In today’s day and age being a digital nomad is extremely popular. It’s a relatively new niche with lots of room and opportunities, especially for young people and students. To work from the comfort of your home or while traveling online or via just a laptop seems pretty much like a dream come true, who wouldn’t like to earn and travel at their own convenience?
However, with its fast pace, if you’re just starting up, you may be confused as to what you need or what you might require while traveling. And if that’s the case, then don’t worry as you’ve come to the right place. I’ve explained all the deeds as well as the ins and outs of digital nomadism for you, so you’ll face absolutely no problems whatsoever.
Start With What You Need
Before getting the things you’d want to take with you, I’d suggest that you think about the stuff you need because that’s usually what’s left forgotten at the end. As it is you want to travel as light as possible, hence getting the mandatory stuff out of the way is a great way to assess how much baggage room you’d have left after.
Another thing you must do before you even start packing is to check the regulations of the country you’re going to. You don’t want to carry your stuff miles through the air only to be left to dispose of it at your destination airport. Vapes, curling irons, specific types of seeds, and other such items are things you should check the regulations for each time you fly out.
Less Is More (Alternative To Minimalist Approach)
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the phrase “less is more”, but how many times have you actually implemented it, especially while traveling? Quantity is one thing that really matters here. A common mistake is to pack all essentials but too many of the same essentials thus voiding the whole minimalist approach.
For example, taking one pair of blue jeans and one pair of black jeans is sufficient as opposed to taking two or three different blue and black jeans each. If one gets dirty, you then have the other color and in the meantime, you can always wash it and hang it out to dry. The same goes for white or black t-shirts. You don’t need to take a white or black t-shirt in all the different styles or fits available.
Jott Down Your Traveling Essentials
Now you may wonder, what are traveling essentials? What is it that you must take with you and cannot do without? This is usually the boring part of your packing adventure and thus usually overlooked, but you don’t want to make that mistake.
Some essentials that you must have with you while traveling include toiletries, clothing items, medicines, shoes, work equipment, electrical equipment, basic accessories, and of course your bags.
Toiletries
Toiletries are perhaps the most easily forgotten items on our list but fret not as I have your back. It may seem confusing and daunting at first but you don’t want to miss out on these or you’ll have to spend your time pharmacy-hunting when you arrive. Below you’ll find a list of handpicked items from me that I don’t think you can do without.
- Facewash
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Hand Sanitizers
- Female hygiene products (if you’re a female)
- Lip balm
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Reusable water bottle
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Nail clippers
- Razors and shaving gels or
- Hairbrush
- Hair ties (if you’re a female)
- Make-up
- A small mirror
Clothing Items
Next on our list of essential things are clothing items. If you’re wondering what it is that you absolutely need then you’re at the right place. Traveling light is of the essence if you’re a digital nomad. Long gone are the medieval times when all you would have needed was a cloak or a gown and you’d be good to go.
So the question that arises now is whether uncomfortable one-time wear items are really worth it. Most of these things are usually extremely uncomfortable or impractical. And you can always make a statement using accessories. And as it is you can never go wrong with the basics, you’ll always look amazing and they won’t take away attention from the landscape features in your pictures.
Medications
Next comes something that is often overlooked and not considered important – the everyday medications. These are some things that you will want to keep with you unless you want to go around looking for pharmacies or drug stores while you are on your adventure because even the best of us come down with a headache or two at times.
But then again don’t keep a whole pharmacy with you, a painkiller, an anti-allergic, something for nausea and vomiting and something you usually take for a stomach ache should be more than enough for all your basic requirements and should prevent you from having to scour for a pharmacy every other day.
Accessories
After the medications on our list of essentials come the accessories. And no we’re not talking about necklaces or rings here if that’s what you thought. We are talking more in the line of undergarments, socks, belts, etc. Yes, the things you only remember when you need them but forget otherwise.
Now, while keeping your accessories make sure to pack in accordance with the climate of your destinations. If you’re going to be going to a colder climate make sure to keep hats, scarves, gloves, leg warmers, arm warmers, and plenty of socks and other layering items to wear under your outfit so you can stay warm.
