What Not to Bring When Moving Abroad

Unnecessary Items That Will Waste Limited Suitcase Space

Jun 22, 2009

Packing for a move overseas, be it for six months, a year, or more, is difficult. Here are some tips for making the most out of available luggage space.

Not enough room in the suitcases when packing for an extended stay abroad? Time to re-evaluate what is and is not necessary to bring. Go through the suitcase item by item, and see if it's possible to leave certain articles behind. Be sure to answer the question "Do I really need this?" for any item that is a toss-up. Here are a few tips on how to figure out what can be left behind, as well as a list of non-essential items that can be purchased in the destination country.

Know Where the Necessary Items Should Go in the Luggage Space Available

A few personal items (photos and other objects of sentimental value) are of course not very space-consuming. Just be sure to put special possessions and important documents in hand luggage rather than checked luggage, at risk of the suitcases getting lost by the airline.

Bulky items, such as a sweatshirt or heavier shoes, should go into the suitcase first. Smaller items can be put into the suitcase later. Fragile items should not go into checked baggage.

Items That are a Total Waste of Space

Leave the toiletries and household supplies at home! Bring the basics for the plane ride that are in compliance with international regulations. This means that liquids (including shampoo, face wash, and toothpaste) should be no more than three fl. oz. per container and must be in a clear plastic bag no greater than one liter in size. No need to bring larger bottles of shampoo in the checked luggage.

Seemingly Essential Items That Can and Should be Purchased Abroad

Be careful when bringing hair dryers; the voltage often differs from country to country, and an electric plug adapter may not be enough of a surge protector. Better to buy an inexpensive one upon arrival that is already in compliance with the destination country's standard voltage. This goes for other small electrical appliances as well, like a hair straightener or clothes iron.

Bring Just One of Certain Items

While it may be tempting to bring more than one of the following items, don't. With all of the items that will be acquired while abroad, these will just have to be shipped home, put into yet another suitcase, given away, or thrown out:

Granted, pretty much everything packed to bring abroad, with the exception of work or study program materials and personal items like photos, can be purchased after arriving in the destination country. But that, of course, would get unreasonably expensive.

Knowing how to pack up belongings, as well as what to include and what not to include, can make the difficult task of fitting everything into one or two suitcases slightly more manageable. Most important to remember is that some seemingly essential items can be purchased while abroad, and that it is unnecessary to bring more than one of certain items.

The copyright of the article What Not to Bring When Moving Abroad in Work/Study Abroad is owned by Suzanne Swartz. Permission to republish What Not to Bring When Moving Abroad in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.