I just read a study conducted by a travel insurance site, embedded below, which revealed that “female travelers overpack by nearly double, taking 60 clothing items for a week-long trip despite needing only 34.”
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Of course, not everyone will agree with this but I do know that my wife Natalie would have fallen into this category about 20 years ago. When we first started dating, she showed up for a weekend trip with what was essentially a trunk. But after I convinced her of the benefits of packing light and traveling with carry-on only, she quickly beat me at my own game and is now the best packer I know.
I know most travel sites will tell you what to pack before you take a trip but we’re going to do the opposite. Ready to pack smarter? Here are 10 things you don’t need to pack and should leave at home to make your suitcase lighter and more manageable.
1. Expensive jewelry
Even if you’re going on a five-star cruise, leave your expensive jewelry, including watches, at home. Don’t flaunt flashy stuff. In fact, I even recommend that women turn their engagement rings around, when traveling through local markets and train stations, so that the stones of the ring are facing their palm. If you do insist on bringing expensive jewelry for a special occasion like a fancy wedding, then carry it on the plane with you; don’t check it! And don’t wear it out on the town every day. I would suggest leaving your valuables in a safety deposit box at the front desk of a hotel or cruise ship, or in a safe.
2. Travel iron
No one likes wrinkled clothes but chances are that wherever you’re going, they’ll have an iron. And if they don’t, like on a cruise ship, where irons are a fire hazard, there are other ways to get wrinkles out of your clothing. My favorite trick: Hang your clothes in the bathroom when you’re taking a hot shower. The heat will usually steam the wrinkles out. I’m also a fan of packing wrinkle-free clothing so I don’t even need to worry about ironing. You can also pack a small, travel-sized bottle of anti-wrinkle spray, which is far smaller and lighter than an iron.
3. All of your tech gadgets
These days, most people have a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet, an e-reader…but do you really need all of them when you travel? Try to pare your tech collection down to the essentials and leave the others at home. For instance, if you can download the Kindle app on your iPad, you can leave your Kindle at home and just read your books on your iPad. That way, you can also leave their respective chargers at home, too. To keep your tech gadgets and chargers in order, a tech organizer like this one is a traveler’s best friend.
4. Shampoo, conditioner and body lotion
We all like the products we like but when you travel, why take up all that space with your shampoo, conditioner and lotions? Unless you are going camping or staying in a hostel, wherever you go will have it all. If you don’t think you will like the hotel’s brand of amenities, then you can always go to a local pharmacy or grocery store and buy some. If you must have your favorite shampoo, then be sure it’s in the proper size container if you are doing carry-on only and if you’re checking it, decant some into containers that are smaller than the original. These travel bottles for toiletries will do the trick.
5. Hair dryer
Some people may not agree with me on this one but I’m always surprised by travelers bringing their own hair dryer. However, a study did reveal that hair dryers are the dirtiest thing in a hotel room, so, I suppose some people would rather just bring their own. You could sanitize the hotel’s hair dryer or, if you use a few different styling tools, you might want to consider this Revlon hair dryer brush, which combines a hair dryer with a brush and flat iron. My wife swears by it!
6. Paper guidebooks
Gone are the days when travelers had to stock their suitcases or carry-on bags with thick and heavy guidebooks. Don’t get me wrong – I love guidebooks but this is the 21st century and you can find all the information you need online or download it on to your smartphone or tablet. Before you leave on any trip, download the apps of any hotels, airlines, car rental companies, tours and attractions you’re using or visiting and save them all to one folder for easy location when you need them.
7. Too many clothes
There’s an old saying: Pack half the clothes and twice the money. Those are words to live by. As you’re preparing for a trip, lay out all the clothes you plan to bring. Then only pack half of it. Like so many people, I used to over pack and then I got wise. My wife used to travel with a suitcase the size of steam trunk, but once she saw all the advantages to packing light, she started using a suitcase that was smaller than mine and from then on, it was carry-on only for her. These days, with two kids, carry-on only is impossible but it’s more important than ever to pack smart.
8. Designer luggage
Speaking of luggage, don’t bring expensive designer luggage as it only draws the attention of thieves. If you’re a thief, who are you going to rob: someone who has a designer bag or someone who’s got a generic suitcase? Case closed.
9. Shoes
I once had a girlfriend who had to bring seven pairs of shoes with her on every trip because she needed them to match all of her outfits. That relationship didn’t last long. When I travel, I bring one comfortable pair of walking/running shoes and one pair of dress shoes. Since women tend to have smaller feet, they can usually fit a few options. My wife recommends one pair of heels, one pair of running shoes and flip flops or ballet flats (and of course, you’ll be wearing one of these pairs for travel.) My wife recommends the Adidas Ultraboost as the most comfortable running shoes she’s ever worn and are perfect for travel since they’re slip-ons so you don’t have to fuss with laces.
10. Sudafed and other over-the-counter drugs
A lot of Americans don’t realize that it is illegal to bring some over-the-counter medicines commonly used in the United States into some foreign countries. In some countries, these drugs include inhalers and some allergy and sinus medications. Specifically, many products that contain stimulants (medicines that contain pseudoephedrine such as Actifed, Sudafed, and Vicks inhalers), or codeine are prohibited. It’s best to look up country’s U.S. embassy for specific details. Here’s Japan’s as an example.
