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Last week the TSA announced that travelers flying with “checkpoint friendly” bags won’t have to remove their laptops to get through security. The plan is meant to make airport security less inconvenient and protect laptops from damage.

The use of checkpoint friendly bags won’t do either, and in fact will cause you more inconvenience if you decide to bring one.

• It Counts As A Carry On - Any checkpoint friendly bags are still regarded by most airlines as carry on luggage. Most airlines limit you to one or will charge you for bringing two.

You could put the laptop bag in your larger carry on, but that defeats the purpose of having a checkpoint friendly bag.

• You Can’t Really Pack Much Else - Checkpoint friendly bags must “have a dedicated section for the laptop that can lay flat on an X-ray belt; no snaps, zippers or buckles can cover the laptop; and there can be nothing in the laptop compartment other than the computer”. You’ll have to bring your charger, USB drives, and books in separate luggage.
• You May Still Be Searched - The TSA will still make you take your laptop out of the bag if it does not present a clear and unobstructed image (i.e. from zippers) of the machine. They may also ask you to remove your laptop to test it for bomb particles.

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Increase your travel efficiency and avoid extra luggage fees by packing mostly synthetic fabrics.

Synthetic fabrics drys at twice the rate of knitted and natural fibers like cotton. Wrap socks and underwear around your hands like gloves (like the picture on the right) in the shower and wash them with hair conditioner. Many synthetics, and silk, are made of protein-like materials and are best cleaned like human hair.

Hang up your wet clothes, preferably by a window, in the evenings giving them enough time to dry by morning.

Check the labels of your garments and dry them based on their primary materials. How Stuff Works has a complete set of directions on cleaning synthetic fibers, here are the highlights for drying.

• Acetate - Avoid direct heat from vents and raditators and never leave in direct sunlight.
• Acrylic -  Squeeze out excess water and place on a heat source, by a window, or a balcony on a warm evening.
• Fiberglass - Drip dry and don’t iron shirts or pants.

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The mega-store Unclaimed Baggage Center, where all of your forever lost bags end up, has some clever insider tips to help you reclaim your luggage before it’s too late.

Ensure that the airlines are able to find you by labeling the outside and inside of your luggage.

Put additional identification inside your bag including a copy of your itinerary. This can help the airlines know whether to send your bags to your travel destination or your home.

Also, no matter what kind of rush you are in never leave the airport without reporting lost luggage.

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Take a quick picture of your suitcase and bags to decrease the amount of time that it will take to recover your bags, in case they are lost.

Face it: your luggage probably looks just like 90% of the luggage out there. Let me guess: it’s black with a few zippered pockets? Snap a few pictures of the bags your toting around before you leave. If they wind up in Tahiti when you’re headed to Taiwan, it’ll be much easier to show the airline clerk a photo rather than trying to explain how it’s big and black with zippers.

Travel blog Vagabondish also has 12 other clever uses for your digital camera including photographing subway maps, using it as a backup light, and to avoid rental car scams. A digital camera is one of the few small travel essentials that will help you consolidate information and lighten your luggage.

[photo by: iheartlinen via: Family Travel]

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