I know you have lots of questions going on in your head. Such as 

Should you wrap your luggage?

Pros and cons of wrapping your suitcase?

How much does it cost to wrap your luggage?

Can we wrap a suitcase at home?

Yes, yes, I will answer all these questions, but first, let’s dive into whether we should wrap our suitcases.

Hold tight!

Should you wrap your suitcase? 

Yes, you should wrap your suitcase and luggage even if it costs you some bucks. 

It will give your valuable luggage better security, safety, and enhanced longevity. 

Airport luggage handlers handle thousands of luggage every single day. And while doing these, workers recklessly throw checked luggage into the luggage conveyor belt. 

This reckless act causes damage to both items in the luggage and the luggage itself. 

They do not care about cheap or expensive luggage

This is why some people prefer to take cheap luggage and avoid big damage. 

But if you have expensive luggage, then preventing your luggage and expensive items in the luggage from being damaged is a big issue. 

And this is why you should wrap your luggage and prevent damage.  

Can You Wrap Your Bags Yourself? 

Yes, you can wrap your bag by yourself. Many travelers prefer wrapping their luggage on their own. Although it will cost you some time, money, and effort doing it will save your luggage from tear and wear. 

But be aware that it can be removed by security officers in the airport for TSA inspection and passenger safety. 

But DIY luggage wrapping is a good idea for luggage safety.  

How to wrap a suitcase at home? 

Let’s see the steps involved in How to wrap a suitcase at home using the DIY method. 

Step 1: Choosing appropriate wrapping plastic 

Choosing appropriate wrapping plastic
Choosing appropriate wrapping plastic

There are a lot of plastic wrappers available in the market specially manufactured for luggage wrapping and industrial use.

 These wrappers are thick and can give your luggage good protection. 

 These wrappers are designed with a big cylinder shape handle to make your wrapping easier. 

While you are selecting a wrapping plastic, make sure to select a wrapper that comes with bright, vivid color so that identifying after travel becomes easier for you. 

Step 2: Pack your luggage well

Pack your luggage well
Pack your luggage well

Before starting to wrap, make sure that you have packed your luggage very well and that you do not need to open the luggage again before the trip.

 Make sure that you do not put anything in the luggage that will be required during the traveling. 

And also, make sure you do not need to put anything in it. 

This way, you won’t have to cut off the wrapping and re wrap the luggage again. 

Step 3: Apply the wrapping

Apply the wrapping
Apply the wrapping

First, start wrapping the bag at the center; you have to place your wrapper beneath the side handle of your luggage and start rolling the wrapper from one end to another of your luggage. 

This way, you will wrap the center of your luggage; you can use 2/3 wrap on top of the other to ensure the wrapping is thick. 

Now in order to fully wrap your luggage, you have to start rolling the rapper side wise so that you can wrap the telescopic handle and the bottom spinner wheels. 

While wrapping the luggage, make sure to

Step 4: Use Tape and make sure the wrap is tightly attached

Use Tape and make sure the wrap is tightly attached
Use Tape and make sure the wrap is tightly attached

When you have completed the wrapping process, the next task is to secure the end of the wrapping plastics with tape so that it does not come off easily. 

Step 5: Cut wholes for spinner wheels 

Cut wholes for spinner wheels
Cut wholes for spinner wheels

When the wrapping is complete, you have to cut wholes for spinners wheels at each corner of the bottom of the luggage and cut wholes for the handle. 

Pros and Cons of plastic wrapping a suitcase: 

There are several pros and cons of wrapping luggage that a traveler gets when traveling by air. These pros and cons are the followings.

 Pros of plastic wrapping a suitcase

Pros of plastic wrapping a suitcase
Pros of plastic wrapping a suitcase

Prevent damage: 

Many of us take expensive and luxurious items in luggage while traveling by air, and those items can be fragile too. 

For those fragile items such as electronics and glass items, wrapping prevent damage from both water and shock 

Protection:  

Wrapping a suitcase provides an extra layer of protection to the exterior of the luggage. 

Indeed, airport luggage handlers do not pay as much care to your luggage as you do. 

And without a wrapping layer, your luggage can tear and wear. 

Theft deterrence:

Airport luggage handlers have a bad reputation for stealing goods from luggage. 

They often rummage and steal expensive items. 

And if you want to prevent that, a layer of wrapping is a good idea.  

Smugglers often hide smuggling items in other passengers’ luggage. And if you want to stay safe from any unwanted incident like this, wrapping is a good choice. 

Mental peace

No doubt that wrapping can give your luggage extra protection, and that will give mental peace. Wrapping will reduce your worries about your luggage.  

Cons of plastic wrapping a suitcase

Cons of plastic wrapping a suitcase
Cons of plastic wrapping a suitcase

Extra cost: 

Wrapping luggage in wrapping plastic will cost you several dollars. 

Either you wrap yourself or hire professionals at the airport; wrapping will cost you some dollars. 

Environment effect: 

Wrapping your luggage in plastic bags may be a good idea for luggage safety and security of your items. 

But when thousands of plastic wrappers are dumped after use, it affects the environment and pollutes water and soil. 

TSA inspection:

Airport authority sometimes randomly checks luggage for TSA inspection. In such cases, they tear off the plastic wrapping, which then becomes useless and a total waste of money.   

Environment effects of plastic wrap 

While plastic wrap provides security to your luggage, it is also polluting the environment badly. 

Thousands of plastic wraps are being dumped after traveling without recycling. 

And most of the dumped plastic wraps are directly harming the environment by getting mixed in the ocean water and killing marine life such as coastal coral, and destroying small fish colonies. 

Plastic wrap also takes more than 500 years to decompose, and when mixed with soil, it reduces the fertility of the soil. 

This is how it is affecting the environment. 

How much does it cost? 

The price of wrapping luggage varies from company to company. 

A regular-size luggage wrapping may cost you 10/20 dollars, and irregular-size luggage may cost you more than 20 dollars and can go up to 50 dollars.  

How long does it take? 

If you take professional service, then it will take not more than a minute to complete wrapping your luggage. 

But if you do it yourself, then it will cost you 5/10 minutes. 

Can you wrap your checked luggage? 

Yes, you can wrap your checked luggage by yourself; for that, all you have to do is follow the steps mentioned in the upper section. 

Luggage wrapping machine 

There are a lot of luggage wrapping machines available that do the job perfectly, but it is not convenient for you if you want to use it for personal use. 

These machines are sued by luggage wrapping companies and airport authorities. 

Alternative to Plastic Wrap!

There are many alternatives to plastic wrap for luggage covers, such as fabric wrap and biodegradable hard paper; these items can also be used for luggage wrapping. 

Where to Get Your Bags Wrapped? 

You can get your luggage wrapped at secure wrap stations, which can be located on airport departure levels near check-in desks. 

But you have to pay some bucks to get your luggage wrapped. 

If you have gone through this article, then now you have a total knowledge regarding How to wrap a suitcase and prevent it from being damaged. 

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Till the next time, stay happy and Happy traveling!

Siam Sarwar