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Spectator by Seema Goswami: What not to lug around on a summer vacation
Avoid packing excess items for summer holidays: limit clothing, hair products, shoes, books, and makeup to essentials for a stress-free trip.
Whenever the summer holidays roll along, magazines and newspapers are quick to run the now almost-mandatory pieces about what you should pack when you head out on vacation.
Well, this week I am taking a very different tack to that. I am going to make a list of all the things you definitely do not need to pack when you are heading out for a summer holiday, based on the many packing mistakes I have made over the years. So here’s a short list of all the stuff you definitely need to leave behind when you head out to have a good time.
You absolutely do not need two coats/jackets even if you are heading to a cold climate. Just pick one that can do double duty for both day and night (black, red or any neutral shade will do). And if you can carry it along with you on the plane you can save precious space in your suitcase.
I have been guilty of this on many an occasion but believe me, you do not need to carry your entire hair paraphernalia with you on vacation. Your hair will benefit from using a different shampoo and conditioner (it prevents build-up of product on your hair) and a good hotel will provide a hairdryer as well. Just carry your mousse/spray and you are all set (see what I did there?).
Wear your bulkiest pair of shoes/boots while travelling (another great space-saving trick) and pack your evening sandals/heels. But only one pair, mind you. You don’t need anything more than that no matter how many fancy dinners you have booked.
You may absolutely love a certain top or pair of trousers but unless you can mix and match them with several other pieces in your packing list then you must harden your heart and leave them behind. Every outfit in your suitcase absolutely has to earn its place.
Are you thinking that your vacation would be the perfect time to read that big fat book that has been languishing on your nightstand for months? Maybe it will. But the odds are that you will be having too much fun to even open it. Much better to leave that weighty tome behind and load whatever you want to read on your Kindle instead.
Even if you are the most finicky of dressers, you really don’t need to cart a portable iron or steamer along with you. Most hotels have an ironing board and iron in the room — or available on demand; as are steamers. Though in my experience if you unpack as soon you arrive and hang up all your clothes in the wardrobe the creases will have miraculously fallen away by the time you are ready to get dressed the next morning.
And ladies, last but not least, it is not necessary to carry your entire make-up kit and face care potions along. Pare it down to one or two lipsticks, one moisturising foundation, one blusher, an eye pencil or eyeliner, mascara and a nourishing night cream. Just add a bottle of SPF 50 sunscreen and you are good to go. Happy holidays everyone!
From HT Brunch, May 17, 2025
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