13 Things to Leave Behind When Heading Out on a Long Trip

Advice from experienced travelers — you should go on vacation light. Suitcases filled to the brim, endless bags and packages can become a real burden and spoil your vacation. The most important thing is not to take useless things with you, and to know what can be easily replaced on your trip.

The article uses photos generated by artificial intelligence.

A bunch of underwear

Experienced travelers advise against taking a lot of panties with you: on summer vacations, we most often go in swimsuits. And underwear can always be washed, even by hand. So, it’s better to leave a bunch of your favorite underwear for “just in case” at home.

Electric toothbrush

Another way to save space in your suitcase is to carefully review your gadgets. For example, instead of an electric razor or epilator, take a simple razor on the road. Instead of an electric toothbrush, you can take an ordinary one, because the gadget itself and its charging station will take up a lot of space.

Passport cover

The fashion for this accessory with colorful pictures has apparently passed. It has become obvious that the cover prevents the document from being scanned at airports and various institutions, and it is quite tiresome to constantly remove it and put it back on.

In addition, not all covers are of high quality, many of them simply don’t save the passport from sunlight, moisture, or abrasion. And they are often bulky and don’t fit in your pocket. So, it’s better to keep your passport the way it is and keep a better eye on it.

Big umbrella

Big umbrellas are not recommended for traveling because they are bulky and inconvenient in transit. They take up a lot of space in the luggage, and it’s hard to move with them in transport.

The way out is simple: buy a compact umbrella on the spot, it is inexpensive even in tourist shops. Then you can give it to someone before you leave, so you don’t have to carry it with you. A raincoat is also a good option. You can fold it up and hide it in your pocket or borrow it.

Spare sneakers

Experienced tourists recommend not to put sneakers in your suitcase, as they weigh about 2 pounds. And it is unlikely that you will wear sneakers on the beach. If you still consider these shoes necessary, just wear them in the road.

Big wallet

It’s definitely not going to be convenient when travelling. It needs to be kept somewhere. In the digital age, people carry less and less cash with them. There are cardholders, and a bulky wallet is like a magnet where you want to put something useless in to simply fill the space. That’s why we opt for compactness.

Wide-brimmed hat

Firstly, packing a hat like this into a suitcase is a quest. In addition, it is bound to get wrinkled there, and in hand luggage it will take up too much space. It is better to opt for a model with narrower brim.

Huge towel

Large terry towels take up a lot of space and take a long time to dry. But if you will be holidaying in a hotel, there will be no shortage of such things. Are you squeamish? Then just take a small quick-drying towel, for example, made of microfibre.

Hair curler

Few people know that on some cruise ships, for example, it is forbidden to use hair stylers or curlers. The reason is fire safety. Besides, these devices take up a lot of space in your suitcase.

If you want to flaunt on vacation with styled hair, it’s better to take hair rollers with you. Besides, there are very light and compact sets available now.

Metal luggage lock

Taking a metal lock for your luggage when traveling may seem like a good idea, but in practice it is often irrational. It doesn’t protect against luggage tampering, a pen or paperclip will easily defeat it. A lock, although small, adds extra weight and takes up space, especially if you are traveling light or with only hand luggage.

Plus, it can give a false sense of security, when in fact it doesn’t offer much protection. There are times, though, when a portable lock on your suitcase or backpack will come in handy. If you’re going on a trip to the mountains or a jungle excursion, it can save the contents from falling out or being stolen by uninvited guests.

Shampoos and cosmetics in bottles

Many people take shampoos and beauty products on the road in travel size. But this is not the best solution. Often there is too little shampoo in these containers, which means there is not enough for the whole family. It’s much more practical to buy everything you need on the spot.

Another great alternative is to take along some shampoo bars. You can use it to wash your body as well as your head. It takes up little space, and you won’t have to be afraid that the lid will accidentally open, and the product will spill all over your suitcase.

Travel pillow

Experienced travelers warn you that these pillows are not suitable for everyone. As a result, you’ll end up dragging it through all the airports, but you won’t actually be able to use it for its intended purpose. And there may be a lot of germs on such a pillow.

Chargers for all gadgets

Instead of a bunch of different chargers, get one universal one with different connectors. It’s also a good idea to charge some gadgets in advance and leave the extra wires at home. For example, an e-book can easily live on a single charge for about a week.

And here are some traveling tips that can help you travel with comfort.