What kind of Suitcase do you need before you study abroad?!?

It is very important when choosing the right suitcase to remember:

1. Bigger does NOT mean better.

2. How are you gonna carry everything by yourself?

3. What about souvenirs? 

360 degree suitcases are good: the largest ones they sell are bad.

 

1. First lets start with the size of your suitcase

Checked Baggage: Even though you are thinking you may need the biggest suitcase you can find and the biggest carry on, you really don't. These bigger suitcases may be harder to carry, take up most of your weight limit and may be too hard to use once you are in Europe. Remember your suitcase can never be above 50lbs or 23kg unless you want a large fine so the lighter the suitcase the better.

Carry-on: Many different size rolling bags may say they are carry-on sizes...this does not mean they fit on smaller planes, or are considered carry-on size in Europe so remember to keep this in mind.

  A fold up duffel can be purchased at Target or Wal-Mart for around $15.00 For anyone wanting an extra suitcase but is on a budget.

2. The next thing to remember when considering what bags you want to bring along is to remember you have to carry all your bags yourself. That means throughout your trip, this may become very difficult, as I have learned, if you are packing too much, or have awkward size bags. Wheels are a must for most of your luggage. When choosing a wheeled suitcase you might also want to think about if it would be easier to push or pull your suitcase. If you chose push the 360 degree wheeled suitcases might be your best option, but again remember even though they come in very large sizes, the largest sizes are more trouble than they are worth. Backpacks also work great especially when traveling throughout Europe.

3. If you are like me you are probably thinking about all the cool things you are going to buy over in Europe. It's probably best to put an extra suitcase inside your checked baggage so that when you return home you have room for your souvenirs. If you are thinking you will have enough room in your suitcase for all your souvenirs then remember the weight aspect again, if you are close to 50lbs on the way there, you would be better off bringing an extra bag inside, its cheaper to check a second bag then to pay for an overweight bag. If you don't do this you may end up throwing away a lot more than you thought you would at the airport.

Remember these helpful hints and you will know what suitcases are the best to bring.

-Amanda