Those old travel bags you don’t use anymore can be repurposed for good.

In the corner of my office stands a sturdy old Hartmann steamer trunk, open to expose the drawers and garment compartment. It was used by both my grandmother and mother, and when I faced the choice years ago of whether to sell it or not, I decided instead to re-purpose it to hold files and memories. But after recently buying some new luggage to replace my well-worn bags of the last twenty-five years, I thought about what to do with the miscellaneous old luggage in our storage room—including old suitcases, overnight bags, and backpacks.

Some ideas:

• Re-purpose, as I did the steamer trunk. Large pieces can be used as coffee tables (cover with a glass top for protection), and old suitcases piled up as nightstands, end tables, or plant stands.
  
  
• Sell those in good condition on Craig’s List, eBay, or Etsy.
  
  
• Offer on Freecycle.
  
  
• Donate to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Many residents arrive with belongings in garbage bags. Maybe fill the suitcase with clothes you or your children no longer wear before dropping it off. Contact a local church or town hall for area shelters.
  
  
• Donate to local law enforcement. The man who sold me my new luggage told me he brings his clients’ old bags to a police dog training center. Dogs learn to detect drugs, explosives, and other prohibited items by locating scents in various pieces of luggage. After a while, some of the dogs begin to remember which bag has which scent, and select by sight instead of their nose. So the trainers constantly need new suitcases to avoid this issue. Call your local non-emergency number and see where there is a need. I can imagine they would happily take items with rips, broken zippers, and missing wheels, since they won’t be taking any trips. I like the idea of my old pieces getting to play with the dogs.

In my case, I’m bringing my extra bags to the store where I purchased my new luggage and he’ll ensure everything gets donated. I’m also collecting bags from my neighbors and friends to save them the time and trip. It might be easiest to call a local luggage store and ask if they will forward on your discards.

When it comes to luggage, the truism holds: Old does not mean useless.