Bringing home items purchased

I carry a packable backpack. I got it from Eddie Bauer last year. It's light and thin but roomy.
It'd cost a lot of money to ship stuff from EU .

Like the others I too take along an extra bag. I generally check the roll aboard and carry the softer bag with the breakables with me. That way too, I have the things with me that I want to share as presents immediately or enjoy myself as soon as I get home. It doesn't matter if that dirty laundry takes longer to get there.

Pam

Hi Liz. Are these bowls ceramic? I've brought home fragile items before and I've always put them in my carry-on luggage. Will you have another bag in addition to your suitcase? If your trip hasn't started yet, I would suggest bringing a backpack or large shoulder bag. You can check your suitcase if your airline only allows one carry-on. If you're already in Italy, it might be worth buying a tote bag for the bowls and other fragile items. I've never mailed anything important home so I can't give you advice about that.

I do have a regular backpack for my laptop. I'll try to find a tote that can do the laptop and the ceramic bowls. Thanks!

Hi Liz,

I bought some beautiful cups, bowls and plates from Gien in Paris. I had them shipped. It was not that much. It took about 4 weeks to arrive.

We usually pack a "soft" bag (either the "Rick Steves" backpack or a duffle type bag) and put non-brakables in that, and breakables in our roller bags for the trip back, checking the soft bag.

If you are already there, you can get a duffle type bag cheap, on one trip, we found a hard plastic "trunk" at our last stop for about $20 US and filled and checked that.

I always pack an extra empty duffel or two. I have also had expensive glass vases packed by and shipped by the big department store in Stockholm. The largest one broke in transit. I sent a letter with photos and it was remade and replaced. I also had a old phonograph shipped by my hotel in Buenos Aires. Expensive ($200) but it got home okay.

I have brought home ceramics from Italy 2 or 3 times now. I always hand carry on board. They are usually in the plastic bags and packed from the store in paper and bubble wrap. I'm anal about my purchases and want them with me so they don't get broken. I place them under the seat in front of me, not in the overhead bin. I've never had anything break that way, and I don't have to wait for, or pay for delivery.

last trip home I brought a cookie jar and a bowl from Orvieto.. I'm planning on bringing a canvas shopping bag from now on, just for the security of it not breaking, and to stop taking plastic bags (which I hate and don't use at the grocery- I use my canvas bags)

I bring the RS hideaway tote, purchased on this website and currently on sale for 30% off. We usually stuff our dirty clothes in it and pack what we buy in our regular luggage.

Our first trip to Italy was with kids. We went over with one carry-on each.

They purchased more than the usual amount of souvenirs so we bought a cheap rolling duffle from a street vendor and checked it on the way home. Anything fragile went in our carry-ons.

I use a tupperware type container with lid in my suitcase, and pack in it as I go over. On return, I put any breakable items in it, secure as possible, and pack clothing around them as well. Easy and safe each time.

We always take an expandable bag. At the end of the trip in goes the dirty clothes and whatever else doesn't needed to be carried on in order to make room for any treasures that we bought. If something is too fragile or too large to pack, it gets shipped home from the vendor.