Transporting Travel Finds Home Like a Pro

You’ve hit some amazing estate sales and secondhand vendors while traveling, and now you’re wondering how exactly to bring all of your newfound pieces home. We’re here to help you shop from afar like a pro with these simple packing and shipping tips that will come in handy whether you’ve traveled by car or are preparing to board an international flight. 

Bring an Extra Bag

Whether you bring an empty suitcase with you specifically for the purpose of shopping or just tuck a folded up tote or gym bag into your suitcase to fill up as needed, you’ll want to be prepared to carry your finds home, whether that’s by car, plane, or train. A foldable bag is a great option for shorter trips since you can fill it with as much as little as you’d like; should you strike out entirely, you haven’t wasted much room in your suitcase.

If you’re traveling by car, bags like the Hulken are great for shopping with ease—simply wheel yours around as needed while browsing a flea market or estate sale and then stuff it in the truck once it’s full. Of course, you can always purchase an extra suitcase or bag at your destination (discount stores are great for this), but depending on where you’ll be traveling, this may not be quite as feasible. 

An empty suitcase, a folded-up tote, and a foldable bag are great options in case you want to carry your finds home.

Pack Fragile Finds with Care

If you’re flying, be sure that your underseat bag is large enough to house any ultra-fragile finds you may come across. This is always the safest way to transport such items, as  your carry-on suitcase may be tagged at the gate if you’re on a crowded flight, and regardless, items may also shift in the overhead bin over the course of your journey. You can always make a drugstore or hardware store run to pick up some extra bubble wrap to keep everything extra safe. 

You can always make a drugstore or hardware store run to pick up some extra bubble wrap to keep everything extra safe. 

Look Into Shippers

If you’ve traveled far from home and scored an amazing piece that’s too big to pack into your suitcase, don’t worry—you won’t have to leave your gem of a find behind. Instead, you’ll want to look into professional moving services that can transport the item to your home within a matter of weeks (or sometimes just days!).

UShip is one popular option for those looking to have furniture hauled across state lines. On their website, you simply enter a pickup and delivery address as well as a rate range for pickup and dropoff. Then, you’ll receive quotes from movers who will be driving that route. Pricing is generally reasonable and delivery is timely, making this an excellent option for shoppers on the go. 

UShip is one popular option for those looking to have furniture hauled across state lines.

Consider Mailing Lightweight Items

If you’re flying and have purchased a bunch of lightweight items, it may make more sense to ship these home via regular mail, particularly if you’re not looking to check a bag at the airport or forgot to bring an extra suitcase to house goodies. This tactic can be especially beneficial when traveling abroad, as baggage fees truly do add up on international flights. 

If you’re flying and have purchased a bunch of lightweight items, it may make more sense to ship these home via regular mail

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

May 17, 2024     Updated 10:05 AM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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