Usually when you are travelling, you want to buy some souvenirs. They may be big or small, cheap or expensive or strong or breakable. When buying something breakable it is good to know how you can get your souvenir back home in one piece. There are a few ways to do this.

The first choice you will have to make is whether you are taking the item with you or shipping it home from wherever you are. In some cases – your best option may be to ship it with an international shipping service, such as FedEX, or an excess baggage/shipping service specific to the country you’re are shipping from. Not all airlines are equally reliable when it comes to getting luggage to a destination in the first place, let alone unbroken. The smartest choice would be to ship it from your holiday destination. Most shipping services allow you to track your package and purchase extra insurance as well. If you ship excess baggage as you acquire it, you can continue to travel carryon only.

If you decide that you would rather keep your breakable souvenir or gift close to you, there are some ways to help you out. The first important thing to know is that it is allowed to take wrapped items on planes as both checked baggage and carry-on. Do keep in mind that, for security reasons, custom officials may have to open up your package. It is recommended to – if your souvenir isn’t too big – take it with you on the plane as carry-on. This way you will always be sure that it doesn’t get thrown around. When taking carry-on you should be aware of the security rules. Liquids, strange looking metal things and sometimes glass are not allowed. Definitely inform yourself of your airline’s luggage policies before checking your bags e.g., here’s an easy link to Qantas’ policies. You should always wrap your item though, even when taking it as carry-on, but especially do that when you’re checking it in a larger bag.

Wrapping souvenirs does not need to be costly. Usually when you buy fragile things, it already comes in a box, including stuffing. Don’t throw that away. Bubble wrap is a great way of safely wrapping breakable items. If you happen to have old newspapers or magazines, that’s great too. They can be used to stuff your souvenir or secure loose-hanging pieces. Sponges attached to breakable things will also act as a buffer. Another suggestion is to double box it. This usually leaves room between the two boxes, which you can stuff with newspapers or other soft things. Lastly, there is something else you can do. This will also save you some space in your luggage. Just as you should put socks in your shoes when packing, you could also put socks and other smaller pieces of clothing in or around your breakable gift. If you then wrap it in towels or sweatshirts, chances are much, much higher that it arrives back home in one whole piece.

After wrapping it with all soft things you can find, the last step is to place your package or souvenir in your baggage and secure it. It shouldn’t be able to move around. Tape would work, for example.

Cookware like Le Creuset tends to be much cheaper in countries like the US, especially if you buy it online or at outlet malls. Therefore it can be a good purchase if you are confident you can transport it home and factor in the cost of this.

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