Any tips for making your luggage stand out?

[New2Cruisin'07]

We are travelling on our first vacation anywhere with the family. I am getting nervous about the fine details of the trip. How are my husband and I suppost to juggle 3 young kids, all our carry-ons, and be able to 'quickly' grab our checked luggage to catch the connecting flight. Does anyone have good tips on using tags/ribbons/tape on the checked luggage to help identify it really quickly when it comes off the plane? Maybe something unique, but still okay with the airlines?

[nybumpkin]

There's a thread on this topic on the "Ask a Cruise Question" board. I think for our next cruise, we're going to get some neon-colored duct tape and put our initials on each side of each bag. Other suggestions I've seen include putting colored ribbons on your baggage handles - but too many people do that already. I've seen lots of black bags with red ribbons.

 

For connecting flights, generally you shoudn't have to collect the bags at the end of each leg of the trip - the attendants should be able to check them through to your final destination. When you're changing planes, all you should need to juggle are your carry-ons and the kids. (I'm a mom of three, and that's plenty to have to juggle!:eek: )

[Cruise Arizona]

I went to the fabric store and bought a spool of turquoise, blue, and green striped grosgrain ribbon and then tied it around the handle of each suitcase. Just little knot with with about 2 inch tails.... just enough that it doesn't tangle or get caught, but a bright color and unique pattern that stands out.

 

Also, a suit case count is helpful.

 

Be sure to weight your suit cases and check your airlines weight limits and review the new TSA rules about what you can and can't carry on.

[TRIBE1959]

First plan. I never use black luggage LOL. Ribbons work pretty well. Just a suggestion, don't use red or lime green. They are everywhere.

[SleepingUgly]

Stickers. Lots of stickers. They don't fall off that easily (depending on your luggage), but you can still peel them off if you'd like. We attached a lot of Scooby Doo stickers (only ones we could find at the time :D ) to one piece of our luggage, and we knew right away when it came out!

 

Also, once, we had our daughters draw and write their names with brightly colored markers on regular paper, then attached those to the lugguage with packing tape. They stayed on very well and were easy to remove. The funny part was that our older daughter wrote her name REALLY big in Chinese characters, and so people were wondering what the heck it said. But at least we could ID it quickly and easily.

 

Linda

[crusinmama06]

I use the ribbons too. I buy like a whole bunch of different shades of PINK and tie loads of them to the handles. :D

 

Oh and I just called my TA cause you scared me...lol. She said it is rare to need to get your baggage at connecting flights. I am leaving next Saturday and we have a layover in Phillie. She said the bags will be transfered to the plane to Miami.

 

So just doublecheck that ok.

[PHXscuba]

New2cruising:

You won't need to get your luggage in between flights. We traveled last fall, two different airlines each way, and the bags still went where they were supposed to. Just make sure when you check in your bags that they have tags to go all the way to their final destination.

 

As for IDing them on the outside, I buy bright orange ribbon from the dollar bin at the craft store and tie it to each handle (carry-ons included). Very easy to verify they are ours. This time I am also using big self-stick labels with our contact info on the inside lid of each suitcase just in case the luggage tags get ripped off.

 

Good luck!

 

PHXscuba

"You can't have everything -- besides, where would you put it all?":D

[paminohio]

Friends of mine have black bags so they painted a day-glo orange stripe on it so they could find it more easily! Me...I never use black or blue luggage! We have red and it's SO much easier to find. Next bags I buy will be even more colorful!

[donaldsc]

Spray paint it day-glo pink and then paste yellow smiley faces on it. That should make it stand out - but it will really embarrasse (sp?) your kids.

 

DON

[westcoastnative]

I used the ribbon idea with leftover patterned wide Christmas ribbon. Then, on each ribbon, I wrote a number on it corresponding to how many pieces of luggage we were checking. Five pieces of luggage meant each piece was labelled 1 through 5. I had also packed an empty duffle into one of the cases and it too had a ribbon - number 6. I needed that extra duffle on the way home for the souvenirs we bought! (Yes, I know this sounds a little anal and it gets worse - I also had a list of what each numbered piece of luggage had in it! And clothes for each of the four of us was evenly distributed among all cases.):o

 

Also, I took a picture of each suitcase so that if one (or more) didn't show up, I'd have a handy picture on the digital camera that I carried with me. That way I wouldn't have to think too hard to describe a missing case. Fortunately, since I've gotten the digital camera, I've never had to use those pictures. I do remember one time when we did miss some luggage and I was at a complete loss in describing the missing piece!:confused:

 

Enjoy your cruise!:)

[DCPIV]

The photo is a great idea, Westcoast!

 

 

D

[dosi]

Our ribbons are a hideous bright yellow and orange harlequin pattern. About 2 inches wide. Trust me, we can ALWAYS find our bags. I went to Walmart and told the lady "Give me the ugliest ribbon you have" and dang it she did!!:D

[paytongirls]

i have black bags...& use luggage tags...daughter got her very own luggage in purple and used modgepoge (its never coming off) to cut out some fabric shapes in her favoite fabric pieces of little mermaid an cheetah and attached them to the suitcases...gonna be hard for someone to mistake their run of the mill purple bags for her one of a kinds....

also i suggest giving each kid a small backpack with snack, juice box/water (not sure about airport restictions) activity book an color crayons a fav. toy or stuffed animal and their own small blanket (if this is first time far from home these are a must) from our 1st trip when she was 18months ive had my daughter carry her own backpack an its always helped her stay calm during the long waits for flights....also helps that shes more willing to carry her own bag to explore new places while at the same time helping out by carrying items not able to fit in my purse.

[Terpnut]

We have used both duct tape on the sides of our luggage and bright colored gift wrap ribbons tied to as many handles and zipper pulls as possible. Also there are lighted flashing luggage tags available that blink intermittently so you can see them easily coming off the carousel.

[ShedQueen77]

I use neon colored zip ties on the zippers of my plum colored luggage. It looks awful but it's noticeable. I also have large rubber Pittsburgh Steelers luggage tags and a few bright lavender croc skin (fake) ones. If the ties didn't clue me off, the tags did. They're not very common ones.

[CeleBrat]

We have a large rubbermaid container of stickers. So...I just let the kids (aged 4 and 6) go CRAZY putting stickers all over the outsides of the suitcases. It makes your luggage look strange--what with smiley face, ladybug, cartoon character and heart shaped stickers randomly pasted all over the outside. But--it works!

 

And it kept the kids busy for HOURS!!

 

CeleBrat

[SailingDeanna]

We have black luggage also. Lots of stores sell luggage straps. (including wal-mart) in all kinds of shapes and colors. It straps around your entire bag. Works like a charm! We can I.D. it quite quickly. The straps are inexpensive too.