Identify Your Luggage When Traveling

Sometimes there seems to be a "sea of black" at airport and cruise line terminals. Everyone had the same idea to buy luggage that would show the least amount of dirt and soil. You need a way to identify your luggage quickly and easily. You don't want your bags to be taken in error because they look like everyone else's bag! How do you insure that your bag is easily identified and not easily mistaken? Do make sure you have a luggage tag on your handle filled out with your name and address. It's best to have two tags on every bag, one for the top and one for the side handle. Tags are available in bright colors, so choose your colors and stick to the same for all of your bags. That way you know what color you're looking for and can spot your color combination quickly and efficiently. Tags can also be monogrammed with your initials for further identification. It's also a good idea to have your name and address and destination inside your bag, just in case the tags are missing. Remember that most luggage tags now have your address hidden inside the tag so as not to alert everyone that you are away from your home. There are also fun tags with cute sayings, like "Not your bag", or "Dirty Laundry." Just be consistent with your tags and colors to make them identifiable as "yours." Laminated business cards can also be made into luggage tags. These are another good way to spot your luggage with a distinctive look. Again, be sure to put one on both the side and top handle of the luggage. Handle wraps are another way to change the color of your black luggage. These velcro onto the handle of the luggage or carry on luggage, and change the black handle to a bright color. Once again, it's a good idea to use two per bag, so you change both the top handle and the side handle. You just never know which way the luggage will tumble down the airport carousel. Straps which span around your luggage are a great way to keep bags from popping open, and to give an identifying color to the bag. The strap will buckle around through a handle so it won't slide off accidentally in handling. Bright colored straps will be the easiest to spot quickly. Straps are also available with combination locks, but be sure to use the TSA approved models, so they will not be cut off at the airport. TSA approved locks can be opened by airport security with their master key. TSA locks also are available in bright colors, and these are the only airline approved locks. The TSA locks further protect your belongings and yet allow airport security to open the lock without destroying it and then relock your luggage after inspection. Again, choose a color scheme and stick to it, so that you know what you are looking for in the "sea" of black luggage. Monogramming is another great way to identify your luggage, and probably one of the best. The monogram is permanent, and no one else can claim "they thought it was theirs" unless they can prove the initials match their own name. Monograms are burned on by a machine, so they are indeed very difficult to remove.