12 Things You Probably Never Need to Pack
I've been traveling the world now for more than a decade; I've visited 60+ countries on 6 continents, and have traveled in just about every climate and biome imaginable, from tropical islands to the frigid Arctic Circle.
But one thing that I *still* dread before every trip? Packing.
Packing for a trip can be stressful; you need to take into account where you're going, what the weather will be like, and if there are any cultural norms you need to follow or any special occasions you need to dress for. And, oh yeah, you need to make sure you can fit everything in without going over luggage weight limits!
Believe me when I say I've seen and done it all when it comes to packing. When I moved abroad for five months in college, I left for New Zealand with two massive suitcases, plus a couple carry-on bags. When I traveled around Europe and Southeast Asia during grad school, I did so with just a 45-liter backpack.
I've used duffle bags and rolling bags; checked luggage and gone carry-on-only. I don't believe that there's any one “right” way to pack – it depends on so many different factors, including your travel style and where you're going.
So I'm not here to tell you exactly HOW to pack, or what sort of luggage you should be using (though I do have a guide to my favorite luggage here). And this isn't a packing list (you can find those over here).
Instead, this is more of a “what not to pack” list, based on things that I really DON'T think you need on most trips.
(Though if you want to know about things I DO always pack, you I also have a post on my travel packing must-haves.)
What NOT to pack for travel
Here are a dozen things you probably don't need to pack.
1. Multiple pairs of jeans
You may have learned this the hard way already, but actual denim is HEAVY, bulky, and slow to dry if you have to wash it on the road. If you're going to pack jeans on a trip, I recommend only taking 1 or 2 pairs max, along with some non-denim pants or bottoms.
I don't think I even own any real denim jeans any longer (I'm a big fan of American Eagle's Dream Jeggings or Old Navy's Rock Star Jeggings instead), but even so I never travel with more than 2 pairs of jean-like pants on any given trip.
Why? Well, because I can generally wear one pair more than once before they need washing, and because they still take up more space than a pair of (comfier) leggings or a dress.
2. High heels
Especially if you're going to be traveling in Europe where uneven cobblestones abound, ladies can probably leave the high heels at home. Unless you're someone famous going to a red carpet event, chances are you're not going to wear heels more than once or twice on a trip, and you could probably get away with flats or sandals or something more versatile instead.
I usually limit myself to 2-3 pairs of shoes per trip, and heels never make the cut as essentials for traveling.
Even if you don't find high heels uncomfortable, the likelihood of you needing them on your travels is probably pretty slim.
3. Shoes you haven't broken in
And since we're talking about things that are likely to hurt your feet… I also don't recommend buying brand new shoes for a trip and putting them into your suitcase straight out of the box.
If you buy new shoes specifically for a trip (and, come on, we've all done it!), make sure to break them in at home beforehand. This way, you won't be caught by surprise by a spot that rubs or slips. Believe me, you don't want to be dealing with blisters on your dream trip!
I now have a range of “travel shoes” at home that I know are both comfortable and versatile enough for me to travel with regularly. For warm-weather trips, I usually travel with a pair of walking sandals, a pair of dressy flats, and a pair of casual walking shoes. For colder weather, I swap out the sandals for short boots.
RELATED: My Favorite Shoes for Travel
4. Workout gear if you don't regularly work out at home
I know, I know: You see photos of the amazing fitness room at your hotel, or read about all the opportunities to get active at your destination and feel inspired.
But honestly? If you don't work out in a gym or go for a run regularly at home, believe me when I tell you that you ARE NOT going to magically feel motivated to do so while you're on vacation.
Don't bother packing running shoes and multiple workout outfits if they're not already part of your daily routine at home.
If you DO have any active activities planned (like maybe a kayaking trip, or some horseback riding), chances are you can get away with packing just one active outfit and footwear you can also use on other parts of your trip.
(Though if you ARE a runner or someone who hits the gym daily, then you can totally ignore this one and go ahead and pack your gear!)
5. Things you may only use once
Speaking of packing things like running shoes if you're not a regular runner… leave other similar “just in case” items at home, too.
If you MIGHT only use something like a formal outfit or hiking boots once, then you probably don't need to pack it. I can't tell you how many times I've thrown in a swimsuit or quick-dry towel with a “just in case I stumble upon a romantic hot spring!” thought, or taken a fancy outfit with no plans to wear it and regretted it taking up space in my suitcase.
Unless you have definite plans to actually USE an item, don't pack it “just in case.”
The one exception to this rule might be a rain coat (this is my favorite one), or warmer coat if you're going to a destination that *might* be wet and/or cold.
