The Essential Packing List for Digital Nomads
People over the years have asked me: what do you actually bring on your months-long digital nomad journeys?
Firstly, I never bring a luggage that is bigger than a carry-on luggage - to me it’s just not worth carrying so much stuff.
Of course, every person is different, and I would say I am definitely not a minimalist, as I usually travel with both a backpack and a carry-on. And I’ve encountered many digital nomads who travel with just one backpack (whom I very much admire, but not so sure I could do the same…).
In this blog post I’ll share with you what I like to bring on my digital nomad travels, which usually last about 2 to 3 months. I hope it helps you understanding what is essential to bring and can give you inspiration and ideas on what to bring with you on your digital nomad travels. Note that because I usually travel to warm places to escape the winter, this packing list may not be so optimised for digital nomads traveling to colder places.
You can also check out my blog post with a Checklist on things to prepare before arriving at a new digital nomad destination, which includes visas, insurance and other things.
Luggage & Travel
Let’s start with the essentials: the actual vessel in which you will bring all your stuff. Having a sturdy and good quality backpack and luggage is really important in my opinion, because you will be carrying it around to so many different places, and through different climates and situations; so sturdiness and quality are key.
Backpack - Both my partner and I own a Tropicfeel backpack which is one of the top travel backpacks out there nowadays. I own the Nest Backpack - which can carry 16L - 30L, depending on the add-ons you use. My partner owns the Hive backpack, which is bigger and can carry 22L - 46 L. We’re super happy with them and would totally recommend to get them; it’s definitely worth the slightly more premium pricing. - Check out the Tropicfeel backpacks here
Carry-on - My blue Samsonite carry-on has been one of my favourite purchases. It’s very lightweight and with four wheels make it very easy to roll it around. - Buy the same one here on Amazon.
Sling Bag - The Bellroy Sling bag is my trusted companion wherever I go. It is water repellent and I think the size is just right. It’s handy to have a smaller bag with you when you’re at your destination and you don’t want to carry around a big backpack. - Buy it here on Amazon.
Packing Cubes - Organising your stuff in packing cubes is a great way to condense the volume of the clothes you’re bringing, and it also creates order in your luggage - no more clothing chaos.
Compression packs - If you have a lot of stuff and you want to compress the volume even more, then compression packs are a great purchase. They can compress the volume of clothing significantly and more than just ‘ordinary’ packing cubes.
Sleeping Mask - Whether you’re on a flight or sleeping in a room that’s a little too bright for your liking - having a sleeping mask is pretty handy to take with you and it needs little space in your luggage.
Earplugs - Whether for sleep or noise reduction, Loop earplugs are the best in my opinion - they are super comfortable and easy to carry in a handy case that comes with the purchase. - Buy Loop Earplugs on Amazon.
Water bottle - Always good to bring a reusable water bottle! Most airports nowadays have a drink water dispenser, so while traveling, it’s easy to fill up your water bottle.
Travel Adapter - Different countries will have different plug outlets. So traveling with an universal/worldwide adapter will be handy. - Buy one here on Amazon.
Lock - Bringing a small lock with you can be quite handy. Sometimes you just want to have that extra protection for your stuff.
Face Mask - In many places it’s still considered respectful (sometimes obligatory) to wear face masks indoors, such as (especially in Asia), so I always take a few with me, just in case.
Sunglasses - Maybe an obvious item, but I never travel without my sunglasses!
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
With clothing, I think it’s important to bring a few key pieces in some plain & basic colours, so that you can mix and match all your pieces that you bring with you. That means clothing with patterns of any kind is not recommended (unless you can match them with your other clothes!). Also make sure you bring quality materials, such as cotton, linen & merino wool.
T-shirts - I usually bring a mix 4-6 basic t-shirts or cropped tops, depending a bit on my bottom clothes. I like the cropped tops from Uniqlo.
Trousers or Shorts - Depending on whether you’re traveling to a warm or cold destination, bring shorts or long trousers. Bring the most comfortable ones you own in plain colours, such as blue or beige. If I’m traveling to warm places, I try to avoid bringing many black clothes, as they attract more heat.
A pair of flip flops - Of course, this is something more for a warmer destination, however, it can also be a handy house shoe to wear inside. My favourite flip flop brand is Havaianas, they are so sturdy! - Get Havainas on Amazon
Sneakers - One pair of high quality & water resistant sneakers. I usually wear my sneakers while traveling, so it doesn’t take up any space in my luggage. Tropicfeel also sells really comfy and sturdy sneakers that are also water resistant. I haven’t tried them out myself, though they are on my wishlist.
Socks - Don’t forget your short (for warm destinations) or long (for cold destinations), basic colour socks.
Underwear - Black, cotton underwear is essential! I usually bring 7-9 pieces. Invest in good quality pieces.
Gym Clothes - I always bring some sport clothes (sports shorts, sports bra and a sport t-shirt).
Long dresses - I like to bring 2 cotton or linen long dresses on my travels, because I think a long dress is perfect for warm weather, as well as keeping mosquitos at bay (at least on your legs).
Long trousers/jeans - Comfort is again the key here! I love to bring a long linen pants that is comfy and I can wear while flying as well. A comfortable jeans is another good item to bring, though it also depends to what climate you’re traveling to.
Sweater(s) - Even if you go to a warm destination, taking a sweater with you is handy as some places may still be cold, such as in a mall or in the airplane. If you are heading to a cold destination, of course, make sure to bring a few wool sweaters with you.
Wind jacket - The foldable one from Uniqlo is a great choice for a wind / rain jacket, and it takes up very little space because it can be folded into a small bag.
