You know what’s a great way to ruin your vacation? Having anything you care about getting lost, stolen, or broken.

You’re going on vacation; you don’t need a laptop. And unless you’re really a photography nerd, your DSLR will take up a ton of space and make you a target for thieves.

Also, it’s not like your friends on Instagram need ultra-high-res photos of your lunch. They’ll get the idea.

Running shoes and workout clothes take up space, and you will almost certainly not use them.

If you must work out, do push-ups in your room. And if you’re doing a proper job of seeing the place you’re visiting, you’re going to burn off a lot of calories walking around looking at stuff anyways.

One time, this guy in a hostel had a GPS device, an iPod, a little video camera, and a still camera. A smartphone that could have replaced them all.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to take along your toys, but come on — aren’t you going on vacation to get away from that?

Shampoo and other toiletries might seem small when you’re packing them, but they end up collectively weighing more than they’re worth.

Besides, most hotels and even some hostels offer complimentary pint-sized bath and shower items.

And unless you’re going into a remote jungle, it’s not as if you can’t buy shampoo at your destination. You spent $400 flying somewhere. Spend $4 on shampoo. 

People often bring band-aids, burn ointments, gauze, and other medical diddly-doos, but how often do you honestly use that stuff at home? If you’re staying in a hotel, they’re going to have this stuff anyway.