If there's any chance of cold weather (even if it's just for a small part of your trip), definitely pack at least one warm layer so you're not miserable. They make great packable down coats these days that take up very little extra space in your luggage (I have this Eddie Bauer one and it works well).
6. A different outfit for every day
I'll lovingly poke fun at my mom with this one: When you travel, you definitely do not need to pack a different outfit for every day!
A lot of travelers swear by the “capsule wardrobe” method, where every item you pack can mix and match with all the others. I don't quite take things this far, but I do limit how much I allow myself to pack on a trip.
My rule is usually 4 bottoms, 5-7 tops, 2 layering pieces (like cardigans), and 2-3 dresses. Add in a scarf and some other accessories, and you can get a lot of outfits out of that amount of clothing! Whether I'm traveling for 2 weeks or 2 months, this is more or less what I try to stick to.
When you're traveling, no one is going to notice if you wear an outfit more than once. And if you're worrying about things getting stinky, guess what? You can totally do laundry when you're traveling!
RELATED: 10 Tips for How to Pack Carry On Only for Your Next Trip
7. A laundry line
When it comes to doing laundry on the road, there are several routes you can take: you can hand-wash things in your hotel room, you can go to a local laundromat, or you can send your washing out with a laundry service.
In my early days of traveling as a backpacker, trying to save money and staying in a lot of hostels, I assumed I'd be doing a lot of hand-washing of my clothing. Because of this, I carried a portable laundry line and bunch of clothespins with me all across Europe and Asia. But guess what? I never used them once!
On shorter trips when I need to hand-wash a few small things in a sink, I always just hang them up to dry overnight in the bathroom – some hotels even have built-in clotheslines in the shower!
And on longer trips when I know I'll need to do some proper laundry, I plan it out so that I'm either staying in an Airbnb or other rental with laundry facilities at a strategic point in my trip. I've also done laundry at local laundromats a few times, and have also sent my laundry out to be done elsewhere – the latter is very popular and affordable all across Asia, and I've done it in North Africa, too.
Though if you DO still want to travel with your own laundry line, don't pack a bulky one with clothespins like I did. They make much sleeker ones now (like this one) that can hang anywhere using suction cups.
8. A bunch of hair styling tools
This one is mostly for the ladies! Even if you rely on a lot of hair tools at home, all of those straighteners and curling irons can take up a LOT of room in a suitcase. And, honesty, you can probably get by without most of them while you're away.
It's also worth noting that some hair tools you use in the US may not work in many other countries because of different voltages – my mom and I found this out the hard way years ago when she tried to use her American curling iron in New Zealand, and blew the fuse in our hotel room!
If you are going to bring any hair tools with you, make sure they're dual or universal voltage (110-240V) if you're traveling abroad.
The one exception I'll make to this is a foldable, dual voltage hair dryer. I do often travel with my own small hair dryer, simply because I can't stand the ones you find attached to the wall in many hotel room bathrooms. (This is a good one that's also really affordable.)
9. Expensive jewelry/electronics
This one should go without saying, but you definitely don't want to be carrying grandma's precious family jewels around with you on your trip. Leave the expensive jewelry and flashy electronics at home.
Costume jewelry or less-expensive accessories are usually just fine, and I only recommend bringing the electronics that you'll actually USE on a trip with you. Otherwise, you run the risk of absentmindedly forgetting things like your iPad in the seatback pocket on an airplane (it may have happened to a loved one of mine…).
As a travel blogger/photographer who works on the road, I'm usually toting around a laptop and expensive camera gear on all my trips. But if this wasn't my job, you can bet I would be traveling a lot lighter!
10. A lot of cash
You also probably don't need to bring a ton of cash. Many destinations around the world accept credit cards now; in fact, many parts of Europe are almost cash-less at this point!
It should be pretty easy to research whether you'll need a lot of cash for your trip before you go. If you need to bring cash, only bring what you need, and don't keep it all in one place in your bag.
If you don't need a lot of cash, I still recommend having a small amount of local currency on you for small purchases, tips, etc. But there's not usually any need to get this cash ahead of time; you can likely use a local ATM once you get to your destination, or visit a local bank. (One thing I DON'T recommend is using a currency conversion counter inside an airport; those give you the worst rates!)
And obviously when you're out and about on your travels, you don't want to be carrying all of your cash and credit cards on you all at once. Only take what you need.
RELATED: How to Keep Your Money and Valuables Safe on Your Travels
11. A money belt or passport necklace
Long gone are the days of money belts and bulky passport necklaces being the best way to keep things safe on the road. These might still be useful on travel days when you have no choice but to carry everything with you, but they are impractical for everyday use when you're traveling.
