If there is one thing that defines our human nature clearly it is stuff. We have houses full of things to aid and comfort us. Many have cars with their gadgets on seats, in glove compartments and filling up trunk space. So when we travel, it's not a big surprise we want to take our stuff with us. In fact, the only thing we don't want to do with our stuff is lose it. We lock our houses, we lock our cars and now when we travel there are many ways we can lock up our stuff and keep it secure.

TSA Approved Travel Locks

Locking your luggage is a practice as old as luggage itself. After 9/11 locking your luggage became a little more complex. Officers from the Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) needed to search each and every piece of luggage to ensure passenger safety. That's fine for carry-on totes, but checked luggage also needed to be checked, and the locks on the suitcase left open or cut off. Now there is a solution so you can lock your bags and have them safety checked. Magellan Travel Company markets TSA approved locks. Equipped with a mechanism that is only able to be opened by a special key all TSA members have, the locks secure the bags from being opened from anyone but your inspector and you.

The Lock Alarm

A travel tool with two uses is always great because its one less thing you have to pack. A company named Travel Tools, whose items are usually seen in the SkyMall in the seat pockets of airlines, sells the Lock Alarm. This plastic coated steel alarm consists of a 24 inch steel cable that loops into the handle of your bag to keep it secure. It releases with a combination lock. It also contains a 100 decibel alarm if anyone cuts the cord or disturbs the lock without the combination. It is not for use during air travel because it is not TSA approved. But once you arrive at your destination you can secure your luggage or things at that time. An added bonus to the proximity alarm is that you can loop the handle around your doorknob at night and be alerted is someone tries to enter your room.

Smart Jewelry Boxes

Several travel companies have offered different jewelry boxes and cases for transport. These "smart boxes" are usually lined with velvet keep your jewelry from getting scratched on the sometime bumpy flights and rides you encounter and some have pegs and placement devices to the necklaces aren't all tangled up in one undoable knot when you arrive. The locks on these boxes vary from a simply key lock or combination tumbler to a high-end thumbprint based lock with emergency key access. Jewelry is a pricey investment to take on travel and keeping it locked both in your luggage and in your hotel is a wise choice.

Even if we take a trip by ourselves we will never be truly alone when we travel. With these locking devices securely in place we can be sure to keep all our stuff.