Women’s packing list for nomadic long-term travel

Packing your whole life in a suitcase to become a nomad and travel the world full-time is no easy feat! You have to be thoughtful about every item because there is such limited space and it’s something you literally have to carry with you. In this very comprehensive women’s packing list for nomadic long-term travel, see what I carry for luggage, bags, clothes, shoes, accessories, toiletries, electronics and the decisions behind them. I also go over whether packing carry-on or check-in is better and how I pack differently as a woman.

Is Packing Carry-on only or Check-in better?

For the first 3 years of full-time travel, we both traveled carry-on only. Mr. NN continues to travel carry-on only (see Mr. NN’s Men’s packing list) but I now travel with a medium-sized check-in rolling suitcase! You will see a noticeable difference in my women’s packing list for nomadic long-term travel.

What are the reasons that I switched from a carry-on backpack to a check-in suitcase?

• I like to pack more things to be more comfortable. We have been traveling full-time for 6 years so we like to have more comforts than the typical traveler. As you’ll see in my packing list, I carry unusual items such as kitchen items and specialty food items – things you don’t normally need to carry when you are on a short vacation. It’s also nice to have more variety of clothing for different countries.
• We are traveling slowly and don’t need to be ultra mobile. We travel slowly so we don’t move around with our luggage that often. We are not moving cities every week so it’s not a huge burden to pack a bigger suitcase.
• We move from airport to taxi to apartment. Gone are the days of taking a bus and carrying our backpacks to the hostel. With a few exceptions, we go straight into a taxi to our apartment so we do not need to walk with our luggage for long distances.
• After awhile, carrying a heavy backpack hurts my shoulders. Even carrying the backpack for a short period of time at the airport hurts quite a bit. Plus there’s the second personal bag so it’s always awkward and uncomfortable to carry both bags.

Extra Consideration for a Women’s Packing List

Let’s face it, women have different and more challenges packing than men do. We have more toiletries, makeup, products, bags and outfits than men do. And where are we supposed to put all of our shoes? I don’t speak for all women but here are the top differences that I found from my packing versus my husband’s:

• Makeup: I’m very minimal with my makeup but the basics for me already add a dozen more things to select and pack. I know there are women with a lot more essential items.
• Toiletries: We share things like soaps, shampoo, toothpaste and laundry detergent. I am selective about the quality, ingredients and type. And yes, that means I carry it all too. Also, I need to carry something for my period which I’ll share what I decided on.
• Bags: As you’ll see, I’m traveling with 4 bags that I put inside of each other. 5 if you count the grocery bag. I just need a different bag for different scenarios and this is pairing down a lot.
• Outfits: Nope, I can’t just rotate free tech t-shirts and swim shorts. I need some dresses, different workout clothes, items that can be dressed up and dressed down. Things that look good but need to be very comfortable. 
• Shoes: I narrowed it down to 3 pairs! Mr. NN only had about 3 pair of shoes before traveling so it wasn’t a hard choice for him. Shoes take up a lot of space so they are one of the hardest things to select.
• Food/cooking: I don’t think anyone else will have this category but I am a health nut. Since we travel long-term, I often don’t finish spices and flours and so I bring them to our next destination.
• Self-care: I have miscellaneous self-care items like a gratitude journal. This is not a category that exists for Mr. NN :). 

Another note: you’ll see in my packing list that I prioritize health and wellness, natural products, sustainability, minimalism and I care about fashion but it’s not my priority. Everyone has different priorities but hopefully my women’s packing list for long-term travel will give you some ideas and make the process less intimidating! 

Women’s Packing List For Long-term Travel

Important notes:

• A lot of my stuff is older and may not be for sale anymore because we started traveling in 2018. I tried to link the closest item I could find if the exact one is no longer available.

Some links to the products mentioned below are affiliate links, meaning that if you click and make a purchase, Nomad Numbers may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please review our disclaimer page.

