Top 5 Things to Store in Hard Luggage

When you want to protect your belongings while traveling, think hard luggage. Hard luggage provides a variety of benefits, the foremost being its ability to defend your personal items from damage. Hardside luggage is also often more easily secured with a lock, making it the ultimate way to keep your things safe and secure during travel. Keep reading to learn the top five things that hard luggage excels at protecting.

Things to Store in Hard Luggage:

1. Health, beauty and hygiene items: The tough shells of hardside luggage can help protect your health, beauty and hygiene items from the abuse of airport baggage handling. Because many of these items are liquid, it's smart to protect them from breakage by storing them in hard-sided luggage. Remember to place liquid items in TSA-approved bottles if you're flying and in plastic bags to contain the mess if one ends up leaking; that way, your hard luggage and everything else in it stay clean.

2. Electronics: Broken electronics can be costly and inconvenient any time, but especially so when you're traveling. Avoid the hassle of a broken computer or camcorder and the worry of potential breakage by storing electronics in your hard-shell suitcase. Look for luggage with pockets the right size for your various electronics so they don't jostle around as easily. Some of the best luggage will meet airline carry-on restrictions, so you can keep your electronics with you at all times.

3. Perishables: If you travel with special food items or liquids, such as baby food and milk, or if you're bringing home an exotic wine from your travels, good hard-sided luggage with protective padding inside will lower the chances of finding smashed cake or broken bottles in your luggage when you get home. Hard luggage will protect these items even if you have to slam on your brakes while driving. When you fly, always double-check your airline's food and liquid restrictions before trying to pack the perishables in your hard suitcase; many airlines prefer you to keep special dietary items like these in smaller bags that are more easily accessible.

4. Jewelry: Hard luggage and baggage is essential for storing items with high monetary value, such as jewelry. Not only will your hard-shell suitcase protect the jewelry from damage; it'll make the jewelry less accessible to would-be thieves. The best luggage doesn't even look like it's holding anything valuable in it, whether it's locked or not. Many hard suitcases come with locks built in for added security when you travel with valuable items.

5. Photos, art or other fragile items: Any fragile item you take on a trip should be stored in hard luggage. Using hard bags is the best way to protect your items when you're traveling. Before placing fragile items like photos or artwork in your hard bags, make sure to secure them first in appropriate padding that affords an extra layer of protection, such as a thick folder to prevent your photos from getting bent.