Cap - Great to have when the sun is strong.
Swim attire - When you’re traveling to a warm place, be sure to bring your swimming stuff.
For Colder Places:
Thermal (under)wear - The Heattech stuff from Uniqlo is great to keep you warm an cozy - plus they’re very lightweight!
Hat/Gloves/Scarf - A wool hat, scarf and gloves are, of course, essential for colder places.
Tech
Noise-cancelling Headphones - One of the best ones to travel with are, in my opinion, the Sony WH-1000XM5 (or similar models from Sony) and the Apple Airpods. The Apple airpods are obviously smaller, but I prefer the over ears headphones as I find them to be more comfortable. This is really just personal preference! - Buy the Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones on Amazon
Charger(s) for multiple devices - It’s really handy to bring one charger for more devices, so that you don’t have to travel with multiple bulky chargers. The uGreen charger is a powerful and quick charger, with which you can charge multiple devices. - Buy it here on Amazon
Kindle / eBook - I love reading and so a Kindle is great because it can contain basically a whole library. - Buy your Kindle here on Amazon.
Travel Keyboard - As a musician, I like to be able to work on my music while I’m on the go. I was so happy when I found this little keyboard that was so easy to take with me: the AKAI Midi keyboard. It even fits in the backpack! - Buy the AKAI keyboard on Amazon
iPad - Even though it’s another electronic device to bring, I do like traveling with my iPad Air because I can use it during flights or in the train and I can also use it as a second screen when I’m working.
Remote Office
My remote office set up
As a digital nomad you will be sometimes working in, let’s say, interesting locations. So setting up a comfortable remote office is important to stay productive and also to avoid any back pain. Here’s what I usually bring with me:
Laptop Stand - Traveling a working remotely means that you will often sit in a hunched position over your laptop. Which is so bad for your posture! One way to fix that is using a laptop stand. A great travel laptop stand that I’ve been taking with me for years is the Nexstand. It’s foldable and small (unlike many other laptop stands), and fits easily in your backpack. - Buy it here on Amazon
Keyboard - A separate keyboard is key for optimal comfort when you’re working with the laptop stand. I have use the Logitech Mini one. - Buy it here on Amazon
Mouse / Trackpad - If you bring a laptop stand and a keyboard then you also need a mouse. I like Logitech as a brand for these kind of things, but you can bring any that you like. - Buy a Logitech mouse on Amazon
Toiletries / Personal Hygene
Toothbrush - An essential of course! I usually take with me my electrical toothbrush. - Electric Toothbrushes on Amazon
Shampoo bar - Bringing a shampoo bar means it doesn’t count as a liquid! Plus, it will last longer than liquid shampoo.
Hairbrush - Your scalp and your hair need that daily stimulation ;)
Mosquito repellent - Technically you can buy this at your destination too, but it’s so important that I want to mention it.
Hand sanitiser - In a post-covid world, hand sanitiser is more important than ever. I prefer sprays to gels and always keep a small bottle in my bag.
Sunscreen - Important for hot destinations!
Nailclipper - Nothing much to say other than that nails grow faster than you think!
Refillable bottles (100ml or less) - When you are traveling just with hand luggage, in most places you can only take 10 bottles of 100ml with you. So having refillable bottles for your lotions is really handy.
Shaver or (for women) Epilator - Even though it takes up a bit of space I don’t really want to travel for a long time without my Braun Silk Epil 9. - Buy it here on Amazon
First Aid Items
Band Aids - Always good to bring some band aids with you! They are also great if you have blisters or a painful spot on your feet.
Painkillers - I never travel anywhere without some painkillers. As a traveler and digital nomad, it will be inevitable that you at some point come down with a headache, tooth pain and of course, the monthly menstrual cramps.
Imodium - Bringing with you the best medicine to stop diarrhea is handy if you are traveling and are eating foods that you are not used to eating. You never know how your stomach will react!
Optional but Handy Items
Other handy things to pack for your digital nomad travel
Tote bag - I love to bring (or just buy it at the destination) a tote bag which can be handy for many things: going to the beach, for groceries etc..
Bamboo Straws - Plastic waste is the worst thing ever, so bring your own bamboo straws with you (or any other reusable straw). - Buy the Jungle Straws here
Re-usable coffee mug - If you like to get take-away coffee, a more sustainable choice is to have them use your reusable coffee mug.
Swimming Goggles - Especially when you’re traveling to a warm country and to a beach destination, goggles can’t be missed! The ones from Speedo are always my favorite. - Buy them here on Amazon
Washing net - In some places you may need to do your wash in a laundromat or have other people wash your clothes. In this case, it’s handy to have a washing net in which you can put smaller clothing items, such as underwear or socks, that may easily be lost.
For the coffee lovers: AeroPress Coffee Maker - If you are a coffee aficionado and you need your quality coffee in the morning, then the AeroPress is something for you. This Aeropress even comes already with a cup! All you need is ground coffee and hot water:) - Buy it here on Amazon
Travel Pillow - If you’re one of those people that need a good neck support for sleeping while traveling, then bringing a travel pillow could be good for you. - Check out the travel pillows on Amazon
Fitness bands - When you’re traveling it’s difficult to find a gym sometimes and do your work out. Fitness bands are a great fitness tool and take minimal space in your luggage. - Buy here on Amazon
Lightweight/Micro fibre Towel - You may find yourself in situations when you’re Airbnb host didn’t provide you with a towel. Or if you want to go to the gym and need a towel, it’s good to have one packed. I really like the light weight, micro fibre ones from Decathlon.
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That concludes my essential packing list for digital nomads!
Is there anything I forgot? Do let me know in the comments below:)
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