clothes are still in the suitcase. You either unpack everything into drawers or live out of the cubes for the whole trip, digging through them each morning.
Hanging organisers
Hanging organisers are fabric shelving units that hang from a wardrobe rail. Some fold flat into a suitcase; others are built into the case itself.
What they do well:
- Turn a wardrobe into instant shelves
- Make every item visible and easy to reach
- Keep clothes off the floor and out of the suitcase
Where they fall short: most are bulky and take up space you'd rather use for clothes. They're also a single unit, so you can't split them between bags or travellers, and they're hard to use if your room has no wardrobe rail.
At a glance
|
|
Packing cubes |
Hanging organisers |
The Sejour Set |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Organises your suitcase |
Yes |
Partly |
Yes |
|
Wardrobe on arrival |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Fits in carry-on |
Yes |
Often bulky |
Yes |
|
Use pieces separately |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Hangs without a rail |
No |
Rarely |
Yes, from a hook or door handle |
|
Share between two travellers |
Separate sets |
No |
Connect sets into one wardrobe |
Which one should you choose?
- Choose packing cubes if you move every night or two and rarely unpack.
- Choose a hanging organiser if you stay in one place with a large wardrobe, and luggage space isn't a concern.
- Choose something that does both if you want an organised suitcase on the way and a wardrobe when you arrive.
The option that does both
We designed the Sejour Set because we didn't want to choose. It's three packing cubes that pack like normal cubes, then connect magnetically and hang as one wardrobe when you arrive.
Hang it from a wardrobe rail, a coat hook or a door handle. Open the mesh fronts and everything is in view, exactly as you packed it. When it's time to leave, unhook, zip and go.
Ready to have the best of both worlds? Explore the Sejour Set
Also read: How to pack for a family week in Bali, carry-on only