India, May 16 -- 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). A...