You might recall the old Ford advertisement back in the days when he was starting out. He said to customers, allegedly, that they could have their car produced in any colour they liked, as long as it was black. For many years, it seemed that suitcases were much the same. This has changed dramatically these days, although you still see a majority of bags and cases trundling their way along the carousel at the baggage area of an airport are either black or navy blue. Quite why this is the case, I can't be sure, but today there is much scope for variation.

Indeed, many suitcases today are available in a wide variety of colours and patterns, from those that look like denim to non pink, or even a glorious technicolour flower design. The individuality of a case achieves a few things. It can be fun, it also allows the manufacturer to charge more for the case than a plain one usually, and of course, most importantly, it makes it much easier to recognise when reclaiming your luggage at the end of a long trip.

Obtaining your luggage from a retailer that is less well known can mean that you have access to luggage styles which are not common at all. High street supermarkets that so often now sell anything from cars to cans and from microwavable meals to microwaves themselves are now selling cheap luggage. The problem with this is that, whilst initially the luggage may seem quite different and easily recognised, with so many stores across the country selling the exact same styles this season, you'll find yourself just one of many disappointed customers still hunting for their bag.

Rather than spending a fortune on finding a unique luggage kit, try doing a few simple things which will help to personalise your luggage and make it far more easily recognized by you when watching the carousel rotate round for the hundred and fourteenth time. Years ago, a popular thing to do was to attach travel stickers to cases. This was mainly to record the places it had been to as a kind of public souvenir, but it also did help to personalise the case much more. Attaching stickers is one way of achieving this individuality, but why not have a bit more fun? In most DIY stores you can now pick up vinyl covering which can be used for kitchen surfaces and tables. It is hard wearing, easy to affix, and not too expensive. Covering a hard case with this is fairly easy to achieve - and you know your case it almost certainly going to be unmistakeable.

You could also try using the flat, bungee style cords which can fix right round the case and help keep it closed. They serve a practical purpose, but also help again to make your case easier to spot. A number of different styles are available, many for children too.

I have even seen some people's cases daubed with paint. It's cheap, and not particularly attractive, but again, it makes it easy to spot. None of these methods take a great deal of time to achieve, but you'll thank yourself next time you're waiting at the airport and can smugly launch yourself off to the taxi rank with your case, leaving everyone else prodding and poking through the luggage labels.