Packing cubes and other in-bag doodads

You have to be careful here, because it goes against the spirit of minimalist travel to start adding a bunch of crap to your luggage. But if you choose packing cubes and sorting bags made of Ultrasil or other super thin fabrics, you can get the benefits of these great organizational tools without adding a lot of weight to your system.

A really simple way to pack is simply toss big items in first, then fit the smaller things around the edges, and just let everything settle in there like a box of rocks. The biggest problem with this approach, however, is the huge headache – upon arriving at your destination – trying to find anything in there.

Here are my favorite in-bag organization solutions:

• I had my doubts about whether I would use them, but I thought I'd give packing cubes a try. And I've found these to be a great system for organizing things inside the bag. These packing cubes, in the medium-size, fit perfectly in the bottom of the Weekender Convertible.
• Within those packing cubes, I further organize electronics within one of these lightweight Ultrasil stuff sacks. On occasion I’ve used quart size zippered plastic bags and those work just as well.
• You can pack shoes in anything really – grocery sacks or those awesome plastic laundry bags from hotels.  A number of blogs recommend hotel shower caps fit snugly around shoes to prevent dirty soles from coming into contact with the inside of your bag. This might work best if you have shoes on the smaller side. But for me, a travel shoe bag has been a trusted companion on dozens of trips, doesn’t tear, keeps sandy shoes separate from clothing, and compresses shoes a bit for easier packing.
• I have used several hanging travel toiletry bags over the years, and there are a number of great ones. When I discovered that Sea to Summit makes an Ultrasil toiletry bag, I jumped on it and haven’t looked back. It’s light, doesn’t have too many goofy zippered compartments, and the small enough that it makes me think twice about how much stuff I’m packing in this category.
• As an alternative to packing cubes, you might consider squishing your stuff with these super practical travel bands, or with a compression sack.

Pro Tip: Pack your bag the night before, and allow your clothing and other items to settle in the suitcase overnight. In the morning, the bag will seem less stuffed. Of course the weight will be the same, but your bag will have a slimmer profile. 

For more 1-bag travel secrets, read my book "A Guy's Guide to 1-Bag Packing: Minimalist Travel Secrets That Save You Time and Money" available at Amazon.  And share your own tips here!