13 Packing Mistakes | What Not to Pack & Items to Pack Instead

Do you make these common packing mistakes? What you pack can make or break your trip; more is not always better. As an experienced traveler, there are 13 things I recommend you do not take on any of your trips anymore. Keep reading to find out what not to pack and the items to pack instead!

This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. See below for full disclosures.

Why You Should Avoid These Packing Mistakes

A lot of people struggle with what items to pack for a trip and end up overpacking. Not only are you weighed down with things you don’t need, but it’s also more challenging to get from place to place and to bring home souvenirs and keepsakes.

I’ve been to more than 65 countries and lived in five, so I’ve learned what I no longer need to take on a trip. It’s crazy to think I used to take all these things with me! In this post, I’ll share with you what not to pack anymore and what to pack instead.

Want to earn free travel? Learn more about one of my favorite credit cards to get started!

13 Packing Mistakes | What Not to Pack Anymore (& Items to Pack Instead)

1. Oversized Water Bottles

The number one thing you shouldn’t pack anymore is oversized water bottles. I love my Yeti, but it is so big and bulky. What I typically do now is get a plastic bottle, refill it, and replace it as needed. It’s easy, seamless, weighs much less, and doesn’t have to come home with me.

If you’re set on bringing your own bottle, I recommend a collapsible one like this. It’s there when you need it and rolls up and away when you don’t!

2. Electronics Organizer

The next item not to pack is an electronics organizer (or jewelry box or other organizers). While some may be okay, most are bulky and take up more room than they save. Instead, I take tiny Ziploc bags. I use them to pack my cables, jewelry, supplements, snacks, and other things I need to keep dry.

These little bags are excellent; I don’t know how I ever traveled without them!

3. Bulky Wallets

The next item on the list of what not to pack anymore is a bulky wallet. It’s nice to have at home, but not when traveling. I typically take these little sleeves instead, which can fit a credit card, ATM card, and some money and coins. I actually bring two of these: one I leave in the hotel safe, and the other I take with me. That way, I always have a credit card if something gets stolen.

This wallet sleeve will fit in my pocket, so I don’t have to carry a purse, either. I love these; I have about six different ones!

4. Lots of Cash

Speaking of wallets and money, don’t bring a ton of cash with you. Back in the day, you needed traveler’s checks and lots of cash. These days, you can mainly use credit cards and ATMs worldwide. Do bring a little money in your home currency, maybe around $100. I recommend bringing smaller denominations in case you need a few dollars to buy something, tip a cab driver, or something.

Carrying tons of cash is just not a good idea anymore. Plus, it makes you more vulnerable to pickpockets.

5. Big, Bulky Luggage

Try your best not to bring big, bulky luggage. If you can, go with a carry-on size. Big suitcases are so hard to pull on cobblestone roads, carry up sets of stairs, and get on transportation. I promise you can go carry-on! A bag with a strap that goes over the handle of your suitcase is a great addition if you need a little extra space.

If you want a smaller secondary bag, I recommend a small day pack or a sling bag for those extra items you need. That way, you can be hands-free and also weight-free. It’s amazing!

Your FREE Carry-On Bag Travel Guide

Pack smarter and more efficiently with this FREE carry-on bag travel guide. Learn how to pack essentials, keep electronics safe, and more on your next travel adventure!

6. Expensive Data Plans

This next item isn’t technically something you “pack” in your luggage, but you should still avoid it. Stop using your expensive data plan on your phone when you travel. I have AT&T, which charges $10 a day when I’m traveling overseas. What you need to get instead is an eSIM. It’s a great way to get data, text, and search online anywhere for much less than your regular service.

My favorite eSIM for travel is from Holafly. Use my link to get 5% off your purchase!

7. Rugged Gear

Experienced travelers also no longer take rugged gear with them. You may want to wear hiking gear when traveling: big hiking shoes, convertible pants, etc. But in reality, unless you’re going to hike the Appalachian Trail or the Camino to Santiago, you don’t need those items.

Most of the time, you just need regular clothes and a great pair of shoes or two. Not three or four or five pairs of great shoes, just one or two!

