I’m getting ready to go on a trip with my kids, and one of the things I needed was a new laptop bag. Fortunately, we’re traveling by train and not plane for this particular trip. I forgot all about the airlines checking laptop bags more and more and my new bag isn’t exactly as air travel friendly as it could be.

The good news is that later this month travelers will get a little bit of relief as the airlines try to make things easier for laptop carriers. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has released guidelines for checkpoint friendly bags, and manufacturers have responded with some great results! Expect to see some of these new bag designs in future Sunday’s Bag posts, of course.

TSA said some current bags on the market meet its criteria, particularly sleeve-like carrying cases without pockets or zippers. Some new products meeting their specific checkpoint criteria will be available by the middle of the month, the agency has said.

You can get a laptop carrying sleeve just about anywhere, and in a huge variety of colors and styles. Unfortunately, they don’t have any pockets for other things and are usually intended as an added line of protection for your laptop to be placed inside of another bag.

Even with a bag that meets the TSA’s guidelines, however, nothing is guaranteed. At the bottom of an informational page on the TSA site, it reveals the fine print: “Given TSA’s use of random screening protocols, TSA reserves the right to re-screen any bag or laptop regardless of the design of the bag.”

Independence Day has passed, and I hope everyone had a great holiday. It stormed here all weekend, but we still had loads of fun. Now seems to be the time when everyone is packing up to go on camping trips, long drives to Grandma’s house, and summer vacations in general.

A portable DVD player is great for entertaining the kids on a long trip, or to watch a movie while you’re waiting between baseball practice and ballet lessons. Even better if you’re flying or traveling by train on a long trip. There’s only so many things you can do on a plane or train after all!

I know next month my boys and I are taking a long trip via train and I’ll be packing this and a handful of DVD’s in a backpack for one of them as a carry on bag. They’ve already planned to take Spiderwick Chronicles, Golden Compass, and a few others that they are in love with right now.