How to Prevent Your Checked Bag From Being Lost

I almost NEVER check luggage, especially when I’m headed to a destination. One reason is that I know bag tags can easily tear off. The thought of my bag being lost on the way to a great destination doesn’t sit well with me. However, there are times when a checked bag can’t be avoided. I may not like it but I am prepared.

Checked luggage goes through many conveyor belts on its way to your plane. During its journey, it also sits in different carts and gets touched by many hands. Your bag can get tossed around and the bag tag may come off. Glue and paper are not invincible!

To add even more hurdles to your bag finding you, most bags are black. That makes it even more difficult to find your bag when it gets lost.

No tag and one of a million black bags…what do you do if that happens and how can you keep it from happening in the first place?

How to keep your checked luggage from being lost

Make Checked Luggage Information Easy to Find

I take a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper and write the following information that will make it easy for the airlines to contact me and also for them to know where my bag should end up:

Name: Roni Faida

Flight # 1058

Departure city: CLT

Destination: CDG

Contact number: 704-412-8422

I put this paper inside my bag on top of my clothes so it’s the first thing you see when you open my suitcase. That way, if my bag has to be opened, they will immediately see who the owner is. I also put one in the front compartment on my suitcase if it has a front pocket.

See those curtains on these carts? Those open and bags fall out. Photo by Goh Rhy Yan on Unsplash

You can also put the address of where you will be staying so they will automatically know where to deliver the bag.

Want to make it easy peasy? Just use this Luggage Information Printable I made for you. Click on the image below and a printable pdf is available for your use. Print it out, fill it out and know your bag will find you!

Remember What Your Checked Luggage Looks Like

Take a picture of your checked bag before you check it. Why? Because you can show that picture to the agent and be able to have a complete description of your lost bag.

Make Your Checked Luggage Memorable

Add a luggage strap to your bag if it doesn’t have any distinguishing characteristics. This makes it easier to find while also protecting the contents of your bag in case of a busted zipper.

Technology Can Make Checked Luggage Harder to Lose

Have you ever heard of a luggage tracker? It’s the newest technology that helps you figure out where your bag is even if the airline has no idea. This is what you need to help give you peace of mind when you check bags!

Have you ever had your checked luggage lost?

This post contains affiliate links. What does that mean? If you love the products I’ve included in this post and you buy them, I get a small commission. It’s a win-win, you get dope products and I get to keep providing you with helpful travel info!

What To Do When Packing Fragile Items For Flight

Fragile stickers do not work on your checked bags

I have worked as a baggage handler for 11 years and I constantly see checked bags with fragile stickers. I think passengers believe that if they put a fragile sticker on their checked bags that will somehow make a difference in how the bag is treated. Trust me, It won’t.

No matter how big you write it or how big your sticker is, in most cases, it will not help.

I’m just trying to save you some frustration because most baggage handlers do not care about your fragile sticker. They should but most don’t and won’t.

The pictures below is of an acoustic guitar and the box is clearly marked fragile. The passenger also wrote it all over the box. You can’t see it well in this pic but this acoustic guitar is smashed between two big suitcases. See how much good the fragile sticker did?

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some of us that will take extra care with your bag but that’s only because we don’t mind taking extra steps to care for your fragile item.

However, everyone isn’t like me and our job is to load and unload bags, not to gingerly place it in the plane or in a cart. If there are fragile items that can’t be carried on with you, then you need to send your bag by cargo or find out the different options the airline you are traveling on has for fragile items. Usually that includes paying much more than you would by checking your bag but if what you are traveling with is of value to you, then it is my recommendation that you pay the extra money to ensure its safe arrival.

Plus, when you check a bag there is no insurance you can buy to guarantee a safe arrival. If your fragile item shows up broken, you will have no recourse. But if you ship it through the airlines and pay whatever fee they charge, you will be insured.

If paying a shipping fee isn’t possible, then make sure to wrap your items in plenty of bubble wrap which can help your items immensely. Bubble wrap can be purchased rather cheaply in stores all across the country and the extra time it takes for you to wrap them with care will give you more piece of mind when you check your bag.

Have you ever marked your bags fragile? Did the bag(s) arrive safely?

What To Pack For An Overnight Trip

I am often asked how I only take a carry-on so I’m showing you what to pack for an overnight trip. For instance, when I have overnight trip I only take a very small Travelon carry-on bag. I’ve had that bag for about 10 years and I love it! Of course I used my packing cubes which always makes everything easier!