8. Too Much Clothing

Speaking of too many shoes, do not take too much clothing. It’s so easy to overpack! Think of a capsule wardrobe: a few items in a neutral color like black or gray, and then a scarf, a shirt, or something for a pop of color. All you have to do is take little sachets of clothes and washing soap, and you can do laundry in the sink.

The trick to squeezing a few extra items of clothing is to use compression packing cubes. These are some of my favorites!

Use your phone data while you travel without racking up a high phone bill. Click the link to learn more and get a 5% discount on your purchase!

9. Fancy Clothing & Jewelry

When it comes to what not to pack, these might be some of the hardest things: fancy clothing and jewelry. I know it’s tempting to want something nicer for those evening dinners or events, but I promise you can get by without them! All you have to do is basic black with a pretty scarf, and you are good to go.

Expensive jewelry just makes you a target for pickpockets, so swap it for something more low-key and not flashy. If you want to wear a wedding band, buy a cheap one. I wouldn’t even wear fake diamond earrings because pickpockets may not be able to tell the difference.

10. Cheap Travel Gear

That being said, don’t bring cheap, low-quality travel gear. It’s great to buy things on Amazon, but the cheapest toiletry bottles and such will leak. Make sure that your toiletry bag is good quality, too. This one fits everything nicely and can be hung up.

Also, pick a good quality suitcase to take with you. It will be thrown around on trains, planes, and automobiles, and you don’t want your zipper or the handle to break mid-trip. None of these things have to be super expensive; just make sure that you’re buying quality equipment instead of the cheapest thing that’s available.

11. Full-Size Toiletries

The next item that expert travelers don’t bring is full-size toiletries. They bring things like these travel tubes and travel jars, which follow 3-1-1 regulations and are good quality. They will hold liquids, creams, gels, etc.; you can fill them with the amounts you need for your trip.

Most hotels and rentals also have shampoo and soap. So, sometimes, you don’t have to bring anything with you at all except your supplements, medicines, lotions, and potions that are specific to you.

Are you loving The Abundant Traveler® content? Please support it!

If you’re loving what you’re seeing and learning, please consider supporting with a donation so I can continue providing this free for travelers like you. It could be as little as a cup of coffee or an Aperol spritz. I appreciate your support!

12. Hair Dryers

Something that we definitely do not need to bring anymore is a hair dryer. They’re big, bulky, cumbersome, and they weigh a lot. And, to be honest, ladies, I know we want to bring our favorite hair dryers, but we don’t have to. Most rentals and hotels have hair dryers, just like they have soaps and shampoos.

Plus, in most countries where you have to change the voltage, you’re going to blow up your hair dryer anyway, so it’s not even worth bringing it.

13. What-Ifs

And finally, experienced travelers know not to pack those what-ifs. What if this is going to happen? What if it’s going to rain? What if I need an umbrella? What if I need an extra pair of shoes? What if I need this extra jewelry? You do not need all of these what-ifs and extra stuff.

Most places you’re going to will have department stores, pharmacies, corner stores, etc. So do not pack that last-minute, “oh, I’m just going to throw in these 16 things, just in case.” You do not need those 16 things!

Now you know what not to pack on your next trip and what items to pack instead!

Do you feel good about what not to pack for your next trip? These packing mistakes are pretty common, and there’s always going to be something you come home with that you didn’t end up using. Each trip is a learning opportunity to figure out what you don’t need on the next trip!

I’ve been traveling for many years and have been all over the world, so I’ve had a lot of practice to figure all this out. The key is finding what works best for you. So, what items have you brought with you that you won’t be bringing next time? Let me know in the comments below!

Want to read this post or watch the video later? Save it on Pinterest!

User-Generated Content (UGC) Disclosure: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that, at no extra cost to you, The Abundant Traveler may earn a small commission. Using these links is a huge way to support me, and these will help keep the blog running and free for everyone to enjoy.

All my reviews and opinions are based on my own experience, which may not be the same for everyone. If you choose to use them, then thank you for your support.

