Walk down the travel aisle at any store and you will find packing cubes, compression bags, garment folders, toiletry organizers, luggage scales, shoe bags, laundry bags, cable organizers, and a dozen other products all promising to “revolutionize” your packing.
Some of them genuinely help.
Others sit in a drawer after one trip because they solved a problem you did not actually have.
The tools that matter are the ones that solve a real packing problem: keeping clothes organized, protecting shoes, fitting toiletries in a quart bag, and knowing your bag weight before you get to the airport.
Use this guide to decide what to buy, what to skip, and why.
TL;DR: You need about 4 to 5 packing tools to cover every trip. The rest are nice-to-haves that most people never use again.
The Tools You Actually Need
1. Packing Cubes (Essential)
Packing cubes turn your suitcase from one chaotic compartment into organized sections.
Each cube holds one category: tops, bottoms, underwear, dirty clothes.
Finding items takes seconds instead of minutes, and repacking at the hotel takes 5 minutes instead of 20.
What to buy: A set of 3 to 4 cubes in sizes that fit your suitcase.
Compression packing cubes save 20 to 30 percent more space with a dual-zipper design.
Standard cubes organize without compressing and cost less.
What to spend: $15 to $30 for a standard set. $20 to $40 for compression.
For a deeper comparison of specific packing cubes, see best packing cubes.
2. Toiletry Bag (Essential)
A good toiletry bag keeps all your personal care items in one place, hangs from a hook in the bathroom, and protects your clothes if something leaks.
What to look for:
- A hanging hook (so it hangs from the towel bar or shower rod at the hotel)
- Multiple compartments (separates bottles from dry items)
- Water-resistant lining (contains leaks)
- Clear or mesh pockets (so you can find things without dumping everything out)
What to buy: A hanging toiletry bag with at least 3 compartments.
Industry reviews consistently rank hanging toiletry bags above flat bags for organization and convenience.
What to spend: $15 to $30.
3. Shoe Bags (Essential)
Shoe bags solve one specific problem: dirty soles touching clean clothes.
A drawstring bag or zippered shoe pouch keeps shoes contained and prevents scuff marks and dirt from transferring.
What to look for:
- Large enough for your shoes (check dimensions)
- Drawstring or zipper closure
- Lightweight fabric (heavy shoe bags defeat the purpose)
What to spend: $8 to $15 for a set of 2 to 4.
4. Luggage Scale (Essential for Checked Bags)
A digital luggage scale tells you exactly how much your bag weighs before you leave for the airport.
Overweight bag fees range from $25 to $200 depending on the airline.
A $10 scale pays for itself the first time it prevents a fee.
What to buy: A digital luggage scale that hooks onto your bag handle.
Accuracy within 0.2 pounds is standard.
Choose one with a backlit display so you can read it in dim hotel rooms.
What to spend: $8 to $15.
5. TSA-Compliant Quart Bag (Essential for Carry-On)
If you pack carry-on, you need a quart-size clear bag for liquids at security.
The free zip-top bag from home works fine, but a reusable TSA-compliant bag is sturdier, easier to open and close repeatedly, and lasts for years.
What to look for:
- TSA-compliant size (one quart, approximately 7 x 8 inches)
- Clear material (required for security)
- Wide opening (easier to pack and find items)
- Durable zipper (you open and close this bag every trip)
What to spend: $5 to $12.
Pack Hacker breaks down which travel accessories are actually worth bringing and which ones you can leave behind:
The Tools That Are Useful But Optional
Laundry Bag
A small drawstring bag for dirty clothes on the return trip.
You can use a packing cube for this instead, but a dedicated laundry bag keeps worn items separate without mixing them with your clean-clothes cubes.
Worth buying if: You travel for a week or longer and want to keep dirty and clean clothes truly separate.
What to spend: $5 to $10.
Cable and Electronics Organizer
A small pouch that holds your charger, cables, earbuds, adapter, and power bank in one place.
Without one, cables end up loose in the bag, tangled with clothes, or lost in a pocket.
Worth buying if: You travel with 3 or more electronic items and find yourself searching for cables at the hotel.
What to buy: An electronics organizer with elastic loops for cables and a zippered pocket for the power bank.
What to spend: $10 to $20.
Packable Tote or Day Bag
A lightweight bag that folds flat in your suitcase and opens up as a day bag for excursions, grocery runs, or beach trips.
Takes up almost no space when packed.
Worth buying if: You regularly need a bag at your destination that you do not want to carry to the airport.
What to spend: $10 to $25.
Travel Laundry Soap
A small tube or packet of sink-wash detergent for hand-washing clothes in the hotel.
Lets you wash underwear, socks, and lightweight tops overnight and extend your wardrobe without finding a laundromat.
Worth buying if: You travel for a week or more and want to pack fewer clothes by washing mid-trip.
What to buy: Travel laundry soap in a small squeeze tube. One tube lasts multiple trips.
What to spend: $5 to $8.
Travel Tips by Laurie walks through a comprehensive list of packing essentials for every trip type:
What You Can Skip
Vacuum Compression Bags
They squeeze air out of bulky items and seem like magic.
But the compressed block is rigid and does not nest well in a suitcase, especially a carry-on.
You save height but lose the ability to fill gaps around the bag.
For most travelers, compression packing cubes do the same job better because they stay flexible.
Skip unless: You are packing bulky winter clothing in a large checked bag.
Folding Boards
Plastic boards that help you fold shirts to a uniform size.
They work, but they take up space themselves and add weight.
Rolling achieves the same result (uniform sizes that stack without gaps) with no extra tool.
Skip unless: You exclusively pack structured dress shirts that you cannot roll.
Packing Cubes with Built-In Folding Systems
Premium cubes with internal dividers, folder panels, and garment-specific compartments.
They cost 3 to 4 times more than standard cubes and solve a problem that basic rolling and standard cubes already handle.
Skip unless: You have specific garment care needs (like traveling with a suit regularly).
Space-Saver Gadgets
Hangers that compress, bag clips that seal, and various “as seen on TV” devices.
Most of these solve a problem that does not exist if you pack with a system.
A good packing list and a set of cubes replace all of them.
For the complete carry-on packing system, see the carry-on only packing guide.
Packing cubes, a toiletry bag, shoe bags, and a luggage scale.
Those four tools cover 90 percent of your packing needs.
Everything else is optional. Buy it only when you have the specific problem it solves.
Pin this page and check it before your next trip to see if you already own what you need.
12-year nomad, carry-on-only traveler across 5 continents, and creator of Organizing.TV.
I help you pack smaller, stress less, and actually enjoy the packing part of travel.
