Traveling internationally, Packing problem please help?

Question

We are moving in May and I bought some of those bags you hook a vacuum up to and suck out all the air to decrease the size. I had planned on using them to decrease the size of our 4 pillows and some sheets. My mother in law mentiond today what if they decided in customs to open them up and they all of a sudden trippled in size. I would be unable to get them back in my suitcases. Now I am not sure if I should use them but without them we can't take all we need for our move. What is your opinion, I have never traveled before. We are going to Romania through Amsterdam if that helps

We are bringing our pillows as more a comfort to the children and sheets and towels are quite expensive and not as well made as we are used too. My mother in law has sent us a list of things we should bring because some of their items are very different or hard to find.

Answer 1

customs only inspects carry on bags when your going on the airplane. checked luggage you give at the front desk. if you check the pillows they wont open it when your there. if the see something that looks suspicious in thought there x-ray machines or it happens to be one of the randomly searched bags then they'll open it when your not there if they have to. Then its there problem to get it back in not yours.
So don't worry to much about checked luggage.

Answer 2

What are you doing with Four Pillows and sheets for. You can always buy them at youre new destination they are not very dear. When you are going Abroad on a Plane youre Luggage is X Rayed so they can see inside it anyway. The only time there will be a problem is if they see something they are unhappy with like a peculiar metal object or something like Drugs. Otherwise there is no Problem. Before you go on a Plane you will have to go through a Door frame Scanner and they ask you to remove any Metal object on you and put it in a Tray like Watches or Waist belt ,Jewellery it is put through a separate Scanner and then you walk through the Door Frame Scanner youreself. They might have a couple of these Checkpoints before you get on the plane. When I was going through Amsterdam Schipol Aerport the Scanner went off and they frisked me it was my keys i forgot to put them in the Tray. This happened to a lot of People so dont get scared. In some Aerports now they ask you to take off youre Shoes and put them in the Tray so it helps if they are slip on Shoes no Laces on them. Dont put Sharp objects in Hand Luggage like Scissors or Tweezers or Razors or on youre Person leave them in Luggage that are put in Cargo Hold. Good Luck on youre Journey.

Answer 3

It's unlikely customs will care about your pillows. In the unlikely event they do and they don't recognize what they are without opening them, you will suddenly have additional luggage. This should only be a problem at your ultimate destination, though. You may have to carry them (or hire someone to do it for you), but you won't need to worry about getting them back in your bag.