What Not to Pack

You want to pack lightly, but with all the essentials, and some of the comforts of home. Over-packing is bad for your back and shoulders and can cost extra on your flight. Arrive relaxed and ready for rest with a well-packed suitcase. Here are some tips on what not to pack.

Don't Pack Your Entire Beauty RoutineIf you use eight different products to tame your wild curls or have an elaborate face-washing regimen down to a science, let loose a bit when you travel instead of carrying an army of beauty products with you across the globe. Trust us -- you won't look like a cave woman in your vacation pictures if you use a shampoo/conditioner combo for a few nights. If you're adventurous enough to leave home and explore an exotic destination, we bet you can also handle leaving behind a few hair products.

Top Tips:If you are staying at a major chain hotel that will offer complimentary toiletries -- use them! Don't bring your own 24-ounce shampoo and conditioner bottles to the hotel and then stuff the hotel ones in your suitcase to take home. If you don't use them on the road, you'll probably never use them at home.

There are lots of products that have multiple uses. Opt for a shampoo/conditioner combo. Bring a tinted moisturizer with SPF. Let your moisturizing body wash double as a shaving cream. Share your shampoo, soap or toothpaste with your traveling partner. Buy a make-up compact that contains more than one color, such as an eyeshadow quad.

Lose the bulky containers. Instead, try zip-top bags. We stuff and pour everything we can into them, including hair products, lotions, cotton balls and even sunscreen. (Note: Do not put large liquid-filled zip-top bags in your carry-on luggage; according to TSA regulations, liquid-filled containers may be no larger than 3.4 ounces by volume.) To prevent spills, put all of your liquid-filled baggies in a larger plastic grocery bag -- and be sure not to pack it next to any fishing rods or freshly sharpened pencils.

Don't Pack Your Jewelry and ValuablesRule of thumb -- if you can't imagine living without your grandmother's wedding ring or your expensive Movado watch, it's best not to cart it overseas, where tourists are common targets for thieves and luggage often gets lost in transit. You may think you look like an icon of style, but to criminals and con-artists you appear as an icon of opportunity. It's also wise not to look like a million bucks if you're trying to bargain with the locals, and sparkly jewelry may set you apart from the natives when you're trying to fit in.

Top Tips:If you must bring your jewelry, keep it in the hotel safe except for special occasions such as dinner in a nice restaurant, and be sure it's covered by appropriate insurance. Most homeowners' policies will not cover jewelry if it's lost or stolen while traveling, so you may need to purchase a separate policy.

Pack any valuables you buy while on your trip (and any of your own that you decide to bring) in your carry-on. As we all know, checked bags sometimes disappear into the mysterious black hole of lost luggage.

Source: Independent Traveler