This Genius Invention Will Change How You Pack

For many of us in 2020, traveling anywhere past the local supermarket was reserved for the stuff of daydreams. Fast forward, and it finally feels like vacation fantasies may soon come true. Yet, if wrapping your mind around the idea of traveling again is going to take up all of your headspace, then the packing part needs to be a breeze. Enter G.I.L.I. Convertible Compression Packing Cubes by TODAY lifestyle contributor and G.I.L.I. founder Jill Martin.

After an unsuccessful search for compression-style packing cubes that were functional and fashionable, Martin decided to design her own. Twenty iterations and two-and-a-half years later, she came up with these.

“Now that the world is beginning to open up, and we are starting to plan adventures, I am beyond thrilled to be able to help people prepare for their journeys with ease,” Martin tells Oprah Daily.

Thanks to a special compression zipper, these cubes get super compact once they're filled, helping you fit more items in your suitcase. Some other things that make them great: They have antimicrobial protection on the interior and the exterior is water resistant, they’re easy to clean, and they come in five patterns and colors. But, perhaps the best part is that each cube has two metal hooks, so you can hang them right up in the closet and create your own little on-the-go shelf—no unpacking required. You can even connect up to four cubes to make a mini portable closet.

It should come as no surprise that as the creator of such an efficient travel-friendly tool, Martin is a self-proclaimed expert packer herself. So, she offered us some of her top tips to make the process more streamlined.

1. Make a specific packing list. Don’t just write “T-shirts.” Jot down “white T-shirts," for example. Print it out and stick to it.

2. Whenever possible, pack in a carry-on. You can do it—you just need to be strategic. Plus, if you're super selective, then odds are, you'll be packing your favorite things.

3. Lay out everything on your bed. Don’t make up a story about an item that you might wear. Every item should have a purpose in your bag.

4. Use your space wisely. For instance, pack socks in your shoes. Bringing a large hat? Pack the top face down and place items in the inside of the hat, and pack around it to protect the shape.

Safe travels!

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