Tagging luggage

Susan and Monte, from Sharon and Monte. We put a luggage tag on each piece of carry-on, convertible bags and shoulder bags. They have name, home address, and telephone number. Inside we have a copy of our itinerary, but that may be redundant because carry-on bags won't get lost. Sharon's tags are leather on which is stamped the information. Mine are modified military dog tags, also with the information. Some people think it is important to have tags that will not allow crooks to read the information. Our's fit into that category.

You should use you home address! IF your bags get lost, they might not be found for a while (fingers crossed that doesn't happen), so putting your destination address if not appropriate. The airline needs to be able to track you to a "permanent" address. But if you will be carrying your cell phone, put that phone number.

Thanks for the help! We'll put down our home address.

Might I suggest you use both? If your luggage is hopelessly lost (and let's hope not), your home address will help get it back to the right place. If it's only modestly misplaced, a clear indication of your two hotel stops would help it find you on the road. I make my own on the computer and put them in self-laminating luggage tags - just clip off the hotel information when you arrive, then your home address will suffice for the return trip.

That's a very good idea. I'll do it, thanks!

If I check a bag, I put my home address and cell phone number on my luggage tag (you have to take the card out of the tag to see the address) and inside the bag I put a copy of my itinerary, including the addresses and phone numbers of hotels I will stay in. If your bag gets lost and you end up leaving the airport without it, the security people will search it and find the itinerary.

May I suggest that instead of your "home" address, you put your work address on your tags. That way you do not reveal that your house is sitting empty while you travel. I have always done that and it just puts my mind at ease. I agree about putting the hotel address on the tag, also, so that the luggage can catch up to you.

I agree with Karen. We NEVER put our home address on our luggage tags. If a bag is lost and takes a while to make it back to you, the office address will be just as good. Only the people who NEED to know we're on vacation will know. Of course, a copy of your itinerary (with dates) will help any lost bags catch up with you while you are travelling.

While the office address may be a good idea, I don't think that if your airline at Fiumicino loses your luggage or someone in Rome steals it, that they are going to contact thieves in the US and tell them that your house is empty. Put your office address or a relative's address if it will make you feel more secure but I don't think it is a common occurrence. To respond to Susan and Monte, I think that some previous comments suggesting you do both isn't a bad idea. On my actual luggage tag I have my home address, and you may want to stick a copy of your itinerary for the first few days and phone numbers in the top of your luggage.