I ordered the family-sized bag and the first time I packed for a trip I was shocked to see that my large toiletry kit fit in this unit with room to spare. Lots of room. Once I recovered from the shock, I realized that I could put ALL my personal care items (including a giant shower puff), hair care items (including a large oval hairbrush, several butterfly clips , and a set of plastic curlers), makeup, nutritional supplements, lint mitt, sewing kit, and jewelry case in this kit. Given the capaciousness of this kit, selecting one of lighter colours will make contents easier to locate.
This large toilet kit does require a rethink in packing strategy, but one doesn't need *more* space in one's luggage for this case, one just needs to allocate one large space instead of multiple smaller, separate spaces. Whilst air travel regulations prevent the convenient expedient of simply taking the kit in one's carry-on, the luxury of finally having have all one's personal items together in one place is worth the investment--with the added bonus that one is much less likely to forget things when packing or repacking.
I love the little shower caddy. The key to getting the most out of it, is to store shower items (shampoo, conditioner, razor, shower gel, etc.) in the caddy and not transfer them back and forth between the kit pockets and the caddy (this is admittedly easier if one uses two- or three-ounce travel-sized bottles in the caddy, but it's worth the effort, and a complete complement of shower items can be accommodated thus).
The small "dry bag" is perfect for makeup and perfume as stains and leaks will be well contained. Because it unsnaps from the kit, it becomes a handy portable makeup kit which can be taken to the vanity table or transferred to a handbag for a day of museum hopping or a night on the town.
Room for improvement: Without very careful handling, the plastic mirror will become scratched in short order. A larger diameter hook is needed; the existing hook will not fit on some towel bars and shower rods. When suspended by the hook or handle, the substantial weight of a fully-loaded kit is concentrated upon two very small areas (which I hope are reinforced).
I bought two of these for my kids for Christmas. I got size small and it is perfect for a child. I plan on ordering myself a medium. I ordered the plum and dark green and had both monongrammed. I wish there was a lighter thread color to choose because it is difficult to see the monogram with black thread. Organizers are well made and looks to hold a lot. Once again LLBean makes a great quality product. I know my kids are going to love them.
I bought the first one as a toiletries bag; the small is great for a single traveler. A little difficult to arrange items just so in order to close -- maybe I just have too much stuff. Buying a second to hang from the back of the seat in front of me during flights with mp3, pen, paperback, phone, chargers, ear buds, etc., etc.
