Do you like to travel light or are you an over-packer? Either way, this list of items not to pack will definitely save you time in packing for your vacation and make your suitcase or backpacker lighter. It may even save you money at the airport in overweight fees.
Shampoo and Conditioner
There is absolutely no need to pack your regular big bottles of shampoo and conditioner when you travel. Firstly, hotels provide you with adequate shampoo. Unfortunately, conditioner is another story as most hotels don´t provide conditioner that makes your hair smooth and silky, instead, it’s a 2 in 1.
The alternative is travel-sized hair products, which can be bought at the airport, in a supermarket upon arrival or in advance on Amazon. You could also buy empty travel-sized bottles and refill them every time you travel.
All your Electronic Devices
It’s hard to live day to day without your phone, tablet and laptop but let’s be honest do we really need it all? Probably not. A vacation is a great opportunity to disconnect.
Before departing on your travels think about what you will absolutely need and get it all ready on one device.
The Samsung Galaxy Tablet is an ideal travelling companion as its light, affordable and has a large screen and plenty of memory. With this device, you can watch Netflix, take photos and videos, share your travel adventures on social media, read books and do some work with apps like Google Docs without any difficulty.
Your Best Jewellery
Wearing sparkly necklaces, expensive watches and diamond earrings could draw unwanted attention to you. Also, you risk losing it, leaving it behind and damaging it, especially if you having a sun, sea and sand vacation.
Be sensible with what you have on display.
It is possible to look nice and feel great, without splashing the cash or wearing sentimental items. A simple black waterproof watch, that tells the time and counts steps and calories can cost less than $20.
Lots of Jeans
Jeans are fantastic! They are durable and stylish, so wherever you travel you´ll probably want to pack them. But don´t go overboard!
Did you know that jeans can be worn around 10 times before they need to be washed? I great way to tell if they need washing is seeing if they pass the smell test. Therefore, pack one pair of jeans. This is a great way to save space in your suitcase.
If your jeans do start to smell, air them out on a balcony or send them to the hotel laundry.
Maps and Guides
Paper maps make you look like a tourist and guides are bulky.
You can download your destination on google maps so that you can use it offline. If you are planning on visiting various attractions save their location before you depart so you have a clearer idea of how to get to them.
Bath Towel
A bath towel is not a necessity when going on vacation as every hotel will provide you with one for showering.
For those, that are venturing to the beach you can ask for a beach towel at reception or buy a cheap one in a store along the beach, these can become a great souvenir.
Alternatively, consider a microfibre towel, which is considerably smaller than a regular bath towel and dries incredibly fast and take up virtually no space.
New or Heeled Shoes
Always pack worn in shoes! Wearing new shoes on holiday is a bad idea. You´ll risk painful feet, and increase your chances of getting blisters. Which would totally ruin your vacation. If you buy new shoes for the occasion buy them a month or so in advance and wear them a lot before jetting off.
Also, think flat ladies. Heeled shoes are a big no-no. For warm climates, pack flip flops, ballet pumps and sneakers. For cold climates, pack sneakers and flat boots.
Bonus Tip: Always wear the largest/heaviest pair of shoes on the plane.
Gym Clothes
Are you a hardcore gym bunny? Do you run religiously at home? If you answered yes then you may wish to pack your gyms, as this is a good habit you don´t want to break. But if not, then being away from home on a relaxing vacation is not the time to start getting fit.
If you want to do some exercise increase the amount you walk, by visiting the local museum or zoo or go for a lovely long swim in the hotel pool. A swimsuit takes up less real estate in your suitcase than a workout outfit.
Hair Styling Tools
At home, you may use a hairdryer, straighteners, curling tongs and lots of products. Due to different voltage outputs around the world, it’s not a good idea to take them abroad. For example, the US using 120V, the UK uses 230V and Japan uses 100V. Plus, they use different types of plugs, so you would also need to pack an adapter.
Instead, try and embrace your natural hair or find a hairdo that suits you and helps control your hair for example beachy hair, braids or a sleeked back bun.
Daily Outfits
The final big ´do not to pack´ is too many clothes. You don´t need enough clothes for a different outfit every day. From past vacations, we all know that we usually wear the same few outfits and there are always a few items we never wear, like a fancy dress, blouse or pair of tights.
Before you pack make a list, narrow it down to essentials and then pack accordingly. Try not to panic and add last-minute items. A few tops, a pair of jeans, a couple of shorts, a dress and a cardigan should get you through a week vacation in the sun.
We hope you found this article useful. If there is something that you no longer pack, lets us know in the comments below.
