It’s every traveler’s worst fear: you open up the bag you deliriously picked up off the baggage claim carousel and see a pack full of clothes… That totally aren’t yours. Panic sets in: Where is my bag, then?! And suddenly that relaxing vacation turns into a manhunt for your cashmere sweater that can’t be replaced. Fear not, intrepid travelers, because we’ve thought up a couple of foolproof ways to guard yourself against this travel horror story — read on and find out our best ways to never lose your luggage again!

Tie On a Spare Ribbon

If you have any colorful ribbon lying around, pick it up and tie it around your luggage. You can also use a scarf or any long strip of fabric that you have on hand to make your luggage really stand out.

Pro tip: We’ve even tied on clothes that won’t fit into our bags to the handles to get more bang for our buck. Looking for more packing tips? Check out our post on fitting four months of travel into a carry-on.

Buy a Decorative Handle Wrap

These padded (and unique!) handle wraps let you easily spot your bag while also making it easy and comfortable to grab the correct piece of luggage from the carousel. Score!

Use Unique Luggage Tags

Yep, you’re kicking it old school now! There are tons of places where you can buy distinctive and personalized name tags to hang on your baggage. It also comes with the added benefit of being able to put your contact information on your luggage in case another traveler picks up your bag by mistake.

Put a Belt on It

If you stuff your bag to the extreme, then a luggage belt might be the best option for you. It’s like a belt for your bag — that you don’t have to unbuckle when you eat too much at Thanksgiving! They come in tons of colors and patterns to ensure that yours is one-of-a-kind.

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Go Patch Crazy

Head on over to your local arts and crafts store and pick out those iron-on patches that you made your parents put all over your backpack in middle school so that all the kids knew that you were cool. There are patches for cat lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, foodies… You name it.

Pro tip: Picking patches that mean something to you can help start great conversations with fellow travelers — it’s like online dating without the unsolicited messages!

Let Out Your Inner Artist

A photo posted by vanessa jean speckman (@vanessajeanspeckman) on Aug 9, 2015 at 9:54am PDT

If you’ve ever wanted to wield a paintbrush, now’s the time! Get some spray paint or acrylic paints and get ready to bedazzle your luggage in a way that is uniquely you. Plus, if someone compliments your artwork, you can take extra pride in the fact that you made it.

Get Creative With Duct Tape

If you love duct tape, why not use it to mark up your baggage? Let those around you know that you’re a hardcore survivalist with your cool duct-tape designs. Trust us, no one is going to mistake your bag for theirs ever again.

Opt for High Tech

A photo posted by Tile (@tiledit) on Sep 29, 2016 at 7:15pm PDT

There are a lot of apps out there that allow you to put a tracking device in your baggage and actually follow its progress from the plane to luggage carousel. Get in on the fun and truly never lose track of your bags again!

Do you know any other tricks to keep track of your luggage? Tell us in the comments below! 

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