If you need to dig under your clothing every time you need to access money, it gets both awkward and time-consuming. Not to mention that by doing this you're advertising to everyone around you that you're a tourist with a money belt.
Instead, I recommend something like a theft-proof backpack or purse, or even a hidden pocket scarf that can be used as an accessory when it's not keeping things safe.
12. A tripod if you aren't a photographer
If you've ever asked a travel blogger their secret to taking great selfies while traveling, chances are they'll tell you all about their favorite camera tripod.
And while, yes, I do sometimes travel with a tripod myself, I find that I can usually count the number of times I use it on a trip on one hand – and I do this professionally!
Unless you're a professional photographer or have plans for very specific photography (like taking photos of the Northern Lights, or a solar eclipse), the chances of you needing to travel regularly with a tripod are pretty low.
And if you decide you want to snap a selfie after all? You can improvise with just about anything – I've used rocks, fences, and the backs of chairs in place of tripods in the past!
So there you have it; my list of items that you probably never need to pack for any trip.
Other travelers may add things like umbrellas or certain toiletries to this list, but I personally think those are things you may indeed want to pack for some trips. (Next, check out my list of things I DO think you should always pack!)
READ NEXT: The Top 12 Things I Can’t Travel Without
Tell me: What are some things YOU have regretted packing for travel in the past?
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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Thanks for the helpful info from this article and others! Off on a river cruise adventure tis fall!
VV below Is obviously not a Tollkien fan 🙁
Keep sharing the insights!
Hello! It is probably more important to leave behind a bad attitude / mind set than worry about packing the right / wrong material things. Presuming that ‘out there’ is dangerous and not safe or welcoming is harmful. Why do you travel if you expect the familiar? If you worry as an American about crime in Iceland, for instance, please compare the statistics before you venture out. Enjoy your trip! vilksva
Please read my about page before leaving any more comments about me thinking “out there is dangerous.” That’s not what the name of my site refers to at all, and at this point you just sound silly. My packing guides are some of the most popular posts on my site, so clearly others don’t agree with you and DO worry about packing the right/wrong things.
My encouragement to everybody to enjoy / pursue traveling is based on my own multiple experiences, my dual nationality, my diverse interests and involvement in seemingly unrelated pursuits. Traveling makes us more knowledgeable (if we are ‘open’), perhaps more than rote education does. That encourages us to compare, evaluate and make more accurate judgements / decisions to advance excellence and thus improve the quality of life. My stance is to simply to support such ‘openness’ as a priority and place secondary issues where they belong. Any seemingly trivial discussion should remain at a reduced emphasis level. Please travel!
I have read so much information on your blog. You have given out so much really helpful information. It seems like no matter what I do, I wind up packing too many of something or not enough of something else. I used to wash my clothes in the hotel sink and hope they would be dry by the time I got the next set dirty, But my last couple of trips were rather long and I wasn’t in a single place long enough. I was lucky enough to stay in one place right by a laundromat in France and took that opportunity. Another time, after I got back to Quito after going to the Galapagos, I had to bag of dirty wet laundry with the hotel host. I had left my clothing out on the cruise boat to dry, but we got drenched by a last minute rainstorm. He sent it out for me. I paid for it and tipped him. I always have a ton of camera equipment to travel with, and always battle with myself over whether I need the extra sweater or do I want to bring to 300 mm telephoto and/or the fisheye? Do I wear hiking boots and pack tennis shoes? Do I even need to bring tennis shoes? or should I bring Tevas? .Sometimes I pack my photography gear inside a secure photographer’s backpack, then stick it in my carryon backpack surrounded with whatever clothing I can squish in with it. Then I will have a “personal” bag or item under the seat with the rest of my clothing stuffed in it. If I do check a bag, I pack very little in it so that I can stuff my carry on etc. in it when I get to the hotel. I dread packing. But I dread hauling it around even more.
Packing clothes for each day was one mistake I repeatedly did till 2018. It was during my trek to Dzukou Valley in Nagaland, India, when I chose only a few items of clothing on my friend’s suggestion. Insightful article. Loved the photos too.
Once you realize that nobody around you really knows (or cares) if you wear the same thing twice, it really does make packing easier!
Great article. You just reminded me that I need to dig out my passport. This got me thinking. It would be cool to have a checklist template from an experienced traveler like yourself on important items not to forget!
