The five most common packing mistakes and how to avoid each:
- Overpacking. Stuffing a bag to the brim leaves no room for souvenirs and makes items hard to find. Fix: pack 3 days of clothes for any trip under 10 days, plan a laundry stop.
- Liquids over 3.4 ounces. Anything over the TSA limit gets confiscated at security. Fix: decant into 3.4 oz containers or buy travel-size versions.
- Burying the laptop. Laptops come out at security unless you have TSA PreCheck. Fix: pack it at the top of the bag or in an external pocket.
- No outfit plan. Random packing produces unworn clothes and missing essentials. Fix: plan each day’s outfit before the bag is opened.
- Prohibited items. Lighter fluid, butane, cooking spray, and bear spray are banned in both carry-on and checked bags. Fines can exceed $17,000.
See: packing mistakes everyone makes and TSA liquid rules for carry-on.