Are you off to a holiday soon and know that you’re bound to end up with unnecessary baggage full of ‘just in case’ items? Here are the five items you need to leave at home.

There are two things that are painful about packing a too-heavy bag for your getaway. Firstly, the obvious physical pain of having to lug it around to all your destinations.

The second potential pain is going to the airport, checking in, and then having your airline (kindly) suggest that you either throw out 1kg of your possessions or pay excess fees on the spot. Grr.

Here’s how to pack wisely and without regret. Trust us, you’ll want to be travelling lightly anyway.

Unnecessary toiletries

Leopard Bathrobe from Bambury, available online at Zanui.

‘What kind of toiletries are unnecessary?!’, we hear you say. All toiletries are, indeed, necessary. But what you might find is that your accommodation will already provide you with shampoos, soaps and even towels – saving you plenty of luggage space and excess baggage.

Do your research and enquire about what will be provided throughout your stay. It might even prevent the dreaded lotion explosion in your bag!

Shoes

High Gloss 2 Door Shoe Cabinet from OliandOla, available online at Zanui.

You’d be surprised how much your runners, wedges and ballet flats weigh when put together. Try to be clever in preparing your outfits in advance.

Pick a pair of comfortable shoes that work with most of your clothes and then pack a maximum of two additional pairs. That’s to cater for any formal events or physical activities that will require special footwear.

Other than that, keep it to a minimum. And yes, flip-flops count as a pair!

Excess amount of accessories

Jane Organiser Tray from Concrete Homewares, available online at Zanui.

Something else to consider when preparing your outfits is how many accessories they require. Belts, watches, jewellery – all of these smaller items add up! You also won’t want to lose or forget any behind.

Keep it light and simple with a few staple items and the necessities. Sunglasses and a hat can go a long way.

Heavy souvenirs

Critter Mug, Freddy Fox, Critter Mug, Oliver Owl and Critter Mug, Calvin Cat from Now Designs, available online at Zanui.

This one is something to consider when packing your bag upon your return back home. Sure, your sister loves mugs and the cat-shaped one at the markets was too cute to resist.

Don’t be fooled! You’ll be regretting the purchase when the ceramic is heavy enough to tip your bag over the scale…

Stick to the good ol’ keyring, bottle opener or fridge magnet if gifts are high up on your priority list. Your backpack will thank you.

A heavy luggage bag

This might sound a bit odd, but in this instance, we’re referring to a literal luggage bag. Without the contents.

Don’t think that having 25kg of baggage means you’ll get to pack 25kg of stuff. Your bag is included in the stuff.

There are plenty of lightweight luggage bags on the market these days and it’s definitely worth the investment! Those two or three extra kilos make a huge difference when it comes down to adding a pair of shoes 😉