Your opinion, dulciusexasperis, and you seem determined to stick with it.

Never bothered with packing cubes myself, just muddled on adequately without them. Then I started travelling with a child to places and times of the year where I was unsure whether the child would need thin or warm layers and so packed preparing for everything. Budget traveller too so had to remain within the carry on limit.

Initially it was a disaster, and I really couldn't work out how to manage the sheer quantity of teeny tiny stuff that was layered,sandwiched and squeezed into our small under 10kgs carry on cases.

With the Zuca came the packing cubes and the education. Now I've learned how to manage the extra clothes I don't even need the Zuca or expensive packing cubes. Those plastic mesh bags I already mentioned cost less than a dollar each and they even do a better job at compression - which is why I prefer them over standard cubes for soiled garments to be laundered. When you are staying with relatives and using their front room as a bedroom, having all your belongings ordered, tidy and easily accessible is so important. I simply could not manage this feat without packing cubes/zipped strong mesh envelopes. Even in hotel rooms the lack of mess and the ability to locate any item in a moment saves a huge amount of time and leaves me less frazzled. Check out takes moments.
I will be spending much of the next month sharing the front lounge in my father-in-law's small Tokyo apartment. Thanks to the packing cubes I feel calm and confident that we won't be taking over the room. It was so bad (and so terribly embarrassing) on our last visit that I determined "never again" and thus found the alternative. So glad that alternative works for us.