Rick Steves Reveals The Commonly Packed Items He Advises Travelers To Leave Out Of Their Luggage

The saying "better be looking at it than looking for it" doesn't always work during travel; sometimes, you just pack too much, never end up using half of it anyway, and then regret all the extra weight you had to drag along the whole trip. Packing for a trip can be as fun and exciting as the plane landing, but it is important to know how to pack a suitcase efficiently, and Rick Steves contributes to the debate with what he considers commonly packed items that have no place in your luggage and are simply weighing you down. "Packing light is essential for happy travel," he notes on his Classroom Europe website, adding that commonly packed items like extra toothpaste and swimming masks can be left behind. "Don't pack for the worst scenario. Pack for the best scenario and if you need something more, buy it over here."

Americans make one huge packing mistake that drive local Europeans up the wall, and that's bringing along a huge suitcase. But by following Rick Steves' advice, you will likely end up needing a much smaller bag. Travelers often have a misconception that their destination won't have the essential products they have at home, so they end up overpacking and hauling loads of things they could've bought for cheap overseas. By avoiding this, you can have a much more enjoyable trip.

Rick Steves says in his 2011 Classroom Europe video, "You can get virtually everything in Europe. If you can't get one of your essentials here, perhaps you should ask yourself how 400 million Europeans can live without it." That is one of the highlights of his advice on packing lightly: Essential items can be found anywhere in the world now, not just in Europe. 

Along with toothpaste, you can forget about packing extra soap and other sanitary products; they are easy to find and give you an excuse to go shopping if you ever run out. That extends to circumstantial items like umbrellas, too — yes, you may use it, but will you use it enough to justify carrying it around all the time? "Pack for the best scenario; if you need it, buy it here," Steves recommends.

He also advises to opt for more transportable baggage options — backpacks, or convertible suitcases alternatively, can be carried and save you the hassle of the aforementioned larger suitcase that you have to check-in and drag everywhere. A good exercise Steves suggests is to pack everything into your backpack and go window shopping for an hour while carrying it; it should be a relatively comfortable task, as you will be doing it much more on your travels.