My suitcase would be easier to recognize if I drew pictures on it. Has anybody tried this? Is the idea smart or stupid? I was thinking about printing out then cutting out a shark outline and using a black sharpie to draw a bunch of sharks on the suitcase. It is a teal suitcase.

You have a teal suitcase and you're worried about recognizing it?

If it was black, you'd have an issue recognizing it. Teal... you'll be fine.

Yes this is a smart idea. It gives a good look to your suitcase and makes it easy for you to recognize your one in thousands of suitcases also.

In the 70's we had orange suitcases. I never mistook them for anyone elses'.
Now we tie some narrow curling ribbon onto the handle.

Like tomfuller I tie ribbons to the handle (my checked bag is black).

Even though we rarely heck bags I still have one in black and one in charcoal just so we can tell our own bags apart (I'm charcoal, he's black).

that was supposed to be "check" bags... (time for new contacts)

a piece of reflective tape

works best for me I have zero

artistic talent...

but anything to help you identify it

in a carosel is great.

I painted flags of some of the countries I have been to (the ones that had simple designs) on my black suitcase with acryllic paint . . . the kind used to paint model cars. I first used fabric paint and that did not work out very well.

The acryllic is beginning to peel a little but my bag is still cute and still distinctive . . . and it was fun to do.

I hear those decals that stick down on tubs to make them non-slip will adhere to bags, you could try that if you found some shapes you like.

Good luck,
Sandy (in Denton)

I don't think it's a smart or stupid idea either one. But with a teal suitcase I don't think it's really necessary to further distinguish it, unless you just want to.

I think its a smart idea. I thought I had a distinctive color suitcase until I landed in Las Vegas and saw three others the same color. I ended up stensilling stars on it - just remember if you do that, to mark both sides so it doesn't matter which way the baggage handler puts it down.

I do usually put a little something extra on mine but just- distinctive ribbon tied on the handle, a large unusual luggage tag, or my red luggage strap that goes around the whole thing and serves as an extra precaution for accidental opening.

My suitcase had a large stain on it when it came back from a check in. I tried scrubbing it out to no avail. Finally, I got some fabric paints and did a design on it. It covered the stain and is simple. While I had the paint out I added some simple marks on the sides. It's easy to spot.

Teal should be easy to spot without resorting to shark drawings. I carry on, but sometimes my black bag is stacked on a train or a bus and I quickly identify it by the big squishy red Texas shaped key chain attached.

I used craft paint and painted a big gecko on mine, it's been on there for years. I can see that suitcase a mile away.

I have considered placing a large hot pink palmetto on my hardside case which hold my camera equipment. Could you imagine a guy strolling around with it? He would definately be remembered if he took my bag.

GOOD one! it happens many time with me that for a while i lost my suitcase.So i have made a design of barcodes on one side of my suitcase.

Educational tour
http://www.cetours.com/

I have written my last name on all four sides of mine with a thick marking pen and also drawn some simple daisies on it. Looks pretty and easy to spot. Tried tying ribbons earlier, but found other travelers had the same idea.

BIG home made luggage tags with a photo of my 52kg Rottweiler and his yellow fluffy duck; it even works with black!

I bought the tags which hold a 6" x 4" photo on eBay for 20 for $5 and did the prints on my home printer. Anything that individual should work fine.

Be wary of any straight suitcase colour; paint the sharks on it. On one memorable occasion my MIL managed to buy a pale grey suitcase with brown leather binding that WASN'T RECTANGULAR. The handle side was much shorter than the hinge side. To make doubly sure she added a red/white/blue striped elastic strap around it. After a long London/Sydney flight she grabbed the bag and left for Canberra.

The problem? Her bag was in Cairns, 2000 miles away! Another traveller had the same bag and the same idea. It took 2 days to get her bag. Paint your sharks and you will know it's yours.