Advertiser Disclosure: The Abundant Traveler is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as DailyDrop.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

What you pack for a trip can actually make or break that trip, but one thing to know: more is not always better. As an experienced traveler, there are several things that I recommend that you do not take on any of your trips anymore. I am Kim, The Abundant Traveler, and I’ve been to more than 65 countries and lived in five and this is the top 13 things that I no longer take on a trip with me.

It’s crazy to think that I used to take these things with me! So, let’s start with number one. Number one: big oversized water bottles. Are you kidding me? I love my Yeti, but let me tell you, this is big and bulky. This thing weighs more than the water in it. What I typically do now is I will go get a plastic bottle that I have emptied out, and I take that on the plane with me. I will also, when I’m traveling, I drink the large liter and a half waters, and at the end of the day, I’ll go fill it up for the next day. It’s easy and seamless and weighs a whole lot less than this gorgeous, gorgeous Yeti.

Number two. Two is also something big and bulky. Look at this organizer. This is an electronics organizer. Are you kidding me? Look how big this is. Don’t bring those big pill boxes, those big organizers, those big jewelry boxes; they just take up so much space, and they’re not efficient. So, instead of those big bulky cases, what do is I take these tiny Ziploc bags. These are amazing! I put my jewelry in them, I put my supplements in them, and I also carry them around for snacks or things that I need to keep dry. Like, a bar of soap is great; you can just stick it in here. These are amazing to have; I don’t know how I travel without these tiny Ziploc baggies.

Number three is no big bulky wallets. Are you kidding me, ladies? This weighs like a pound and a half. It’s beautiful to have at home but not when you’re traveling. What I do take, this is one I bought in Hawaii, are these little tiny sleeves where I can slide in a credit card, ATM card, a little bit of money and coins, and I actually bring two of these. One I leave at the hotel or in my Airbnb in the safe, the other I take with me. That way, I always have a credit card if something gets stolen. This will fit in my pocket, so I don’t have to be carrying a purse with me, as well. I love these; these are amazing! I have about six different ones from all of my travels.

Speaking of wallets and money, next is don’t bring a ton of cash with you. Back in the day, you had to bring your traveler’s checks and lots and lots of cash. These days, you don’t. Most of the time, you can use credit cards and ATMs across the world. What I do recommend is bringing a little bit of cash in your home currency. I’m in the US.., so I suggest maybe bringing $100 or so. If you feel safe, bring in a big $100 bill. That’s great, but I do recommend bringing some smaller denominations just in case you get in some kind of trouble and you need a little bit of cash to buy something, get you safe, or whatever. So, not tons of cash anymore; not a good idea. Plus, it’s just – you’re just prone to pickpockets having this kind of money lying around.

Before we go on to number five, if you’re finding value in this video and getting great tips, make sure to like and subscribe to this video, so other travelers just like you can enjoy this video and other videos that I put out.

So, number five: no big bulky luggage. Are you kidding me? Go carry on if you can. No more gigantic suitcases. They’re so hard to pull on cobblestone roads, they’re so hard to carry up sets of stairs, and they’re hard to get on trains, planes, and automobiles. So, if you can go carry-on, and I promise you can, what I do recommend is a carry-on, and then I recommend a small day pack or a sling. And also something that has the strap that can go over the handle of your carry-on; that way, you can be hands-free and also weight-free. It’s amazing! Small carry-on and a small day pack; that is the way to go these days.

The next thing is going to save you lots of money so you can eat, drink, and shop even more. This is to stop using your expensive data plan on your phone when you travel. I have AT&T; I pay $10 a day when I’m traveling overseas. What you need to do is get an eSIM. An eSIM is a great way to be able to get data, and be able to talk and text anywhere at a much less expensive cost than your regular service. Go to the description below; I have left the link to my favorite eSIM down there.

While we’re talking about links in the description, go to the description below and download everything that I use in my carry-on. The whole kit and kaboodle when I’m going all out; it’s free! It’s a free download, it’ll give you some great ideas and great tips.

