The Kitchen Staple That Can Help You Secure Your Luggage Without A Lock

Regardless of the precautions you take to safeguard your luggage, there's no way of telling its fate once you surrender it at check-in. Your bag will go through a relay of sorts, passing into the hands of airport staff, security personnel, and more, before it even reaches the plane — and that's just for the outbound flight. Your precious bag will be handled by more people when it's unloaded off the aircraft. And so, given the extensive handling of luggage, it's only wise to pull all the stops to beef up on protection. But in the event that you don't have access to a TSA-approved lock, there's an alternative: the ever-dependable cable tie.

You likely already use cable ties at home to organize and manage electronic wiring and to get rid of pesky cable clutter, but they also function as a practical solution to securing your bag. The beauty of a cable tie lies in its one-time design. Since it's not re-attachable, you would know if your luggage has been tampered with. Using them to lock your bag is quite simple, too. Simply loop one through the zipper's built-in eyelets and pull it snug, ensuring that it's tight enough to remain secure yet loose enough to allow for easy removal later on. It's also advisable to trim any excess length from the tie to avoid it becoming an inconvenience or entangling other objects. And remember to pack extra so you can lock your bag again on your return home.

Obviously, while cable ties offer a degree of security, they're still not the most secure things in the world. They should only be considered a makeshift solution when a dependable luggage lock is out of reach. To enhance protection, consider encasing your luggage with either Saran wrap or clear cellophane as well. These things are also likely mainstays in your kitchen, so you won't have a hard time sourcing them. Plus, they're much cheaper than the wrapping services offered at the airport, which can cost around $15 to $22 a pop.

Luggage wrapping, though may initially appear excessive, serves multiple purposes, too. Not only can it help protect your bag from the elements, but it also makes the bag stand out on the luggage carousel, allowing for easier retrieval. Plus, with layers of wrap, it's less likely that some stranger will slip sketchy items into your bag. Nicholas Valdespino, vice president of operations at a baggage protection service called Secure Wrap, said that this has become a prevalent problem in airports. "There have been cases where airport employees, having security clearance and access, place illegal items into passengers' baggage, turning the passenger into a mule unknowingly," he told Thrillist. While wrapping your luggage entails extra work, that's a small price to pay for its safety and your peace of mind.