If you’re going to a warmer climate make sure to pack sunscreen. Sun hats, swimwear, (if you’re going anywhere near a beach), flip flops, reusable water bottles, sunglasses, etc. Make sure to keep light and breezy items that will help the wind flow through.
Other accessories that may come in handy are belts, a watch, a couple of pairs of trainer socks, and a couple of pairs of undergarments. Other things that may come in handy include a hairbrush, a map, or a notebook and pen of some sort.
Shoes
Keeping the right shoes with you is absolutely essential. You don’t want to be planning a hike with only heels and sandals in your bag, and likewise, you don’t want to hit the bar wearing hiking boots. Keep shoes that not only best fit your purpose but also fit into the climate. You don’t want to be wearing sandals to a party while it’s snowing!
It’s also best to keep something that is universal as well as comfortable. Now, that depends on your personal style. You can go with a pair of super comfortable and vibrant joggers or you can go with a pair of snug chic loafers- the choice is entirely yours.
Your best bet would be to go with one type of sneakers, one type of formal shoe, and one type of casual shoe such as a flip-flop or a sandal. Between these three you should have yourself pretty much covered
Electrical equipment
While we’re packing, let’s not forget the stuff we can’t live without, i.e chargers, wires, portable power banks, your laptop, a hard drive, headphones, etc. You might just find yourself in a fix if you forget one of these. Keeping a wireless charger with you while traveling also comes in handy at times, I’ve experienced.
You might also want to take a DSLR or a vlogging camera for yourself. After all, what’s better than capturing all your magical moments?
An e-reader may also be a useful item to bring if you’re into reading. It is much more practical than carrying various hardback books around.
Work Essentials
Remember to keep everything that you may need for your work. This may include your laptop, your USB or hard drive, important letters, a ledger or journal, or a book of some sort.
Also, keep some stationary on you, you’ll never know when you’ll need them. A pen or two and a pencil and eraser somewhere in the bottom of your handbag or backpack will do the trick just fine in my experience.
Recommended Items That I Take With Me
While everyone is master of their own preference, these specific items are what I take with me whenever I leave my country. The reliability and usefulness of these items are personally vetted by me.
Anker Portable Charger
This portable power bank by Anker is nothing short of a wonder. It’s thin and lightweight, making it ideal to slip into small pockets and crevices. The best thing is that it has a large capacity and can easily charge your iPhone twice.
Universal Power Adapter
If you’re someone who carries a lot of gadgets, then this adapter is a godsend for you. This magical thing by Tessan works in over 150 countries, thanks to the different socket variations it has. Do keep in mind that it doesn’t have a voltage converter, so you’ll have to take that separately.
EverSnug Travel Blanket and Pillow
This is a must-have item in my opinion. It’s a travel blanket that can be conveniently folded up into a pillow as well. Perfect for those long flights.
Travel Wallet
When you’re on the go, you need a wallet that maximizes productivity. This travel wallet has a compartment for your cards, cash, passport, keyrings, and even a pen.
Windproof Travel Umbrella
If you’re traveling into a country with a lot of rainfall, an umbrella is a must-have. This compact travel umbrella is reasonably priced and compact, which makes it perfect for taking with you on vacations.
How To Pack?
One thing often overlooked is how to pack- the packing procedure as well. It may seem very petty, but I mean what could be hard after all? Just chuck all your stuff in the suitcase and shut it closed right? Well, you might be surprised but no, that’s one way you certainly don’t want to do it, trust me on this one!
If you do this whenever you need to find something you will be rummaging through the entire bag trying to find it. And most likely, you’ll end up mixing your stuff, even more, making it even harder to find that thing you were looking for in the first place along with wasting time which will ultimately end up with you taking longer to get ready.
So, to avoid this mess of a problem, I’ve written down some tips below, which will save you both, time and effort when you’re looking for something. you’ll open your bag and know where and what, straight away!
