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What Are the Best Tips for Luggage Storage?

By Bethany Keene
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 31,342
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It is important to store luggage carefully to ensure it does not become damaged, mildewed, or unusable if it spends a long time in storage in between trips. Generally, the best luggage storage tip is to empty everything out of the bags, nest smaller bags inside larger bags, and keep them in a closet or under the bed rather than in an attic or basement. This is because those areas of the home tend to experience more moisture than others, and it is easy for luggage to get damp, mildewy, and unusable in just a short period of time.

If at all possible, luggage storage should take place in the house with the rest of an individual's belongings. This is because the climate is typically relatively stable inside the house; not too cold in the winter or hot in the summer, and it doesn't usually get too humid. The same cannot be said for attics or basements, where significant temperature fluctuations and humidity changes are common. This can be made even worse if people decide to cover the luggage with plastic or store it inside a larger plastic bag. This is why closets or luggage storage under the bed is the best option, though it can take up a lot of room.

One way to save space when storing luggage in closets or under the bed is to combine as many pieces of luggage as possible. Generally items such as messenger bags or duffel bags can be flattened without doing any damage to those pieces, and placed inside a smaller suitcase. The smaller suitcase can then be put inside the largest, and it will then only be necessary to find space for that one piece. Removing any items from the suitcases ahead of time will help to ensure they can be stacked together, and will also ensure that nothing leaks inside the suitcase and damages it, such as toiletry items.

An option for luggage storage in the short term is to use a luggage storage service. These exist in some larger cities around the world, as well as places such as amusement parks or other common travel destinations. Individuals can check their luggage in and ensure it is locked up and safely stored while they explore a new city, for example. This can make the trip much more enjoyable, knowing the luggage is safe without having to drag the heavy bags around all day.

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Discussion Comments
By anon989119 — On Feb 20, 2015

The foldable spinner is firm enough to hold your stuff when you are traveling. When you are back from a trip, you can simply fold and put it under your bed to save space.

By Sinbad — On Oct 22, 2011

It makes sense if you want to keep your luggage, or any of your possessions in tip-top shape, you should care for them properly both when you are using the items and when you are not.

I would keep really nice luggage in a large plastic bag when storing it, to keep it clean and sealed away from any possible elements beyond your control. It always best to keep luggage and other expensive items in an indoor closet, preferably a closet that stays about the same temperature as the rest of the house.

Some people throw their luggage around and then wonder why they have to keep buying new stuff. If people would treat their stuff with the same care they treat themselves, and hopefully others, they probably would not have to replace their luggage nearly as much.

Another tip for luggage storage is to try to get luggage of different sizes, so that the smaller sizes can fit in the bigger sizes accordingly. Of course if you buy a complete set of luggage you will get different sizes that also match perfectly, and you won’t have to worry about finding different sizes at different stores.

By Speechie — On Oct 21, 2011

I store my luggage in my walk-in closet. I only have two pieces of luggage, so I don't need a lot of space. I have one large suitcase and a smaller duffel bag, so I just put the duffel bag inside the suitcase.

I live in an apartment, so I don't have as many places to store my stuff as most houses do. Having less storage space helps me limit the items I own though, which can be good.

I used to store all kinds of stuff in my parent's basement, and some of the stuff got ruined from mildew, while other stuff I completely forgot about anyway. It seems I tend to mostly only buy the things I need now that I have limited space, so that has helped my budgeting.

By indigomoth — On Oct 21, 2011

In the long run, I'd say the best tip is to buy the best luggage you can, as it will stand up to long use, and also the conditions you end up storing it under.

And it seems like luggage items are always going on sale. You can pick up a bargain for almost nothing if you are smart about it.

By pastanaga — On Oct 20, 2011

I tend to store my luggage under my bed, but I have to take it out every couple of weeks because it seems to attract a lot of dust.

I'm allergic to dust, so I suppose it's good in a way, because I'm forced to pay attention to my luggage and make sure it's not getting damp or whatever else.

I do find that a light dusting of baking soda if I know it's not going to be used for a while can also help. It keeps off the mold and smells that sometimes occur when something is being put in storage for a while.

We did that when we put some luggage and other items into a storage box while we were living in an apartment and they came out no worse for wear.

By andee — On Oct 20, 2011

I have to travel quite a bit for work and always like to go with as little luggage as possible.

I keep my carry on luggage bag on the top shelf of my closet. Inside this luggage I also keep items that I take with me every time I travel.

This saves on my packing time and I can be ready to go in a short time. Every time I put the luggage back on the shelf, it is partially packed.

With my bigger pieces of luggage, I store them in the closet of a spare bedroom. I like to fold up any duffel bags or garment bags and place them inside the larger pieces so I have it all in one place.

By myharley — On Oct 19, 2011

When I am not using my luggage I always keep it stored in a closet in my basement. I lay the smaller pieces inside the larger pieces so they take up as little room as possible.

We have a finished basement with a tile floor that we hang out in all the time. This worked great until we got water in our basement.

The water seeped into the bottom of the luggage and it ended up getting some mold on it.

I had to take everything out and spray it with some bleach to get rid of the mold. I took every piece of luggage outside and left it open so it could air out.

Since this only happened once, and it is the best place to store the luggage in my house, I put it back in the closet and hope we don't get flooded again.

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