If you are old enough, you may remember the American Express commercials from years ago that always ended in a bold announcer type voice saying: “The American Express card, don’t leave home without it.” Well, apparently some folks, when they go on vacation, feel that they can’t leave home without anything, especially their gadgets and the stuff their closets. Folks are traveling more these days and insist on carrying more with them when they go.
Remember that one of the reasons to take a vacation is to get away from it all, not to carry it all with you. Experienced travelers will always tell you to travel light whenever possible, especially on the clothing. You really don’t have to wear a fresh outfit every day. Just carry a few outfits that mix and match well, rotate them every day and launder when convenient. However, you should always check the weather forecast for your destination before you leave just to make sure you have packed the right stuff. Just don’t pack too much of it.
While everyone loves jeans, especially younger folks, they are absolutely NOT recommended travel clothes. They are very heavy and they take up more space that lighter garments. They are also very slow to dry which can sometimes really cramp your schedule. There is already an issue with lugging heavy suitcases and denim clothing just makes this worse. Always pack things that are light, quick drying and wrinkle resistant.
Besides leaving off the denim items, you should also leave off jewelry, expensive Items, and keepsakes. The comings and goings of a busy vacation, the packing, unpacking and repacking all greatly increases the chances of you losing something. This can quickly sour your dream trip. I remember years ago going on a trip and losing my binoculars. Despite the fact that they were worth less than $100.00 it still really soured my trip. I still remember that incident 20 years later. Just imagine if it had been a family keepsake or heirloom.
Realize that here are just some things that you need to “leave home without”
Next week we will have some more vacation tips.
-Steve Durham
Sr. Account Manager, FSIoffice
Connect the Dots ... with FSIoffice 