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.
It might be boring to you as traveler to have limited clothing and colors, but as you’re moving about, no one else notices you are wearing the same thing over and over again.
Sometimes paper guide books are still great. You can rip out the pages you need, or scan and carry on your phone/tablet/laptop.
Oh, I love that last comment — to bring only white, black, khaki and blue (or denim). Maybe even just white, black and blue! So easy to add color by a scarf, or costume jewelry! Another reason to travel light is that it just FEELS better not to be lugging along so much!
Black & Gray or Black & Denim, with beautiful colors in scarves. Freedom in the light…ness!
4 basic colors: black, white, khaki and denim. Surprisingly, all interchangeable, and as someone else stated, add a touch of color with a scarf or another accessory.
The hair dryer is a touchy subject for my wife.
She too is a girly girl and we travel to europe often
we bought a european hair dryer, high voltage and never leave home without it
happy wife, happy me
Thank you for that! I don’t think I’ll be able to do it, as much as I try I’m always taking to much
I am an advocate of travel light. I packed based only sufficient, based on my past experience.
I love AAA maps and travel books and visit the AAA office when I arrive to a new locale. Workers are a great source of local tips. No smart phone in my life. Old school is still good enough for me.
Sheryl, if you ever do get a smart phone, you will wonder why you waited so long. It’s the 21st century, after all.
I always want to travel in style but this should not sacrifice how much I can carry. I usually pack my clothes rolled. this helps the clothes to be less wrinkled. also, I choose one shade of color when traveling. in this case, accessories, shoes and bag can be mixed and matched.
in my recent Boracay trip, I brought a cover up that has no print , neutral color and can be styled in several ways. I never had the same outfit each day.
I usually pack and wear some old kit, then go shopping and throw the old kit away. Ship the stuff back that I can’t get in my carry on case, most things I need are in my shoulder bag which so far no one has counted
While it makes sense to check with the embassy for surprises, YOU try getting OTC meds in France when you’re sick on a Sunday!! Overseas pharmacies are not necessarily open long hours and may require you to speak the language to get what you want. Some meds (like antibiotic ointment) that we take for granted as OTC items require a prescription in France. I learned the hard way when I became ill and had to be rescued by fellow tour members who didn’t follow the above bad advice to come unprepared. Now I pack more OTC meds than I used to for basic emergencies.
Wow, women are such foolish travelers, it would seem. How kind of you to set them right with this article.