How often have you flown with your boring laptop bag and wished you had a more fashionable one? Let’s face it. Most of the laptop bags you see around look plain and simple. In other words, they look dull. You can use your fashion sense to spice up your laptop bag. Are you ready to learn how to decorate your laptop bag?
But before you get excited about sprucing up your laptop bag, let’s talk about TSA-friendly laptop bags. Are there TSA rules or guidelines to follow when flying with your decorated laptop bags?
Do You Have A TSA-Approved Laptop Bag?
Whenever I travel, I need my laptop for work, entertainment, research, social media, or any number of reasons. Therefore, I use a laptop bag that can double up as a carry-on bag. And because it’s a laptop bag as a carry-on, it must meet TSA approval.
A TSA-approved laptop bag lays flat when unzipped with the laptop inside the dedicated sleeve. With a bag like this, you don’t have to take the computer out to put it in a separate bin for screening. However, a TSA checkpoint-friendly laptop bag must comply with a few rules:
- It must have a dedicated laptop-only compartment or section
- No buckles, zippers, or metal snaps underneath or on top of the laptop-only sleeve (they should not overlap the laptop when it goes through the X-ray machine.)
- The laptop compartment must not have other items in the dedicated sleeve with your PC.
The above criteria will ensure that the TSA officer will get an unobstructed view of your laptop while passing through the X-ray scanner.
Now that we have clarified that, let’s move on to learning how to decorate your laptop bag.
How To Decorate Your Laptop Bag
If you’re tired of looking at your no-frills laptop bag, the following are some tips on how to decorate your laptop bag.
Personalized Photo Prints
How about personalizing your laptop bag? You can heat press a photo of your pet, a collage with family photos, or any photo that will characterize the bag as yours.
It is important to choose a spot where it will not obstruct an X-ray view of the laptop. If you have a heat press machine at home, you can use this tip on how to decorate your laptop bag. Otherwise, take your laptop bag to a heat press printing shop.
Use Colorful Decorative Duct Tapes
Another tip on how to decorate your laptop bag is to use decorative duct tape. There is every kind of decorative duct tape available. Again, you can choose the design, color, and size and stick the duct tape on your laptop bag. For how to decorate your laptop bag, you are sure to find one that will match your character.
Duct tapes are sticky and will not detach easily. You can stick the preferred tape designs and colors on the bag to distinguish it from others. Just ensure that the duct tape will not prevent TSA from getting a clear X-ray image of your laptop. You will follow the TSA rules if you place it outside the bag and not on the laptop sleeve.
Decorate With Fabric Stickers
You can also use fabric stickers for your laptop bag, which is a straightforward method of how to decorate your laptop bag. And because most fabric stickers are not that sticky, choose a spot where the stickers will not easily detach.
Or you can sew a fabric sticker onto your laptop bag. It may be difficult to push the needle through the material without a heavy-duty needle and thimble.
Use Pin Buttons And Keychains
Self-expression is effortless when you use personalized pin buttons and keychains. However, for a laptop bag, the pins will not go through security while on your bag. Remember the TSA requirement about not having any metal or snaps on the laptop bag? Metal will not go through the security checkpoint.
So, if you use pins for how to decorate your laptop bag, you must remove the pins. Before placing your laptop bag on the X-ray belt for screening, remove the pins, buttons, and keychains. Then, place them in a separate TSA collection bin so the TSA officers can see the metal.
Attach Souvenir Patches
If you collect souvenir patches from vacation destinations, why not attach them to the laptop bag? You can do this how to decorate your laptop bag tip on your own. Take the sewing kit, and hand-sew your favorite souvenir patches to the backpack shoulder straps. Be sure to use a heavy-duty needle and a thimble not to cause your fingertips to become sore.
Every time you travel, pick up a souvenir patch and add it to the patches on the shoulder straps. You can also sew the souvenir patches to the laptop bag sides or pockets. Make sure that the view of the laptop is clear of any obstruction during TSA screening. Placing them on the shoulder straps should be a safe bet.
Monogram Your Initials
You can have your initials monogrammed on a small leather strip and attach it to your bag. Taking your bag to the shop to have your initials monogrammed may be the easiest route. This simple how to decorate your laptop bag tip is the best way to personalize your bag. In addition, your bag will be easy to distinguish and identify because it has your initials.
The best laptop bag spots for the monogram are the top panel of the main compartment, side pocket, or shoulder strap. A personalized stamp in these areas will not obstruct the laptop view and image during X-ray scanning.
FAQs For How To Decorate Your Laptop Bag
We compiled 3 frequently asked questions regarding how to decorate your laptop bag.
Can you put clothes in a laptop bag?
Aside from the laptop-only section, your laptop bag has a main compartment for your clothes and other belongings. So you’re good to go if you put TSA-approved carry-on items in your laptop bag. Just avoid putting clothes in the laptop section, or you must rearrange them before going through the security checkpoint.
What kind of bag meets TSA approval?
Airline and TSA rules require that carry-on bag sizes not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Therefore, a laptop bag within this size limit will pass through the TSA security checkpoint as a carry-on bag without any issue. And a personal bag to fit under the seat in front of you must be 17 in x 10 in x 9 in to meet TSA approval.
What are the new rules for laptops on planes?
To comply with TSA rules and guidelines, remove your laptop from your carry-on bag and place it in a separate bin. Or if your carry-on bag has a dedicated padded laptop-only section that fully unzips, removing the computer from the pack is unnecessary. Instead, unzip the laptop-only compartment and let it rest completely flat on the X-ray belt for scanning.
Additional Resources
If you are looking for more tutorials, walkthroughs, and troubleshooting on Luggage, here are some additional posts about Luggage:
How To Decorate Your Laptop Bag – Conclusion
Traveling with a plain-looking and boring laptop bag is a thing of the past. Instead, you can learn how to decorate your laptop bag in many ways to make it stylish and unique.
It’s critically important to remember that during TSA security screening, the laptop view must be clear and free of any obstruction. So, use these how to decorate your laptop bag tips with TSA rules in mind.
