Releasing Our Baggage

September 2024

Big, medium, or small (i.e., “carry on”) suitcases. Hard-shell or soft-shell? Expensive or budget friendly? Full set or replace one at a time, as the situation warrants? Form over function or vice versa? The preferences and options are endless and debates and opinions passionate.

The moment will come when it’s time to invest in a new suitcase because, and I’m confident we’ll agree on this point, the airline crew doesn’t always treat our bags with the proper TLC they deserve. We now find ourselves headed to the store to purchase some new baggage (the good kind of baggage, not the kind that sends you to therapy or scares off potential suitors). But I digress. Back to the store we go, where important decisions must now be made.

Hard-shell or soft-shell? Hard-shell is great when you need to protect precious cargo like your expensive electronics…or that bottle of wine you convinced yourself would survive the trip home from Napa. While this style is ideal if your luggage is coming off or going on a plane during a downpour, there are no promises your bottle(s) of vino will survive the trek intact. Soft-shell versions are perfect if you’re one to pack five sweaters “just in case” for a three-day tropical vacay. It’s fairly apparent the material camp in which I squarely fit. As you should now appreciate, if you’ve read my previous offerings, Big Suitcase Girl can’t possibly be expected to overstuff a hard-side suitcase, even with the expansion zippers fully deployed. Pro tip from a serial over-packer: If you can’t easily close it, just sit on it and hope for the best.

Mobility is also an important consideration. Four-wheeled (spinner) suitcases are a jet-setter’s best friend. You can glide through the airport like a diva on a mission. Just be careful not to channel your inner racecar driver – you don’t want to bowl over toddlers or the octogenarians you were supposed to be avoiding in the TSA security line.  Another pro tip: Find a handle that adjusts smoothly; yanking on a stubborn handle at baggage claim isn’t a charming look. Test it several times before purchasing to avoid accidentally transporting it like a medieval knight with a jousting pole.

As I’ve alluded to in a previous piece, I lean into my OCD/tidiness qualities. So, let’s chat about some of the brilliant organizational features offered with luggage these days. If Marie Kondo were a suitcase, she’d have pockets, dividers, and straps for everything. Trapper Keeper-style! All those extra pockets are super handy for stuffing with snacks or your darling “tiny bags” full of travel-sized chaos. More compartments, however, mean more places to pack your (fever) dreams but also can lead to panic-searching for your passport at security. On the plus side, a well-organized suitcase can help you to finally track down that one sock that decided to sneak out of the dryer weeks ago only to turn up as a stowaway on your business trip.

Lovely, vibrant colors and sassy designs versus utilitarian black, brown, or grey? This is certainly a tough call, but I submit to you a personal lesson learned: When ready to hit the roads and skies once again after travel restrictions were lifted following the pandemic lockdown, I bought an eye-catching black and white houndstooth number, perfect for a two- or three-night stay. I must say, it was visually stunning and oh so pristine on its maiden voyage from my car to the ticket counter. Fast forward three hours when I landed in Boston, I nearly missed it circling by on the baggage claim carousel. It now had the appearance of a veteran road warrior piece of luggage that had seen five years’ worth of hard travel to deep space and back. Needless to say, I was crushed. So, as much as I’d delight in suggesting a fun and festive design print that helps you stand out from the masses, I urge you to consider the darker hues of the color wheel. All is not lost, however. You can add unique and whimsical luggage tags and other personal identifiers such as twillies, stickers, or your monogram to set you and your bag apart from other travelers.

Once you’ve decided on and purchased your new piece or matchy watchy set, proceed to thank and recognize your soon-to-be retired suitcase for its hard work and dedication. He served you well over the years and never judged your proclivity for your inability to pack light. The big fella saw you through some memorable trips and more than a few tricky travel situations you can’t adequately do justice to when attempting to describe to the occasional traveler. Cheers and props to you, buckaroo! Clean it out, making sure to check all the pockets and ‘secret hiding places’, and, if still in decent condition and usable for the light traveler, please donate or hand him down to a friend or loved one. He’ll certainly be a good companion for someone ready to start their own journeys.

This brings us to this month’s: Cautionary Tales and Helpful Suggestions from the Road.

• Whether you’re a bag checker or not, might I suggest investing in some AirTags® (or equivalent for those of you who haven’t chugged the Apple® Kool-Aid). Drop one of those babies in your big suitcase, purse/wallet, backpack, golf clubs, skis, etc. and you’re good to go. While, yes, most airline apps now offer the “follow my bags” feature, I’ve found it often doesn’t refresh in a timely manner if it’s not experiencing a full blown “system error” during a flight. Having a general idea of where my travel pieces are provides a measure of comfort and assurance allowing me to instead focus on prepping for upcoming meetings, reading a mindless novel, working on my expense and contact/trip reports, or, more than likely, observing those around me and taking notes for future BSG entries. Who needs the stress of worrying about the location of our precious cargo when we can let the genius brain trust from Cupertino provide yet another gadget we can’t imagine living without. It’s the best of both worlds, my friends.

What habits and travel-friendly tricks work for you? What would you like to learn more about? I’d love to hear from you and learn your lifehacks when it comes to travel. I’d also appreciate knowing any topics you want me to address. Ping me and I’ll add your ideas (and suggestions/feedback) to my running list of prospective topics and possibly include them in one of my upcoming pieces.

Here’s hoping Big Suitcase Girl continues to offer insight, suggestions, highlights and, at times, a smattering of lowlights, mixed with a bunch of levity around the big world of travel, no matter the size of suitcase you choose to bring. More soon!