Scenario: There's no way all the watches, jackets, purses, jewelry, sneakers, CDs, and DVDs you bought in Seoul will fit in your checked bags.

Solution: Send by regular mail, which is easy even if you can't understand a lick of Korean. If some items are gifts, put all the recipients' names on the shipping label (multiple addresses aren't necessary as long as the shipment is noted "consolidated gift package" and "unsolicited gift"); U.S. regulations allow you to send items valued up to $100 for each person listed, duty-free. Note: Many CDs and DVDs sold in Asia don't work with players in the U.S.; test them on your portable device before buying.

(Illustration by David Goldin) [enlarge photo] WHERE NEXT? Life's easier when you mail bags ahead and souvenirs back home. Get shipping tips from editor Erik Torkells on "Where Next?," our weekly Web show with CNN.com. • Launch the video MARCH 2007 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Dream Trips • Lighthouses of Croatia • Family Camps • Eat Like a Local: Chicago • Trips That Can Change Your Life: Adventure Biking • Road Trip: The Olympic Peninsula • 40 Best

Scenario: You're worried that the pottery you bought in Florence will be broken on the way home.

Solution: Tell the shopkeeper you plan on shipping it overseas and ask him to package it accordingly. Then watch to make sure he does an adequate job. Depending on how soon you want to get the items home, ship via freight or express courier. Either way, pay extra for insurance, which costs 50¢ to $1.50 per $100 of the item's value.

Scenario: In Australia, you wonder how to send home some cheese, as well as a crocodile-skin wallet and other gifts.

Solution: It's always smart to buy perishables at a store that will ship the goods for you. Bigger stores in tourist areas know how to package fresh foods and get them through U.S. Customs. As for wild-animal products, check to see if the species is protected either by the U.S. government (fws.gov) or your state; California is known to have particularly tough rules.

TIPS FOR SHIPPING ANYTHING, ANYWHERE 
Know the Rules: When returning to the U.S., American citizens may bring up to $800 of goods for personal use without paying duties and taxes. There are some tricks for going above that limit. You're allowed to ship up to $200 of goods per day to yourself at a U.S. address without a duty charge. And you can send, duty-free, gifts worth up to $100 per person per day to friends and family in the U.S.

Avoid Unnecessary Fees: Anything sent from the U.S. for your trip--golf clubs, skis, etc.--should be listed as "used personal effects" to qualify for duty-free status. Otherwise, the destination country may view the items as new and try to hit you with an import charge. If you ship the items back home, note them as "American goods returned" on the green customs sticker, so they're not counted as part of your U.S. Customs duty-free allowance.

Bulky or Heavy Goods: Shipping costs are based on the package's bulk or weight, whichever costs more. Too much padding can make for more-expensive shipping.

To Insure or Not to Insure: Most shipping services have a limited liability of $100 per package; in some countries, the liability is about $9 per pound. Buying insurance is a no-brainer for large, valuable, and fragile items.

What's OK and Not OK: Cuban cigars and absinthe are among the many items prohibited from entering the U.S. Bringing plants or seeds home is difficult, when allowed at all. Call 877/227-5511 or go to customs.gov for the specifics. Every country has its own rules on what visitors can take out: Art and handicrafts are generally fine, but cultural artifacts and antiques are often restricted. Check with local officials--not the shopkeepers--before you buy.