Luggage and Bags

Suitcase

Now: Samsonite Omni PC Hardside Expandable Luggage Fairly standard hardside suitcase. I ended up doing a lot of research on suitcases and was overwhelmed. In the end, I went with something simple and affordable. There are some very high-end brands and I couldn’t bring myself to spend 2-3x more for a suitcase I wasn’t sure about. Let us know if you think they are worth it! I could have gone another size up but the 24″ is probably just right – anything bigger and I am sure to go over the weight limits.

• Previously: Osprey 46L Kyte Women’s Backpacking Backpack– This backpack served me well in the beginning. As a backpacking backpack it has a lot more functions than I need for travel. But it has a lot of the key features that matter the most: lightweight, durable, waterproof, comfortable and spacious. There’s a lifetime warranty through Osprey so I had a cracked buckle replaced for free.

• Travel Carry-on Backpack – I used to use a fancy handheld bag but it was not very comfortable to carry. Now that I have a rolling suitcase, a personal sized carry-on backpack is convenient to place on top. It has plenty of space and compartments and it’s surprisingly very affordable! I like that it has a compartment for snacks and a sleeve for my laptop.

Day pack

• Gregory Maya 16L Hiking Day Pack – Ok, I admittedly went a bit overboard with the number of backpacks but we do a fair amount of hiking. This is small enough that it fits inside my suitcase and is the perfect size for a day hike. It is very well designed with the side pockets, water bladder holder and lightweight material.

• Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote Pack – Yup another backpack! This is lightweight, folds up really small and doubles as a tote or backpack. This is the bag I use day-to-day for outings, grocery shopping and short walks. I like that it’s all black so that I can wear it on my shoulder for a more ‘upscale’ look to a restaurant without packing another purse. This is probably the item that I use the most out of all the things that I packed, I love it!

Women’s Packing List for Long-term Travel: Capsule Wardrobe

Before I go into my clothing, I wanted to describe the capsule wardrobe concept which I tried to apply to my packing. The capsule wardrobe is meant to be a minimalistic and sustainable approach to fashion which uses the least number of high-quality articles possible to create many different outfits.

The basic principles in creating a capsule wardrobe are (1) pick a fairly neutral color scheme where most clothing can be mixed and matched. You can add splashes of color in accessories and statement pieces. For example, you’ll see my color palette is blue, black, white and gray. (2) select classic pieces that you can wear often and don’t change with the trends like a classic white t-shirt, blue jeans or black flats (3) select clothing that can be layered like blouses that you can button up or wear open on top of a shirt (4) especially for travel, make sure the articles of clothing are really comfortable, durable and ideally multi-purpose. (5) Have as few pieces of clothing as possible to create the outfits that you need.

Once you have built the foundation for your capsule wardrobe, you should ideally be able to turn 10 articles of clothing into 30+ different outfits by mixing and matching! So with this concept in mind, this is how I selected the clothing that I packed. I’ve put a lot of thought into each item in building my travel capsule wardrobe but it’s far from perfect and I’ll constantly be making some tweaks here and there.

Women’s Packing List: Clothes

T-Shirts/Tops

• Everlane striped t-shirt (close substitute in link) [x1] – Really comfortable T-shirt, slightly cropped. I wanted a couple of simple T-shirts to wear on a regular basis. Everlane is great for getting the basics plus they are ethically and sustainably made.
• Marine layer crew t-shirt (close substitute in link) [x1] – Another comfortable basic T-shirt to wear regularly.
• Lucky Brand Women’s Long Sleeve Notch Neck Let It Grow Tee (close substitute in link) [x1] – This shirt is great for hot weather because it’s really light.
• Prana zip-up swimming sun shirt [x1] – I used to pack an athletic looking rash guard because I like to go swimming or snorkeling in one for sun protection. But I didn’t wear it that often and I don’t like packing items that get minimal use. This rash guard is perfect because I can use it as a cardigan for daily wear so it is multi-purpose!
• Vetta Capsule Oversized Striped Blouse aka the Boyfriend Shirt [x1] – This blouse was specifically designed for a capsule wardrobe. Unfortunately, this brand has shut down.
• Long sleeve black/white blouse [x1] – Light long-sleeved blouse that is light but works well for sun and mosquito protection.
• White collared shirt (close substitute in link) [x1] – Bought at a secondhand charity shop in Chiang Mai because I wanted a light blouse for sun protection, the warmer ones that I had didn’t cut it anymore in Thailand!
• Lucky Brand blue jean shirt (close substitute in link) [x1] – a classic shirt that I like to wear a lot but hasn’t been getting much use in Thailand because it is warm.

