When it comes to traveling, there are certain things you almost never need to pack. Keep things light by taking some of the following items out of your bags.
Extra Towels
Not only do towels take up a lot of space in your suitcase, they take a long time to dry. If you’re using your towel each night to shower, there’s no guarantee it’ll be completely dry by the morning. In that situation, you have to put a damp towel back in your suitcase with all of your clean clothes. Your clothes and towel will both end up smelling musty which is not ideal. Use the towels at your hotel. If you’re not planning on staying in a hotel, invest in a travel towel that will dry faster.
Guidebooks
Books are heavy and take up a lot of space. If you found a guidebook you love, there’s no need to take the entire thing. Simply make copies of the pages or chapters that you want to bring with you. You can also utilize the internet for your other needs like getting directions, finding tourist hot spots, booking excursions and organizing further travel.
Expensive Shoes
Although you might have an awesome pair of nice shoes you want to pack, you may want to reconsider. An article written by Norbert for globotreks.com explains, “Maybe you want to carry a nice pair of shoes for when you go out to a party or want to look nice, but it’s not wise to carry your nicest pair of shoes just for that occasion. Instead, select wisely your day-to-day sneakers or casual shoes. They can be decent enough to fit with your night-out outfit, but comfortable enough to allow you to walk for miles.”
Excessive Toiletries
When it comes to toiletries, just pack the essentials. You can always purchase more as you go. Don’t waste precious space in your luggage with multiple bottles of products. Stick with the basics. This also gives you a great excuse to go shopping!
More than One Heavy Jacket
Unless it’s freezing where you’re going, you don’t need to pack more than one heavy jacket. Instead, focus on packing things you can layer in order to keep warm. Keep in mind, even warm destinations can cool down in the evenings. Layering is the perfect solution to ensuring you stay comfortable all day long.
Pillow
Your pillow is another item you simply do not need to bring on vacation. Pillows are bulky and take up a lot of space. Many airlines will provide you with a pillow if you ask. If not, ball up your jacket and use that as a pillow. This is an item you’ll have plenty of at your hotel. While they might not be as comfortable is your personal pillow, they get the job done.
Be selective about what you pack on a trip. Save space for important things by leaving the above mentioned items at home.