We’ve been nomadic and traveling full-time for 6 years and we have gone through a lot of iterations of our packing list. We have swapped a lot of items for better and more travel-friendly items. We have also added items that we didn’t think we needed initially but added more comfort. When you have limited space to carry your life’s belongings around the world with you, you become very selective on those items. In this nomad packing essentials list, we cover 16 must-have items for long-term travel – including tech, toiletries and compact essentials. Many of these items aren’t obvious for a travel packing list but are especially handy for long-term travel. We focused on items that you may not have known existed or may not have known you needed but you will be very glad to have it for your long-term travel!
For a comprehensive packing list of EVERYTHING we travel with, see Mr. NN’s men’s packing list and Mrs. NN’s women’s packing list.
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Compact and Travel-Friendly Packing Essentials
Quick Drying Towel
For the beach, for the pool, for camping – you’ll likely find yourself needing your own towel on many occasions during your travels. Regular home towels are extremely bulky and take forever to dry which make them very impractical for travel. Quick drying travel towels are a must-have item for any traveler.
Rainleaf Microfiber Towel Perfect Travel & Gym & Camping Towel
Compression Packing Cubes
Packing cubes save a ton of space and help keep your suitcase or backpack well-organized. We have tried the higher-end EagleCreek packing cubes and also the generic brands and have been very happy with both. You can tell the EagleCreek material is of higher quality and is lighter but if you’re on a budget, the generic brands are also really good.
Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter | Gonex Compression Packing Cubes
Collapsible Water Bottle
We’ve gone through a lot of heavy and bulky water bottles and found that we weren’t always carrying one with us because of the extra weight. The Vapur collapsible water bottles are perfect for travel because they are so light, fold up really small when you are not using it and have a handy carabiner to clip to your bag.
Vapur Flexible, Collapsible Bottle
Compact Wallet
This Chums compact wallet is the minimalist and light wallet we’ve always wanted. It has just enough pockets to keep cards, bills and coins. There’s also a keychain to attach keys, attach to a bag or add an air tag. It also comes in fun colors and patterns. The only con is that it’s a bit small for some larger currency bills so you may have to fold some bills more.
Minimalist Barefoot Shoes
Initially, we were looking for the lightest possible hiking shoes but we ended up discovering the many benefits of wearing barefoot shoes. We now exclusively pack and wear minimalist barefoot shoes because they are healthier for our feet and they are very lightweight and flexible for packing. We both have the Xero hiking shoes and hiking sandals while Mrs. NN also travels with the flats and boots.
Xero Shoes Barefoot Men’s Sandals | Xero Shoes Barefoot Women’s Sandals
Pocket Picnic Blanket
This is something we did not initially travel with because they are usually bulky but then we discovered the Matador pocket picnic blanket. It’s designed extremely well to be compact, light and very effective. It’s perfect for the beach or for the park!
Tech Essentials
Apple AirTags
These have become very handy to locate our belongings. If you’re unfamiliar with AirTags, they are small battery-powered tracking devices that release a bluetooth signal. You can then track the location of your AirTags using your iPhone. We keep one in Mr. NN’s suitcase and one in his wallet because he always misplaces it. It really paid off recently because Mr. NN lost his wallet and he was able to locate it at a local police station thanks to the AirTag!
Google Chromecast
If you’re like us, we watch a fair amount of Youtube, Netflix and content online but never watch live TV. With a small Chromecast, you can put the huge TV in your hotel or AirBnB to good use and cast your online entertainment.
Chromecast with Google TV (HD)
Laptop Stand
Whether you’re a digital nomad or not, you’re likely on your laptop a significant amount of time. A laptop stand can make a huge difference for your ergonomic posture and comfort. They are very light and portable so it’s a worthwhile addition to any nomad’s packing list.
Nexstand K2 (Read our Laptop Stands Review)
Charging Station
A charging station is not a necessity on everyone’s packing list because unfortunately, they don’t make them very travel-friendly. It’s worth it for us to travel with one because between the two of us, we have a lot of electronic devices to charge and the clutter gets really annoying. This charging station comes with standing shelves that keep your devices upright and organized.
Charging Station for Multiple Devices
Food-Related Essentials
Stasher Bags
Stasher bags are great for packing snacks for a long flight or road trip. They are also microwave and heat safe so you can cook with them! They are easy to wash and can replace plastic ziploc bags for good.
Stasher Reusable Silicone Storage Bag, Food Storage Container
Portable Reusable Utensils
Reusable utensils are especially handy for travel in Asia where a lot of street food and stalls use plastic utensils. Glass straws are great for enjoying a whole coconut, fresh smoothie or a boba milk tea. They are also great for picnics, hikes and camping trips.
Portable Stainless Steel Flatware Set
Silicone Food Covers
For long-term travelers that cook, these food covers are helpful to keep leftovers and food fresh in the fridge. They are great for covering up half eaten fruits too. Most accommodations do not have tupperware but these portable food lids can turn any bowl or plate into food storage.
Reusable Premium Silicone Stretch and Seal Lids 14PCS for Food Storage
Foldable Grocery Bag
These grocery bags fold up really small and are really light but they can carry a lot of heavy groceries. If you need extra space when on the road, they are also very useful to transport what doesn’t fit in your suitcase or backpack.
Toiletry Packing Essentials
Laundry Detergent Sheets
These laundry detergent sheets are a recent find that has solved the challenge of never having good detergent! When you’re traveling, you don’t want to buy a full-size laundry detergent bottle and the ones available in short-term accommodations are usually the cheapest and worst kind. These dissolvable laundry detergent sheets have made doing laundry while traveling so much easier. Plus, they are eco-friendly and phosphorous-free.
Clearalif Laundry Detergent Sheets
Powdered Toothpaste
Our dentist actually suggested using powdered toothpaste to help with plaque but it’s also very travel-friendly. Unfortunately, it clumps up in very humid places like Southeast Asia so we have to revert back to normal toothpaste depending on the country.
Fluoride Free Remineralizing Toothpaste Powder
Final Thoughts on Nomad Packing Essentials
These 16 must-have items for long-term travel have added a lot of value and comfort to our nomadic journey. We didn’t know about many of these items when we first started to travel the world and now they have become essential. We hope you found something useful from our list of nomad packing essentials. Don’t worry if you don’t think you have the perfect packing list or if you might be missing something, remember that you can also swap and add items in the future. A lot of items are also available in many countries around the world now so you can always buy them in the middle of your journey. With everything prepped and packed, bon voyage!
Looking for a more comprehensive packing list? For EVERYTHING we travel with, see Mr. NN’s men’s packing list and Mrs. NN’s women’s packing list.
Did you learn about a new item that you didn’t know you needed? Do you have any must-have items for travel that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.
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