A well-prepared suitcase arrives the way it left. A badly prepared one turns an ordinary shipment into a claim. The difference is twenty minutes and this checklist.
The suitcase itself matters
Hard-shell beats soft for travelling as cargo: it takes the stacking and the side knocks that a soft case absorbs with its contents. If soft is all you have, that's not a no — but make up for it with the internal packing. And the brand or the cosmetic state make no difference: a scuffed suitcase travels just as well. What you must remove are the tags from previous flights, including the old barcodes stuck to the handle — a scanner reading the wrong label is an absurd and avoidable detour.Inside: order is protection
Heavy items low and central (the "bottom" of a suitcase lying flat is the wheel side), fragile items in the middle wrapped in clothes, and the corners full — a half-filled suitcase deforms under stacking; a compact one protects itself. Every liquid, double-bagged and closed. Go over what shouldn't go inside first.
Closing it: seal yes, key no
It sounds odd, but: lock open or removed, and tape in its place. Customs at destination has the right to inspect; a closed lock doesn't stop them — the suitcase gets opened anyway, with worse manners. Stretch wrap (the ordinary transparent kind, a few turns round) keeps the suitcase shut, protects the surface and makes any opening obvious. The zips, joined with a thin cable tie: it gives way to an inspection, and you can tell if it was opened.
The two minutes that are worth gold
Before you close it, one photo of the contents with the suitcase open and another of the suitcase closed. If you ever have to make a claim or answer a customs question, those two photos answer half of it. And weigh it (bathroom scales: you holding it, you without it, subtract) — the real weight is what determines your price, and getting it right first time avoids adjustments later.
With the suitcase ready, ask for the closed price — collection at your door, in Barcelona usually the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lock the suitcase if I'm shipping it by courier?
Better not. Customs at destination has the right to inspect, and a closed lock doesn't stop them: the suitcase gets opened anyway, with worse manners. Leave the lock open or removed and use tape in its place. A few turns of stretch wrap keep the suitcase shut, protect the surface and make any opening obvious.
Is a soft suitcase good enough for courier shipping?
It works, but hard-shell is better: it takes the stacking and the side knocks that a soft case ends up absorbing with its contents. If soft is all you have, make up for it with the internal packing — fragile items in the middle wrapped in clothes and no empty gaps.
Do I have to remove the tags from previous flights?
Yes, and it's one of the most important items on the list. Including the old barcodes stuck to the handle: a scanner reading the wrong label sends the suitcase somewhere that isn't your destination, and it's as absurd a detour as it is avoidable.
How do I weigh the suitcase without luggage scales?
With bathroom scales: weigh yourself, weigh yourself holding the suitcase, subtract. The real weight is one of the factors that determines the price, so getting it right first time saves you adjustments later.
Why bother photographing the contents?
Because if you ever have to make a claim or answer a customs question, a photo of the inside with the suitcase open and another of it closed answer half of it without argument. It's two minutes before you close it.
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