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In my bag I usually pack the following:

sleepwear
undies
showercap
One of my handmade bonnets
House slippers
shirt
toiletries
Silver shoes

One of my go-to overnight outfits. This shirt is light enough to not add much weight to a carry-on bag and can be layered easily for colder weather. It makes packing for an overnight trip simple!

That’s it. There was no need to pack anything else because that is everything needed for an overnight trip. A sweater and scarf can be worn in case it gets chilly, and an extra shirt can be packed to wear the next day. There is nothing wrong with re-wearing jeans and your accessories can match everything you pack. I love the silver flats because they are comfortable and they can dress up jeans without trying too hard.

I like to be stylish and cute when I travel but I don’t like to spend lots of money doing it, I prefer to spend my money on the things that are important to me while I’m in destination.

Do you pack more when you travel for a couple of days?

How To Pack A Carry On Bag For 10 Days

Do you pack a carry-on bag when you travel? Do you think you could pack a carry on bag for 10 days? I have been team carry-on for over 10 years now and I’m telling you, it’s easy to be stylish and still only take a carry-on bag.

All of the outfits in the pic below were in my carry-on bag for my 10 day trip to Barcelona. I use my line of packing cubes which keeps everything nice and neat.

Check out my video and see just how easy it is to use them.

How to pack a carry on bag for 10 days

The following 3 basic items were in my bag. I built my wardrobe around these. Amazon has all of these items in stock, and if you click the links I will get a small commission.

Grey pair of pants. Amazon has them as a pack of 2, I love mine!
Grey skirt. This option packs up nicely!
Black skirt. This is plus size but I find that those skirts fit me better cause I have an ample bottom.
A jean jacket. I think a jean jacket works well for traveling because they can be dressed up or down.

The above items were paired with 6 shirts and 3 tank shirts. I like color so I made sure my shirts were vibrant (which meant they could all be washed together). I love dresses (you can see some of the dresses I have found on Amazon here, they have traveled all over the world with me!) so I packed a couple of those and took 2 pairs of shoes. Two scarves, my jewelry and 1 purse (you can see I rocked it in almost all my pics) made up the rest. That’s it. That’s all I needed and I had more than enough.

I took the 3 basics from my carry-on and created several different looks. All it takes is a little planning to coordinate your outfits and you’ll be set!

This is one of my favorite travel dresses. I got it from Amazon and it fits great! Try this one and this is another option for this style of dress. Just hang it up to dry or dry it with no hot air. What do you think of my wardrobe? Have you used packing cubes? Check out my video and see just how easy it is to use them.

So what do you think? Could you pack for a trip only using a carry-on bag?

1 Cheap Hack To Help You Stop Losing Your Stuff

You wouldn’t believe how often things fall out of checked bags! Did you know there is 1 cheap hack to help you stop losing your stuff when you check your bags?

I saw the blow dryer above when I was delivering my bags. It had fallen out of a bag and of course there was no way to figure out which bag it belonged in. It probably won’t be claimed and the passenger probably thinks someone went into their bag and stole their items (the last thing most ramp agents want to do is touch someone’s things inside of their checked bag).

Most of the time when things are lost they are NOT stolen. They are lost because they have fallen out because they were in a bag that was overstuffed or in a side pocket.

So, to protect your items from being lost, label them. Label them with mailing labels or some type of sticker that has your name and contact information on it. You may also want to put your destination and where you’ll be staying in case your items can be shipped to you while on vacation.

This way, when your things are taken to baggage services or lost and found, someone can contact you. Easy, right? And of course, you need my packing cubes to help keep your things organized!

Have you ever arrived at your destination with items missing?

Packing Shoes For Travel

Packing shoes for travel can sometimes be an issue but I have a system that I have used for years now that I thought you may find helpful. NOTE: My shoes are not models, these are the actual shoes I wear when I travel so they are a bit beat up (but very comfy).

When I pack my carry-on bag, I don’t like for my shoes to lay on my clothes (sometimes the bottom of shoes are dirty) especially these shoes because of the sequins. So these shoe covers protect my clothes from any dirt or sequins that may have fallen off.

I use these often and have for years (click here to buy yours) You can use plastic bags.

I like the shoe covers because they are simple, they have lasted me for years, they keep my shoes away from my clothes, and I like the way I can tie the ends which makes sure my shoes are snug.

Packing

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