3 Clever Uses for Packing Cubes (Beyond Travel)
Packing cubes are a travel essential that completely change the way you pack, but their usefulness doesn’t stop when your travel backpack or suitcase is unpacked. These lightweight organizers are just as powerful at home as they are on the road. From closets to cable drawers to everyday bags, packing cubes help create order wherever clutter likes to hide.
Here are three clever ways to use packing cubes beyond travel and one bonus hack you’ll wonder how you lived without.
1. Keep Sheet Sets Together
We all know the struggle: one fitted sheet, one flat sheet, and pillowcases scattered across the linen closet like a scavenger hunt. Packing cubes solve this instantly by keeping each full sheet set stored together in one neat bundle.
Because cubes are structured and zip closed, nothing slips out or gets separated. One cube can easily hold a full sheet set (or even two, depending on the fabric). Stack them in your linen closet or on a shelf and you suddenly have a clean, hotel-style storage system.
Pro tip: Label each cube by size or bed (Queen, Guest Room, Kids’ Room, etc.). Painter’s tape works perfectly because it sticks well but removes cleanly when you want to relabel.
2. Store Off-Season Clothing
If packing cubes can keep chaos under control in a carry-on, imagine what they can do for your closet.
Packing cubes are ideal for storing off-season clothing—think swimsuits, linen shirts, or winter sweaters—so they’re out of the way but still easy to access when the season changes. Instead of digging through bulky storage bins, you can just grab the exact cube you need.
Compression packing cubes take this one step further by reducing the volume of bulky items like sweaters, hoodies, scarves, or even lightweight jackets. That means more room in under-bed bins, storage closets, or suitcases when it’s time to travel again.
Extra win: Your clothes stay clean, dust-free, and organized instead of getting crushed or forgotten.
3. Manage Cables and Electronics
Cables, chargers, earbuds, power banks, adapters… they multiply fast and somehow always get tangled.
Packing cubes are perfect for tech organization because they’re soft, protective, and flexible. Use one cube for phone accessories, another for laptop gear, and another for travel electronics like adapters and power banks. Everything stays visible, accessible, and easy to grab when you need it.
Pair your cube with reusable cable ties or small pouches inside and you’ll never again deal with a spaghetti bowl of cords at the bottom of a drawer or backpack.
Bonus Hack: Organize Your Purse or Day Bag
If you switch between bags—totes, backpacks, crossbody bags—you’ve probably left something important behind more than once.
A smaller packing cube works like a portable “bag inside your bag.” Keep your daily essentials in it: sunglasses, lip balm, wallet, keys, charger, hand sanitizer, and anything else you reach for every day. When you change bags, just move the cube and you’re instantly ready to go.
This is especially useful for travel backpackers and commuters who want to stay organized without constantly repacking.