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.
How do I print articles off your web site?
Sadly, we don’t have that function. It might be best to copy and paste into a Word Doc and try.
Half the clothes and twice the money always works!
I think the books are still useful. Rip out the pages and maps you need. Also not all areas have Internet access and it’s nice to have the info handy in those cases.
I keep a drawer for older cloths that still have some wear but needing to be replaced. Socks, underwear, even dress shirts. I pack these items when I travel and start to jettison them as the trips days come to a close so I have only the cloths I am traveling in on my way home. Obviously not all cloths fit into this category.
I’ve even gone to the Salvation Army and picked out 50 cent shirts and pants, especially if it’s a fishing trip and leave them also.
Men don’t usually carry a murce but I do walk on with a mesh diving bag and a roll on. Never been questioned.
I do still pack some actual books. They’re marked with post-its, flags, highlighting, etc. I just don’t find it as easy to flip through travel books on my kindle or ipad. And I am not the least bit anti-e-book. I am someone who reads almost 100% ebooks now, except for travel books.
As for everything else you said, I mostly agree, with one small caveat. I generally bring two pairs of shoes, BOTH of which are comfortable, with one that can pass as a dressy shoe. The reason I like both to be comfortable was perfectly illustrated by a trip to Scotland this summer. We went kind of off the beaten path to see if we could travel through time through some standing stones by taking an illegal shortcut through a field that turned out to be boggy. Our shoes were COMPLETELY soaked through, thoroughly drenched. So I switched to my other comfortable shoes until the first ones were dry, which actually took more than a day. There is nothing more miserable than wet or aching feet.
I was kinda shocked to stay in an Airbnb that didn’t provide any soap, shampoo, etc. this summer, but in general, they provide that stuff, and if not, I like visiting the local shop to pick something up. I generally don’t bring anything that I can easily buy in my destination.
I definitely don’t buy designer bags, the baggage handlers don’t treat it delicately, but I do try to buy suitcases with a distinctive pattern or color, even if kinda ugly. Makes it easier to find your bag on a luggage carousel and makes it less likely that you’ll take someone else’s luggage or that someone will take yours. I pair it with a distinctive luggage tag to make doubly sure. A generic black bag is dangerous. Someone took my mother’s bag once, and it took a day to get it back. Same thing happened to a friend of mine, except he took someone else’s bag.
Actually, if you need hair conditioner, then you’d better pack it. For the past few years, it has become obsolete in many (even high-end) hotels in Europe. Look for a small travel size bottle and use sparingly to make it last.
I pack my backpack with reading material that I can leave behind or throw away (like newspapers or magazines). That way I know I’ll have room for souvenirs on the way home. I also tell my wife to leave her engagement ring at home because we don’t want to lose it… or attract unwanted attention!
I agree completely with Cathy C.’s comment about OTC pharmaceuticals. Always better to have your own meds with you than worry about (a) finding a local pharmacy, much less figuring out what the local equivalent is of the drugs you would get back home (although travel insurance companies can provide assistance with those issues), and (b) having an accessible pharmacy that’s even open if you wake up with a fever or sore throat in the middle of the night. (Plus, if you’re feeling sick and weak, the last thing you may want to do is leave your hotel room.)
I also respectfully dissent from the advice not to pack a Kindle. My Kindle paperwhite just provides a better reading experience than using the Kindle app on a tablet, laptop, or smartphone screen. Plus it’s really lightweight and it uses the same charger as my Android phone, so I don’t need to bring an extra charger with it.
I WILL say that while I’m lucky enough to still have abundant hair despite being in my 40s, I’m happy to use the hair dryers provided by hotels. :)
Many places do NOT have a hair dryer in EU. Allows me to have my golden looks looking sexy all the time. Travel hairdryer – A MUST!
Very good suggestions especially about the expensive jewellery. I know many people who lost their bags and inside they had their jewellery. Best regards
My suggestion is to leave the hair dryer at home and go have your hair washed at a local hair salon. I started to do so about 10 years ago: lighter bag (also, no shampoo, conditioner and other other hair products), but especially I really enjoy it, it is a nice occasion to talk with the locals, to learn about the place, get suggestions on where to go for a good meal, or see hidden gems you don’t find on travel guides. It’s funny even when the hairdresser doesn’t speak any language I know. My husband also appreciates to be left alone for one hour or so, and go around by himself. He always seems so proud to show me the places he discovered while I was at the hair salon. My best experience was at a salon in Tokyo, with green tea and sweets offered when I arrived, a long head and shoulders massage, lying on those very comfortable reclining chairs… so relaxing!
I’m on the road right now. I like bright colors so I make sure I have a couple bright blouses that can mix and match with everything else. One dress, two skirts, one pair of lightweight pants- all neutral, the rest is turquoise and green. I never bring jeans, too heavy and nobody wears them when you go to other countries. Everything can be worn in multiple ways with a coordinating scarf and some fun jewelry. If I can’t schlep it up the air stairs, deal with it on the Metro, or lift it into the overhead bins, it’s too heavy.