If you’re anything like me, packing is hands-down the least enjoyable part of going on holiday. In the days leading up to a trip, I’m already daydreaming about sinking into a sun lounger, cocktail in hand, with nothing but sparkling blue sea stretching out in front of me. But actually packing? That’s a completely different story.
I’ve never quite mastered the art of packing the perfect suitcase, and no matter how organised I promise myself I’ll be, it usually ends up descending into chaos, especially if I’m travelling to a few different destinations. So when I spotted a clever travel accessory from Antler that jet-setters have been calling a “game-changer” for messy packers, it immediately caught my attention.
Packing cubes aren’t exactly a new invention, but there’s a reason travel experts swear by them. As well as making the packing process much less stressful, they’re designed to keep your suitcase neat and organised from take-off to touchdown. These lightweight, soft-sided rectangular pouches help compartmentalise, compress and organise your clothes inside your luggage, acting like portable drawers. That means you can separate outfits or clothing categories, find exactly what you need without emptying your entire suitcase, and even make better use of your luggage space.
Speaking previously to Express.co.uk, an expert from The Points Guy UK said: “Packing cubes help keep your clothing wrinkle-free, regardless of whether you prefer to roll or fold them. They also help you fit more items into your bag.”
Packing cubes have been part of Antler’s range for a while, but they’ve just had a stylish refresh in time for summer. The collection now includes a fun striped design alongside a gorgeous new monogrammed style (£55), which is easily my favourite. If bold patterns aren’t your thing, they’re also available in classic plain colours, including black, cream and, of course, Antler green.
You can choose between a set of four for £50 to £55 or a set of six for £75. The four-piece set is probably best suited to shorter trips and includes one large (24.5 x 33 x 10cm), one medium (33 x 17.5 x 10cm) and two small (17.5 x 16.5 x 10cm) packing cubes. The six-piece set offers a little more flexibility, with one extra-large packing cube (43 x 33 x 12cm), one large, two medium and two small cubes.
Despite helping maximise suitcase space, they won’t eat into your luggage allowance either, weighing just 0.8kg.
One Antler customer described the packing cubes as a “total game changer for the messy packer in your life”. They continued: “I got these packing cubes for my husband, who is notoriously the most dishevelled packer in our family. Every trip used to end with clothes crammed into every corner of his suitcase and a full unpack just to find his socks. These have completely fixed that without requiring any extra effort from him, which is really the whole point… Now he can throw things in, zip it up, and everything actually stays where it belongs. A small change that has made a huge difference on both sides of the packing process in our house.”
Another shopper added: “Makes packing so easy and organised. Wish I had bought them years ago.”
Each packing cube has a mesh top so you can easily see what’s inside, while the zip closure keeps everything securely in place. As one shopper put it: “The zippers are solid and smooth, the fabric feels durable, and the sizes are well thought through.”
That said, the four-piece set is probably better suited to shorter breaks. If you’re travelling for longer or packing a larger suitcase, you’ll probably appreciate the extra capacity of the six-piece version.
It’s worth checking the dimensions carefully before buying to make sure you’re choosing the right set for your needs. As one shopper noted: “These are really good quality packing cubes, my disappointment lies in the fact that they are much smaller than expected.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