Categorize Items
While packing you should group similar types of items together. Group items with similar functions or those with a similar type together. That way everything is ready and organized for you to simply choose what you want
Another way to go would be to try and group pre-decided outfits together. Fold them neatly into one pile and just take that out when needs are. Or if you have two pairs of pants with a particular top put them all together. This way you won’t have to choose your outfits later and you’ll already have all that you need in one place.
This is better than putting different shoes or gloves together as you won’t be wearing more than one pair of shoes or one pair of gloves at a single time. You won’t need all your t-shirts at the same time now, would you?.
Choose Your Bag Wisely
Choosing the correct bag is a very important step. It will be going with you everywhere and it’s something that will be used quite often, so you obviously want something that will last you, so it should be made up of durable material. Your backpack would be best if made from fabric or polyester but for your suitcase you may prefer to keep a hardcover one.
You also want your bag to be lightweight yet of adequate size. You want something that weighs less than 4 or 5 kilos on its own. Try to find something that weighs around a kilo at the most.
This way you’ll have more weight left over for your stuff. And you don’t want it too small, that it won’t even fit your stuff inside.
The next thing that you should definitely look for in a bag is its space. Your bag should be spacious, with lots of little pockets, zippers, and compartments for everything. This way your stuff will stay separated and neat inside your bag.
Toiletries bag
you’ll also want to get a separate, smaller bag for your toiletries. Find something with side pockets and compartments, I’ve found they work best for holding all your stuff in.
Laundry bags.
Another thing to keep with you in the bags category is laundry bags for your dirty laundry, that way you’ll know what needs washing and what doesn’t. And when you go to the launderers you’ll just need to pick this particular bag up and get going. Another perk of laundry bags is that they’re ridiculously lightweight and take up very little to practically no capacity.
Tote bag.
you’ll want to keep a small tote bag for yourself, for when you just need to step out for something small, or need to carry something small around.
Laptop bag.
Everyone who travels with a laptop knows this I’m sure, but get yourself a laptop bag. It comes in handy when you just need to take your laptop and it doubles up as a way for you to protect your laptop from damage while traveling.
Waterproof bag
you’ll want to keep a waterproof bag with you of some sort, especially if you’re going somewhere that’s notorious for its rain such as Ireland or England. But even if you’re going somewhere with a hotter climate, you’ll want to keep one of these, cause the rain always loves to make surprise appearances.
Be Emergency Orientated
Always keep all your documents on you at all times. This includes your passport, visa, birth certificate, flight tickets, medical records, residency proof, bank statements, and utility bills. You should always have photocopies of these lying around in your bag as well because you never know when you’ll need them.
Next always use lockable pouches or locks on your bags while you’re traveling. It’s always better to protect yourself from theft than to cry about being robbed later. And if you do get robbed, make sure to contact the local police immediately. Always have the local emergency number saved in your phone.
Lastly, always keep an extra credit card and some extra cash on you in a separate pouch or cardholder. Only use this in case of emergency and make sure to replace it afterward for the next emergency.
Keep Memoirs
The one thing we often forget is to collect memoirs, of the places we travel to and fro from. It’s always nice to have a postcard or magnet or keychain or even a t-shirt of that country lying around for you to look back to and reminisce.
And of course, always remember to take pictures. Take pictures of any and everything you come across, after all, it is free! You never know which moment will turn into a special one for you to look back on after 50 years or so, so it’s better to get everything, just to be on the safe side!
Enjoy yourself
Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Live in the moment, breathe in the air, lay beneath the stars, and watch all the sunrises and sunsets you can. And of course, have no regrets, enjoy your time, and make peace with it. You only get one chance at life, make sure to do all you love and live it to the fullest, after all, they do say, you only get to live once.
Conclusion
When going on a trip, figuring out what to take and what to leave behind is always a head-scratcher. If you’re confused about something, you may think that it’s better to take it than to regret it later on. This can eventually lead to luggage problems down the road and can ruin the fun of the trip.