Have you been on holiday and ended up having to buy a suitcase for  your new purchases and then lugging it around if going to more than one destination? Plus then you have to pay for excess baggage more than once. There’s a solution which I recently tried out: shipping my new suitcase home in advance of my return. I did this and it worked like a dream thanks to First Luggage.

It’s not an unusual problem. According to travel statistics, shopping regularly ranks in the top three of the most popular activities of travelers on holiday. In my case I knew the first stop on a multi-city itinerary would be the place where I shop the most: Madrid. Ensuring that I could take two suitcases with me, I shipped an empty one and then arranged to have it picked up at my AirBnb the morning before my departure on to Greece. The whole procedure was easy.

Here’s how it worked. I could have chosen to book online, by email, phone or what’s app. The phone call and “hand holding”, i.e. VIP service worked for me. In advance I sent passport information;  collection and delivery addresses, with contact telephone numbers, along with a preferred collection date & time; number of items being shipped along with sizes and approximate weight, and a copy of the return flight ticket. It was arranged to be picked up within a two hour timeframe when we would be at the apartment. If it’s a hotel or the apartment has a concierge, it can be left with the concierge.

A day or two before pickup I sent a list of basic general contents, in my case clothing and shoes . Note that foodstuffs (even canned) and drinks, Aerosols, Perfume/Aftershave,  Batteries, Medication and other items (many, ones you can imagine) are not permitted due to customs. Shipping tags are sent to be affixed to the luggage. Chose standard or express service. We chose express, so the suitcase arrived in less than a week after pickup to my building concierge.Enroute I could track progress of the bag, receiving an email that it had arrived. Pricing on this route I used is from £176 for the VIP service; the standard service would have been from £161.

Sofitel Rome Village Borghese

First Luggage will also ship sports equipment, musical instruments,and even artwork. They offer the service including pickup to destinatons around the world. And by the way, if you happen to be in Rome doing serious shopping, the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese now offers the service with First Luggage where the concierge is the contact person and he or she will also provide options for you to buy a suitcase, so no need to spend valuable travel time in search of a suitcase.  For more information, visit www.firstluggage.com