Dresses

• Floral dress [x1] – Bought at a secondhand shop in Portugal because I wanted a lighter dress for hot weather than the ones I already had.
• Blue/white patterned dress [x1] – could be dressed up for a nicer occasion and comfortable. Easy to layer when the weather is cooler.
• Vetta capsule blue shift dress [x1] – I was super impressed with the versatility of this dress. It can be worn backwards for a round neck or frontwards for a v-neck. Plus the skirt can be separated so that it can be worn as a shirt. That’s 4 ways to wear this dress! Again, it’s not perfect for travel because it wrinkles easily and is on the warm side.
• Uniqlo gray t-shirt dress [x1] – comfortable dress that I like to wear to mostly lounge around at the apartment. I like that it has pockets and can be easily paired with any cardigan or shirt.

Pants

• Outdoor voices pants (close substitute in link) [x2] – I love these athletic pants that still look fashionable. They have the comfort, lightness and durability of athletic pants but they look good for everyday use. They also have useful pockets and one zipper pocket for valuables, very practical! I like wearing pants often for both sun protection and mosquito protection. These pants aren’t quite long enough for complete mosquito protection so I still need to be careful because mosquitos unfortunately love me. 
• Athleta Skyline black pants [x1] – These are another pair of fashionable pants made with an athletic material. I most often wear these on the airplane and they are really comfortable, as good as yoga pants but they can be worn to go out. These are full length so I get full sun and mosquito protection. They are also my dressiest pair for nicer occasions.

Shorts

• North Face khaki shorts (close substitute in link) [x1] – These are my more athletic pair for hiking or an active day. They also look good enough to wear day to day.
• J Crew basic shorts (close substitute in link) [x2] – They don’t take up a lot space, match with everything, have pockets and look good.

Hiking

• Outdoor Research athletic T-shirt [x1] – This is a great hiking or workout shirt because it’s so light and airy. When I work up a sweat, it doesn’t get sticky and uncomfortable like a cotton t-shirt would. It’s also nice enough to wear on a normal day.
• Columbia Hiking shirt  (close substitute in link) [x1] – This shirt works well for sun protection and good for cooler weather. It’s also fairly light and airy and very practical for an outdoorsy day.
• Workout capris [x1] (close substitute in link) [x1] – These capris are great because they are very lightweight and comfortable. They work well when you don’t have to worry about mosquitos but I need to wear longer pants otherwise.

Shoes

• Xeroshoes TerraFlex Trail Running and Hiking Shoe [x1] – I wanted hiking shoes that were not bulky and heavy and that did not scream ‘hiking’ or ‘tourist’ so that I could wear them for urban walking too. This is one of the items I spent the most time researching the internet for because it was going to be a big space commitment. Most hiking shoes are really bulky, stiff and not comfortable for casual walking. I’m so glad I discovered Xeroshoes! They are meant for barefoot enthusiasts so they are minimalistic, very light and bendable. The black color is also discreet so I could wear it casually for walking around town. You might notice that Mr. NN has the exact same pair for men.
• Xeroshoes z-trail hiking sandals [x1] – These are my favorite pair of shoes ever! You can see in the photo that they are quite worn because I wear them all of the time. They are athletic enough for light hiking on a hot day, cute enough for going to a restaurant, comfortable enough to walk around town all day long and also act as my beach sandals. I could technically only travel with just this one pair of shoes. They are also meant for barefoot walking so they are super light, minimalistic and bendable and pack up really easily. And yes, Mr. NN also has the exact same pair for men!
• Xeroshoes flats [x1] – A pair of comfortable flats that I could walk all day in, were cute and compact. I tried Rothy’s flats but they were not comfortable and I was so glad when Xeroshoes came out with casual flats. I’m now all-in on barefoot shoes and don’t own any other kind of shoes.
• Xeroshoes ankle boots – Something I added when I started to check-in my luggage. They are very flexible and don’t take up as much space as most boots would. They have come in very handy when we have gone to colder destinations.

