How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

10 Things NOT To Pack For Your Caribbean Vacation

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I am a self admitted overpacker. Inevitably when I return home I unpack dresses I haven’t worn, T-shirts that went from suitcase to hanger and back without ever seeing the light of day, even extra bathing suit cover-ups.  Why do I have room for all these extra clothes?  Because on the rare occasion that I’m not going carry-on only ( a very different way of packing) I’m great at leaving behind key items I know you don’t have to pack.  Do you want to pack less?  Considering going carry-on only?

Here are 10 things you can safely leave behind when you are headed to to an all-inclusive.

  1.  A hair dryer.  You can count on almost every hotel room to have a hair dryer.
  2. Travel Iron.  Pack wrinkle resistant clothes, hang clothes in the bath room while you shower to de-wrinkle, or some hotel rooms are equipped with small ironing boards and irons.
  3. Expensive Jewellery – Wear those rings and earrings you might use everyday, but don’t bring anything with you that you can’t live without.
  4. Shampoo/Conditioner – Check your hotel’s website.  Most hotels provide nice amenities that are replenished daily.  Unsure?  Pack a few travel size products to get you through.
  5. Towels!  Your hotel will provide pool/beach towels.
  6. Your full set of make-up.  Down south, it is hot! No sense messing with all those big bottles, it will just melt off your face anyway.  Any foundation or liquids that you do need to take should be transferred into much smaller containers and stuffed into a Ziplock bag.  This is both to save space and your clothes if one of those containers was to leak.
  7. A flat iron.  The humidity down south means you will need to embrace the top knot.  Give your hair a break from over-styling and leave the flat iron at home.
  8. All The Shoes. I know it’s tempting to pack your fancy heels for dinner.  The shoes for that special skirt.  Runners, flip flops, water shoes….the list goes on and on.  But an all-inclusive is your time to be comfy and practical.  If you will be hiking or working out, take your sneakers.  Other than that pack a comfy pair of flip flops for the beach, water shoes for the little’s and a dressy pair of sandals that will take you from day to night.
  9. 7 Bathing Suits:  Sure you will be there for a week but this doesn’t mean you need to be making a fashion statement every day.  Pick a couple of your “go to’s”, the one’s you feel comfy or fabulous in, maybe even bathing suits that you can mix and match.  This is all you need.  Toss in one sarong, a second favourite cover-up and you are good to go.
  10. Your worries! As long as you have your passport, a credit card and some travel insurance you will survive.

Bon Voyage!

    • Comments

    1. I love all of your lists of do’s and don’ts and should and shouldn’t, you always have great advice for travelers

    6. #10 is very true. Those are the only things that are really important to make sure you have.

    7. I swear you do some of the best travel lists and number 10 is the best because as long as you’ve got your credit card you can buy whatever you forget !

    8. This was an interesting read, however I do like to go with extra things. As a classic overpacker hotel shampoos and conditioners don’t work with my thick wavy hair so I always bring my own shampoo and conditioner. I also bring lots of shoes because I do wear them. When it comes to clothing I might not wear everything but going someplace and having your clothes get wet and not having an extra set is the worst wxpwri nice ever! Happen e in Israel, so I rather have extra than not enough. I loved your ziplock tip. That has saved my clothing on some trips when my conditioner decided to explode in my luggage. I love by that one. Allover this is a great article.