Is your wallet or purse carrying more than it needs when you travel? Before I leave home, I always empty my wallet of unnecessary cards, both to travel light and to avoid the aggravation of replacing them if they get lost or stolen. There's no Macy's or Saks in Prague yet, so if you're headed for the Czech Republic, say, why not leave these and other charge cards home? I'd also leave library and office ID cards--they won't help you much in Paris or Rome. And neither will keys for your office or back door. A single front door key will do, thank you.
What documents should you pack? I'd bring along a prescription for medicines--the generic brand, as many foreign countries won't recognize American brands. I'd make a copy of my passport and traveler's check numbers--not that anyone is using traveler's checks in the age of the ATM. Traveling abroad, I'd write down the number of the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy in case of emergencies. And I'd write down clothing sizes for family and friends I want to buy clothes for.