Let’s talk about the next thing that experienced travelers no longer take with them; that is rugged gear. Okay, you think that you want to wear hiking gear when you travel. Big hiking shoes, convertible pants, all the things like that. But in all reality, unless you’re actually going to hike the Appalachian Trail or the Camino to Santiago, most of the time, you just need to be wearing regular clothes and have a great pair of shoes or two. Remember, ladies, not three or four or five pairs of great shoes, just one or two. So, no rugged clothing and do not take too much clothing. It’s so easy to overpack. Think capsule wardrobe; just think a few items that are a neutral color like black or gray, and then a scarf or a shirt or something like that that is one pop of color. Do not overpack; not too many shoes, not too many shirts. Just remember, you don’t need all that stuff when you’re traveling. I promise, all you have to do is take little sachets of clothes and washing soap, and you can do it in the sink. So, I promise, back to going carry-on only; carry-on only, you can do it, I promise.

Since we’re talking about not overpacking and capsule wardrobes, let’s talk about: do not bring fancy clothing. Ladies and gentlemen, you do not need super fancy clothing when you’re traveling. All you have to do is do basic black, and you are good to go. Remember, you just have that pretty scarf and that’s it, or some little crevatte for the gentlemen, and you will be good to go, basically, in any restaurant or event. You do not need all that fancy clothing. Also, nothing fancy! Not expensive jewelry or fancy jewelry, high-end watches; that just makes you a target for pickpockets. It makes you look like you are a tourist, and it is just not advisable to be traveling with fancy jewelry. One, it can be stolen out of your luggage; two, you can get pickpocketed or robbed; three, if you leave it in the hotel, unfortunately, it might get stolen. So, don’t even bother. If you do want to wear a wedding band, go buy a cheap one. Ladies, I wouldn’t wear those big, fancy engagement rings, either. I wouldn’t even wear fake diamond earrings. You still look like a target, because pickpockets are usually not the smartest people and they don’t know the difference between fake diamond earrings and real diamond earrings. So, again, no fancy clothes and no expensive, fancy jewelry.

The next thing is something experienced travelers never do, and that is no cheap stuff, low quality, and cheaply made things. Yeah, it’s great to buy things on Amazon, but don’t go buy the 3oz or 100ml bottles that are the cheapest because, guess what? They’re going to leak. Also, pick a good quality suitcase to take with you. It’s going to be thrown around on trains, planes, and automobiles, and you don’t want your zipper breaking or the handle breaking. Make sure that your toiletry bag is good quality. Now, none of these things have to be super expensive; just make sure that you’re buying quality equipment instead of buying the cheapest thing that’s available to you.

The next thing that expert travelers don’t do is they don’t bring full-size toiletries; they bring things like this. These are the 311, again, good quality, this will hold creams, etc. These are both fantastic options. You do not need to bring full-size toiletries, and, to be honest, most hotels and airbnbs also have shampoo and soap there. So, sometimes you don’t have to bring anything with you at all except your supplements, your medicines, and you know, your lotions and potions that all of us women need.

Something that we definitely do not need to bring are hair dryers. They’re big, they’re bulky, they’re cumbersome, and they weigh a lot. And, to be honest, ladies, I know we want to bring our favorite hair dryers, but we don’t have to. Most airbnbs and hotels have hair dryers just like they have soaps and shampoos, so don’t bring that hairdryer. Plus, most countries that you go to that you have to change the voltage, you’re going to blow up your hair dryer anyway, so it’s not even worth bringing it.

The final thing that experienced travelers know not to pack are those what-ifs. This is number 13! What if this is going to happen? What if it’s going to rain? What if I need an umbrella? What if I need the extra pair of shoes? What if I need this extra jewelry? You do not need all of these what-ifs and all of this extra stuff. Most of the places that you’re going to be going to will have department stores, pharmacies, etc., so do not pack that, you know, that last minute, that last second that you’re there and you’re like, oh, I’m just going to throw in these 16 things just in case. You do not need the 16 things, just in case.

So, I hope that you enjoyed this video. Please, again, make sure to like and subscribe and check out this video just here, which explains all of the items in my carry-on bag. Thanks so much for watching, and I’ll see you all in the next video!

Scroll to Top