how to tell if your luggage is over 50 pounds without a scale

Introduction

I’ve wrestled with my luggage countless times. I’m usually the one who has to lug it around, and it’s always a chore. My husband and I have different strategies for packing, but they all end up being too heavy when we go on trips together. You see, he thinks everything must be packed in case we need it but that means everything weighs more than it should. Meanwhile, I like to go minimalist by only bringing the bare essentials (and only what fits into one bag). But since I always bring along extras for emergencies (just in case), those extra items also add more weight than necessary! If only there were a way to check if our bags were overweight without paying an airline or getting weighed at an airport…

At checkout, lift your bag on its wheels as if you were going to roll it.

• Lift the bag on its wheels as if you were going to roll it. If you struggle to raise the bag off the ground, it’s heavy enough that you could be over 50 pounds (though, if this happens, please see our scale recommendations below).

• If lifting this bag is a breeze, congratulations your luggage weighs less than 50 pounds. You may proceed down your journey with ease.

While holding the top of the bag in place, see how hard it is to lift the bag off the floor.

While holding the top of the bag in place, see how hard it is to lift the bag off the floor. If it’s difficult to lift, there’s too much stuff inside your suitcase, and you must remove some items. If it’s easy to lift, all is well, and your luggage is not over 50 pounds!

If it feels heavy and challenging to lift, set it down and remove some items.

If it feels heavy and challenging to lift, set it down and remove some items.

If you can’t remove items, try to pack them in another bag.

Remove any clothing or shoes that are lightweight or not essential.

Imagine how it would feel to try and lift your bag into an overhead compartment on an airplane by yourself.

Imagine trying to lift your luggage into an overhead compartment on an airplane by yourself. How much bending over would it take? How much effort would it require? Would the bag feel heavy in your hands or just quite heavy? Would it take a few seconds or a minute or two? Would it hurt your back muscles and joints as you struggled with the weight of the suitcase up there?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then chances are that your luggage weighs more than 50 pounds. If not (or if none of them apply), then don’t worry about checking for overweight bags you’re good!

Lifting a heavy bag from a standing position is much more difficult than lifting it from a lower position.

Lifting a heavy suitcase from a standing position can be much more difficult than lifting it from a lower position.

When you lift your bag from the floor, you are using muscles in your back and shoulders to lift the weight of your bag. When you are on two legs, with both feet firmly planted on the ground and your knees bent slightly for stability and balance, these muscles strain less. But once you stand tall with all four limbs straightened out in front of you (like we do when we walk), those back-and-shoulder muscles have to work harder to support that extra weight. And because they’re not used to supporting so much weight at one time namely our body mass plus whatever else we’re carrying they may give out while they try! It’s like doing squats with weights strapped around our ankles: The more weight added over time will make it harder each time until, eventually, those squats become impossible without assistance.

You can tell if a suitcase is too heavy to pick up easily by lifting it from the floor.

You can tell whether a suitcase is too heavy to lift by picking it up from the floor.

• Lift it from the floor with one hand. If it feels too heavy for you to do so, then consider that your bag may be over 50 pounds.

• Lift it off the ground with two hands. If this is difficult and awkward, consider that your bag may be over 50 pounds.

• Lift it off the ground using only one hand and your feet on top of each other (like a ballet dancer). If this feels too challenging or painful to do repeatedly without dropping the bag, then consider that your bag may be over 50 pounds!

Conclusion

The next time you are packing for a trip, lift your bag off the floor. If it feels heavy and challenging to lift, set it down and remove some items. Imagine how it would feel to try and lift your bag into an overhead compartment on an airplane by yourself. Lifting a heavy bag from a standing position is much more difficult than lifting it from a lower position.