Have you ever found yourself dragging around a heavy bag on your travels, only to realize you didn’t use half the stuff you packed? Well, that was us. Today, I will be diving into the art of one-bag travel, making every inch of your bag count. After traveling to 36 countries, these are the 9 things we have stopped packing—making our journeys smoother and our bags lighter!
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9 Things Travelers No Longer Pack
1. Books
The thought of being on holiday and relaxing by the hotel pool while reading a book sounds amazing, right? But if you are like me and don’t read at home, what makes you think you are going to read a book while you are on a trip to Paris? Let’s be honest with ourselves—you’re not.
However, if you are like Nic who does enjoy reading, then by all means, take a book. The only issue is that book are too bulky and too heavy for a one bag carry-on. We know, Nic did this and regretted it. He also easily gets bored with some books and wants to swap them out, which is tough while you are traveling. Also, if you finish it, you might just have to leave it behind.
To tackle these problems, Nic purchased the Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen. It can carry multiple books so he can flip between them as he pleases. He doesn’t have to leave them behind or drag them around. So, take a Kindle if you are a reader and if you are not, don’t even let that thought cross your mind.
2. Travel Pillows
We once had an issue with a Cathay flight and as reimbursement, they gave us a $100 in-flight gift voucher. Excitedly, we looked through the catalog and eventually decided on a travel pillow that could be pumped up for different comfort levels, with heat pads and massage functions. It was THE travel pillow. Knowing we would be traveling a lot, we thought it would be the best travel investment ever.
If only I felt the same about it now. It was such an inconvenience to carry around after we got off the plane. To this day, I do not even know where we placed our travel pillow.
Now, we use rolled-up clothing or jackets when needed, for example when we slept at the Vienna Airport. This shift not only saves space but also simplifies packing and unpacking at each destination.
3. Charging Bricks
With minimal space for one-bag travel, who has space to pack multiple charging bricks? Especially the bulky ones, like the MacBook M1 Pro Max charger. So, Nic looked for a one-stop solution to minimize this space taker and found the Zendure Passport 2 which features 2 USB-C ports, 3 USB-A ports, and a 65W output.
Why is this so important? In simple terms, everything is moving to USB-C, so having at least 2-3 of these ports is essential. The 65W output is crucial as it’s the minimum Wattage needed to charge your laptop. Now, Nic and I only have to carry one Zendure each to charge all our devices.
4. Multiple Cables
Keeping cables neat and tidy at home is hard enough, let alone while traveling. So, we simplified it. Instead of carrying multiple of the same cables, Nic and I now only carry one of each and share them as needed. Even at home, our devices do not die at the same time, so sharing cables has not been an issue. It also simplifies packing and keeps our tech gear minimal, making it easier to keep track of our cables and ensuring we don’t leave anything behind.
5. Excessive Clothes
Are you packing as a traveler or an Instagram model? For us, it’s about being smart with our choices. We pack no more than 10 outfits for a two-to-three-month trip, focusing on versatile pieces that can mix and match for various occasions. As my husband always reminds me, it’s not that I don’t have enough clothes—it’s that I don’t have enough creativity. So, let’s get creative.
6. Passport Covers
On a trip to Universal Studios Singapore, we bought a cool Despicable Me passport cover, thinking it would help us easily identify our passports. Unfortunately, airports do not agree with this. Nic had to remove the cover every single time we showed our passports, which became frustrating. For ease and efficiency, we’ve opted to keep our passports bare for quicker access, speeding up our transit through airports.
7. Excessive Cash
On our first trip to Japan, many blogs suggested that Japan was still a cash country. Keeping that in mind, Nic and I carried the yen equivalent of $10,000. CRAZY!!!
Looking back, carrying a large amount of cash was risky and unnecessary. Almost everywhere accepts card transactions, and withdrawing cash from ATMs is typically safer and more convenient. This ensures our safety and helps us better track our spending through banking apps.
Now days we maybe carry $50-100 as most places accept cards and there are always ATMs nearby.
8. Waterproof Phone Pouches
Planning to hit the waves, soak in the sun or go canyoneering like we did? You might think of packing a waterproof phone pouch.
We packed one but to have only used it once throughout all our travels, and it wasn’t even necessary. Plus, the one time we did use it, they sold it cheaper locally than what we paid for it back home.
9. ‘Just in Case’ Items
The notorious “just in case” items often just take up space. From our experience, these items clutter our bag. Whenever we’re tempted to pack something just in case, we remind ourselves of the countless times those items went unused. For example, a notebook for writing things down—well, isn’t that what your phone is for?
I can assure that there is a 90% chance that you can purchase your “just in case” item while you are on holiday.
Conclusion
And that wraps up our list of 9 things we no longer pack as experienced one-bag travelers! By shedding these unnecessary items, we’ve managed to streamline our packing process, lighten our loads, and make our travels more enjoyable and efficient. We hope these tips help you reconsider what’s essential for your travels, allowing you to move freely and embrace every adventure that comes your way.
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By following these tips, you can turn potentially cumbersome travel into a smooth and enjoyable experience. If you have any additional tips or tricks, feel free to share them in the comments below.