As you can see, most of the things I’ve listed will save you space in your suitcase but some can also save you jail time!
What things do YOU leave at home? What would you add to this list? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
KEEP READING
- Why These Are a Packing Essential
- How to Save Money With a Secret Third Carry-On
- How to Use Your Wireless Headphones to Watch In-Flight Movies
- 10 Airport Security Hacks Every Traveler Should Know
- How to Get the Best Coach Seat on the Plane
- The Sleep Hack Every Traveler Needs to Know
- Never Get Your Valuables Stolen on the Beach
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This post was originally written in 2014 but since has been updated.
Still can’t seem to get my wife to stop over packing! Clothes, clothes and more clothes! :(
I agree with everything except the shoes, especially if I am cruising!
Great tips! Especially that last one about over-the-counter medications, which I hadn’t heard yet. I feel like I’ve learned to scale my packing way back from what it used to be. I never bring an iron or hair dryer – don’t use them when I’m at home either – I like to be low maintenance :). Though when visiting places where it’s really humid, I learned I actually need to pack a few extra clothing items since you start sweating as soon as you get out of the shower and have to change your clothes a couple times a day. Either that or just wear swimsuits the whole trip. :) – Jeanette
I fly international a lot from my base in London, UK. I roll clothes and I stuff my shoes with underwear when I pack them, presently i am on a 3 week trip with just a carry on bag.On a slightly different slant one thing I always take when travelling international is a 4-way extension cable (power lead). This way I only need a single power adapter but can charge/use all my electrical stuff.
I always take a six foot extension cord. I use it at airports, resturants, and the hotel room.
My late mother did it right. She wore beautiful jewelry but she had travel jewelry that wasn’t always the real thing. Who can tell the difference between a dismond and cubic zirconia?
Always thought I would hate to get mugged/robbed for CZ though! hmmm.
Being Asian, I need my travel size slippers unless hotels provides them (I.e. China). Whenever I get samples from the mail (liquid detergent, toothpaste, shampoo), I put them in a box only to save for travels. If no washing machines or laundary service are around, I have my packed detergent if needed to hand wash a few. Last minute packing helps. Actually helps because my guy tends to use more shampoo than the female me. :\
Also, I wear my secret belt stash to help keep my rolled up cash. I’m a first time, international traveler. :)
There is a custom some use on sailboats. When ever you get off the boat, take something off with you. This hopefully keeps you from overload unnecessary items onto the boat. I use this when packing, pack, then take something out. Actually I take several things out of my to be packed pile. Never miss them
I’m guilty of packing my hair dryer. :-( My hair is super thick-even after I have it thinned out (I know…what a problem to have) and the hotel hair dryers usually take 2-3 times as long to dry my hair.
You sound like my wife! How do you girls have so much hair and I barely have any?!
I agree. I prefer to have my own hair dryer but it does take up so much room!
Just to say I love the photo of Natalie!
Haha – thanks! I have to say, I never really realized just how small my suitcase is until I saw that photo. I really push it to its limit! :)
As a female business traveler (I’m on the road every week 4-5 days a week) I cannot disagree with you more about not packing the toiletries and hair dryer. Perhaps this is a gender ‘thing’, but I’ve found too many times that the products provided by the hotels are poor quality (even the branded products are cheaper versions and don’t work as well) and have had to fight off skin/hair issues as a result. And the hairdryers are often very low quality hairdryers that do not work well. I typically leave a small bag at the hotel to store these items if I will be back and forth between the location for a period of time, but even it’s a one-off trip they are in my bag.
I can understand. Natalie says the same thing. I guess I should’ve put an asterisk next to that one.
I completely agree on the hairdryer comment. It was the first thing I thought when I read it….hotels never have high quality, good wattage hair dryers. The little travel hair dryers they provide take double the time to dry hair and leave my wavy hair frizzy. Keep the hair dryer in your suitcase if you care about your hair style, men or women!
I might have to take that out because my wife says I just don’t understand. I don’t — I have very little hair and haven’t used a hairdryer in 10+ years
I look back with embarrassment at how I over packed for my first press trip to French Polynesia several years ago (you were there, Johnny!). I not only brought my 17” MacBook Pro (didn’t yet have an iPad) but had too many bags to easily handle by myself and sometimes had to rely on others (thanks, Laz) for help. (I wasn’t used to navigating my bags without my husband being along, but that was no excuse!)
Fortunately, I have learned from that experience and pack much lighter and more efficiently now. I’ve taken to heart the tips other travelers have shared, like rolling clothes, taking fewer clothes—planning to wear things more than once in different ways—and shoes, and finding a carry-on combination that works for me to maneuver alone. I still have room for improvement, but I’ve “come a long way, baby!”
Good to hear!
It’s not so much what comes with us on the trip that I get concerned about. It’s what comes back with us after, say, a long weekend in NYC or, for instance, a month in Italy. While maybe 3 pairs of shoes started the trip to Italy there were maybe 10 pair of shoes that came back with us…
You are such a shopaholic!
Ha! Your wife must be related to mine!
Suggestion: Pack only two colors in clothing or one if you have scarves and colorful accessories. I am gone 3 months each year in Paris — land of fashion and never have a problem looking “stylish.”