10 Things to Leave at Home:

When you take a vacation, you want to make sure that you have everything you need. But, at the same time, bringing too much stuff can literally weigh you down on your vacation. Dragging around those bulky suitcases and carrying overstuffed backpacks takes a lot of energy and wouldn’t you rather save it for exploring instead? Here are 10 things to leave at home.

(1) HAIRDRYER – Ladies…you can safely leave your latest model Revlon hairdryer at home. Most hotels, cruise lines, and even hostels have hairdryers either in the room or at the front desk to borrow. Going somewhere rustic or camping? Try french braiding your hair or putting it in a bun instead of styling your hair. If you absolutely insist on bringing a hairdryer, at least invest in a compact dual voltage one such as the Conair 1875 Watt Folding Handle Compact Hair Dryer.

(2) HIGH HEELS – High heels take up a lot of space in your luggage, so unless you’re going to a wedding or a fancy event, leave them at home. If you are like me, you will be spending the majority of your day walking around, so high heels just aren’t practical. Instead, bring some comfy yet stylish flats or sandals that can be worn during the day but can be dressed up for a night out. You will actually wear them on your trip, and you will be saving space in your suitcase for an awesome souvenir.

(3) VALUABLE JEWELRY – Sure that diamond necklace and ruby ring is the perfect accessory to your outfit, but you should probably leave it at home instead. Why? Because you could easily lose it, have it stolen, or perhaps worse, get mugged on the street of a foreign country. If it is a must (your grandma wants to see you wearing the family jewels), be sure to keep it in your hotel safe when you aren’t wearing it.

(4) FULL-SIZE SHAMPOO BOTTLES – Do you plan on washing your hair 100 times on your vacation? No! Then ditch the full-size bottle. Retailers have travel size shampoo bottles for a reason, and if your favorite brand doesn’t have a travel size bottle, you can buy reusable travel size ones such as the Humangear GoToob Travel Bottle, Clear/Blue/Green, Large (3 Oz), 3 pack. It will save space, your luggage will be lighter, and you can even put it in your carry-on luggage.

(5) EXTRA KEYS – Why do you need the key to your backyard shed while you are on vacation? Bring the essential ones (your house and car) and leave the rest at home. It will take up a little less space and is one less thing you have to worry about losing. And make sure you put the keys you do bring in a safe place like hooked to an inner pocket of your backpack.

(6) ENTIRE WALLET  – You don’t need to bring all of your credit cards, debit cards, and reward cards. You really just need one credit card, one debit card, and one emergency backup card.  Also, it is a lot safer to leave the extra credit cards and debit cards at home just in case the unspeakable happens and you lose your wallet.

(7)LARGE FIRST-AID KIT – Yes, it is a good idea to take a few band-aids and a small bottle of aspirin, but do you really need the entire roll of gauze and 10 different type of painkillers? Unless you are going to some really remote area, you can probably find a drug store (or a doctor) if you’re in need of something more than a band-aid and aspirin. Save the space for something more practical.

(8) THAT 4TH COAT – Clothing, especially jackets, can take up an enormous amount of room in your luggage. Instead of packing that 4th coat, pick one jacket that goes with all of your outfits and a cardigan or sweater for layering for an extra chilly day. Besides, who is going to notice if you wear the same jacket for the entire trip? The stranger standing on the street corner?

(9) BATH TOWELS – You might need a beach towel, but leave the bath towels at home. They are super bulky, and I honestly can’t figure out why people pack them. If you’ll be staying at a hostel, pack a quick-dry towel like Sunland Microfiber Towel Ultra Compact Absorbent and Fast Drying Travel Sports Towels. Hotels wash their towels, and they will even provide you with extras if you ask.

(10) BAD ATTITUDE – Do us all a favor and please leave your bad attitude at home. It not only ruins the trip for yourself, but it ruins it for everyone around you. You are on vacation away from your boss and the cubicle, so be happy! 🙂

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