Maybe I’ll have to write the opposite of this post, and make a list of things I think you should ALWAYS pack! (It’s tough, though, because sometimes it changes depending on where you’re going!)
I still remember the college trip day and my poor shoe sole. After reaching the place when I came out of the bus, my shoe had broken. from that day I decided not to bring any bad stuffed shoes on any tour.
Bad shoes can definitely ruin a travel day!
Also, as for money I haven’t had cash in my hand once in the last half-dozen trips to Europe. Apple pay, or worst case a chip & pin credit card has served me well. *unless* you’re in the boonies. I was a couple of places in arctic sweden where the private ferry wanted to be paid in cash. Although the bus to get there *only* took credit.
Yup, you can usually get by without cash in most of Western Europe. Though there are still plenty of rural areas where you may still need some cash. And of course in other parts of the world, cash is still necessary. I always carry at least a little cash on me for tips, even if I’m mostly using plastic to pay for things.
Guys will laugh (i did) at the comment about wearing jeans more than once. I only take quick-dry stuff on trips and will wash the pants every few weeks. Dirt and smell don’t stick to them. Jeans, at home, get washed every month or so. They just don’t get dirty. Or sweaty, in the winter.
Ha. Well, most women’s “jeans” these days aren’t made of real denim, so washing them more frequently is usually required! But yeah, I don’t necessarily wash mine after every wear, especially when I’m traveling!
Rob, i’m not a guy except possibly in my brain, and I never understand these kinds of comments about washing jeans after every or even every other wear. I don’t even know how to tell if jeans are getting dirty except if I spill something on ‘em, so I wash them after I feel like I’ve worn them a bunch of times or in an attempt to make them fit better – like there was a time if I wore really slim skinny fitting jeans, even the smallest size would get loose on me around the legs knees ankles thighs etc. after 1-2 wears because I have slim legs, so I’d wash again to tighten them back up. Nowadays they make more skinny and “jeggings” options though so I rarely have to do that. I don’t pack that much than him anymore though, are usually wear a comfortable pair on the flight and the rest of the time will go for leggings/tights with dresses – But overall just wanted to say I also laugh at the jeans comments even though I’m not a guy.
Clearly neither of you has ever met someone like my mother, who washes every article of clothing after wearing it! Haha. As for me, my “jeans” are usually of the stretchy jegging variety these days, and believe me, if I get sweaty in them you can definitely tell when they need a wash! Usually it’s not after every wear, though.
I agree with all of these! I do work out regularly at home but I still never pack more than 2 workout outfits and a single workout bra (workout bras for DDs take up so much space!) I just rewear them. If I’m staying for a few nights I rinse them in the shower and hang them up, but I’ve also just put re-worn dirty ones. It’s not something I would do at home, but they’re only on my body for 30-60 minutes and then I immediately get in the shower so…who cares?
I’d say passport necklackes/belts are the most ridiculous thing that people still think you need to pack. My boyfriend bought a passport necklace when we went to Mexico City and I laughed so hard. I actually made him stop wearing it because it was definitely drawing attention. Those things make NO SENSE.
As a fellow large-chested woman, I totally commiserate with sports bras taking up SO much space! (The same goes for swimsuits with any sort of support!) And YES, whoever decided the passport necklace was a cool accessory was insane. Unless you are ONLY wearing it to keep something hidden, then it’s completely useless.
I wear a 30-32 band but DDD-F cup. It’s true supportive swimwear can take up space (like those that come in bra sizes rather than small, large etc) esp. if you have a large chest, but is worth bringing on some trips IMO. Depends on the style and climate but I find they can double up as a bra. I have a black one and a red one – swim tops in bra sizes without any uncomfortable ties in the back or anything bulky in design – and wear them invisibly or with the straps showing if I want under dresses and tops in addition to as a bikini top. Since the bra is going to take just as much room I found that finding this kind of bikini tops has helped me safe space and be able to take a “bra” of a different color as well as a swimsuit in one item. Especially for spring summer travel.
Yes that’s true! I personally tend to prefer one-piece suits most of the time, so packing my one-piece for a trip where I don’t plan to do any swimming isn’t worth it for me. BUT obviously if I’m going to a beach destination, or staying somewhere with a nice pool or hot tub, then I will pack it.
Ooooh I never go anywhere without a swimming costume! Too many times I’ve regretted not taking one. And if I need a towel I just ask the hotel for a spare 😉
If there’s a legitimate chance that I might swim somewhere, then I’ll pack a suit. But I’ve also thrown one (or more!) in when I knew I definitely would not be getting in any water. Haha.
Pocket scarfs are great!
They sure are! I own several.