Ways to mark luggage for easier identification?

I was wondering how travels are marking their bags for easy identification off carousels, etc.? I know some people buy colored/pattern luggage, but for those that have plain old black luggage, what are some ways to mark them for easy identification without doing much damage or anything permanent to the bag?

I tied ribbons onto mine....some old, ugly "christmas" ribbon...all have the same color and I tie them onto every handle, so I can see them no matter which direction my luggage gets thrown onto the carousel! Those ribbons have been on there for the last 10 years....they are virtually impossible to tear off.

Nowadays, most folks ARE buying "colored" luggage, so even if you have red, green, blue suitcases, others will have the same one, too...guaranteed! You need more than just color to identify your stuff!

I was wondering how travels are marking their bags for easy identification off carousels, etc.? I know some people buy colored/pattern luggage, but for those that have plain old black luggage, what are some ways to mark them for easy identification without doing much damage or anything permanent to the bag?

What we've done is to use colored tape around the handles. Look in your local hardware store for colored electrical tape. Works well and makes your black bag stand out from the other black bags.

I use regular duct tape but I write words on the tape ie moose, Canuck etc.

Definitely Canadian!

I use fairly long strips ie 12 inches or longer so pretty hard to pick up my luggage by mistake!

Another idea: those dollar store loofah type sponges (circular) Attach to your luggage, hard to miss too

Have also used yarn (different colours)and I braid them together and attach.

My newest piece of luggage is deep purple.

I second the electrical tape. You can't miss the hot pink on my black luggage. I also have hot pink luggage tags that I found a target one year. I'm always afraid of tying ribbon or scarves on my luggage. I don't want it to get hung in machinery. I'm sure the ribbon would break before my luggage got sucked into something, but you never know....:o

My husband has straps (purchased at a luggage store) that he wraps around our checked luggage.

I have bright lime green satin tied to the handles. Very easy to spot.

I do the ribbon thing, but also for each trip I print out 8 x 11 stickers with our itinerary & cell phone number, & last name, they go on the outside of each case. That way our luggage is easy to spot, & if it gets sent to the wrong place, it's more likely to get back to us.

I can tell our luggage from a distance, even though it is black. But I work part time in a luggage store and identify luggage better than most, even the black stuff.

We do have handle wraps on some of our pieces and I use a strap on my red. It seems I have a harder time finding which red case is mine moreso than the black ones.

Everyone seems to tie ribbon on their cases any more, just make sure if you do you make it interesting.

We also sell colorful luggage tags in the store, some of them are really fun, like "Take my luggage, do my laundry".

Great posts everybody! I thought about buying this set of deep purple luggage for myself, and didn't really think that there would be too many others buying that color. Hubby just bought all black luggage so we'll have to throw some color on it. Now I have ideas as to how to do that.

We picked up these little gizmos that you put on the handle of your suitcase. They look like a flattened padlock but with a plastic cord. There is a second piece that you keep with you. When you push the button on the part you keep a blue light starts flashing on the part on your suitcase and it also starts making a slight beeping sound. It reminds me of different things you can buy to help you find your car keys and stuff. We made sure they are approved by tsa first because I didn't want them to think it was some kind of device that was dangerous and end up in jail.:eek: That would be my luck. ;)

I had red luggage for the longest time, but then it seemed there was more and more red! I didn't want something "catching" around the handles so I tried to come up with something a little more creative. I went to a craft store and got a cute stencil and fabric spray paint. Now I have a dolphin in gold on my red bags that I can't miss!

My DH didn't want to be so "cutesy" with his, so he got colored duct tape at the hardware store and has strips of red on his black luggage. :)

I use those mesh/gauze bath sponges with the rope loop on them. Just attach it to the handle of my suitcase and I can see it a mile away...especially the bright colors.

http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=4191867&cp=2484525

I tie a donkey pinata to the handle.

I use duct tape in a bright color and tape up my suitcase~and I have personalized luggage tags with mine and hubby's picture on them ~

where the pick up handle is...duct tape with "Lucky", written on it, w/butterfly stickers..all pretty pink n lavender..on dark green

Neon Green luggage handle wraps!

strips of fabric on both handles- get the loudest brightest gaudest fabric i can find- also use lime green luggage tags on both handles

I use fabric paint in glitter colors on fabric bags. The glitter sparkles in the sun and sometimes I can spot it from the airplane or bus. BIG old sunflower. On Polycarbonate I use Pilot gold paint pen or black Sharpie. Sometimes draw around a stencil sometimes freehand. I also print my email address right near the handle. If it goes astray I would hope someone might email me with the information needed to retrieve it.

I went to a craft store and got a cute stencil and fabric spray paint. Now I have a dolphin in gold on my red bags that I can't miss!

I've seen stencils done and I'm dying to try it, but I keep forgetting to do mine the second I put the luggage away. Maybe when I get back home tomorrow...nah, I'm going to bed to rest after our vacation!

Neon Green luggage handle wraps!

I found green golf theamed luggage handle wraps at a dollar store and have them on all our bags. Our luggage tags also tend to be more funky and strange than normal.

Yes I actually do use ugly Christmas ribbon, or whatever I can find on clearance or in dollar bin at Michaels as well as 2 different colored neoprene handles and braided yarn in a specific pattern. I was in luggage biz for 16 years and I found people use duct tape, electrical tape, pom-poms, yarn, string, luggage tags that says hands of my luggage or funny sayings. "Big Tags" are a total waste of money they fall off eventually. I even seen a man use an old necktie. there are so many creative ways to "deface our luggage:D , my poor Tumi..

I also take pictures of my luggage (inside and out) saved in my cell phone. So if my luggage gets lost or not make it the baggage handlers know what it looks like to find it.(knocking on wood that this never happens to me) My Dh thinks I'm nuts for taking the pics. To me it does make sense.

Great posts everybody! I thought about buying this set of deep purple luggage for myself, and didn't really think that there would be too many others buying that color. Hubby just bought all black luggage so we'll have to throw some color on it. Now I have ideas as to how to do that.

I bought some iron-on tags with an italian flag :) : quite a big one, you can spot it from a distance.

My husband is an artist-more as a hobby than anything else but he has done some paintings that people have requested. He took all our luggage and painted scenes on it with fabric paint - we have flamingos, we have palm trees, we have seahorses, we have boats and beaches, etc - and he always adds glitter paint - so we can see it a mile away. So many times we are stopped in airports, cruise ships, etc and asked where we got our luggage (we just consider luggage disposable these days - much like phones, cameras, etc-it is always cheaper to buy new than fix old ones) - it is definitely a conversation starter but that isn't why we did it - it was just so that no one can "accidently" say they thought our luggage was theirs and of course, it is readily identifiable.

If you are no kind of an artist (and I am certainly NOT), like someone said above, go buy a stencil you like, some fabric paint, some glitter paint...........and let your imagination be your guide!

Happy cruising!

I go to the party supply store and buy a pack of cheepie hawiian plastic leis, I wrap them around the handle of each suitcase tie a couple knots in it and it works great, when I get home just cut them off and it is cheap. The brighter the color combination the better. You can see them right away on a luggage belt at the airport , or across a large room at the port when you have to locate your bags.

Cori

Wow, no one can say that we don't have a creative bunch here on cruise critic! :D We decided to buy some relatively inexpensive luggage because we are viewing them as disposable too, but I'm not sure I'll be ready to do anything permanent to my 'new' luggage when I find it. Maybe after we cruise and it gets a little wear.