Swimwear

• Prana bikini top [x1] – I find I’m fine with just one top because I can let it dry overnight and wear the next day.
• Prana bikini bottoms [x2] – I happened to pack 2 bottoms and I can mix and match with the top, they are different colors and only a slightly different design.

Sleepwear

• Blue T-shirt [x1] – I wear for sleeping but if I needed another workout or hiking shirt, it’s actually meant to be an athletic shirt.
• Pajama shorts [x1] – straightforward, they are light and I sleep in them.

Outerwear

• Marmot Precip Rain jacket [x1] – Light jacket for those rainy days. I used to own the higher end version with Gore-tex that I lost but I’m happy with this version because it’s lighter and good for hot weather. I also like the blue color.

• Patagonia Women’s Nano Puff Jacket [x1] – I have to wear this or carry it in my hand when in transit. I find this jacket to have the best weight to warmth ratio, it keeps me really warm for how light the jacket is. We try to only travel to warm places but there are cold days or unexpected colder stops – the Brittany region of France can be really cold even in the summer!

Underwear/Socks

• Thinx Period underwear [x4] – I love these! Use my referral link for $10 off. They work really well as pad replacements, are comfortable, eco-friendly, and look good. They are comfortable enough to wear on days I’m not on my period too. It saves the hassle of having to purchase and carry pads/tampons while traveling and are well worth it!
• ExOfficio Quick-dry underwear [x4] – I had purchased these for a trek that I did in Nepal. They are sweat-resistant and are great for hot weather and dry quickly if you need to do laundry quickly.
• Other underwear [x6] – fairly standard, packed ones that I already owned.
• ASICS Ankle socks [x4] – these are light and hold up for hiking.
• Sports bras [x3] (close substitute in the link)
• Bras [x3] – fairly standard, packed bras that I already owned.

Women’s Packing List: Accessories

Sunglasses

• Marc Jacobs Sunglasses (close substitute in link) [x1] – I bought these sunglasses probably 7 years ago, they’ve survived some drops and misplacements so I’m still using them! The case they came in was very bulky so I put them in this other thin case that seems to do the trick. I debated whether I should get some sporty and durable sunglasses but in the end, they’re just sunglasses so these have worked just fine.

Hat

• Mountain Backpacking Cap Trek [x1] – I wanted a neutral color and light cap without a big brand or logo across my forehead and these are perfect. Nice and airy, functional for a hike and sun protection but also still attractive and match everything. I debated whether or not I also wanted to pack a fashionable sun hat but could not find one that looks good and was packable. I don’t regret not having one so one less thing to carry!

Jewelry

• Simple crystal necklace (close substitute in link) [x1] – the only piece of jewelry I decided to pack to dress up an outfit

Women’s Packing List: Tech

Electronics

• Pixel 6 Refurbished Phone [x1] – For phones, I’m an android fan and I’m happy with using a Pixel that is a couple of generations older. This one was a huge upgrade with the camera quality and the addition of eSIM capability.
• Apple 12″ MacBook Air [x1] – I’m a MacBook fan and this was the lightest version at the time I was in the market to purchase a laptop. It’s great! I don’t need a ton of memory or bells and whistles because I mostly do everything online.
• Amazon Kindle [x1]- A must-have to read books without having to carry a bunch of books. When I first moved overseas to work 9 years ago, my physical books were the first things to go and I’ve been completely digital since then. Yes, I do miss aspects of physical books but for a full-time traveler, using a kindle is just so much more practical. I could use the iPad to double up as a reading device but I don’t like staring at a lit screen for more than I have to. A kindle does a decent job of imitating the experience of reading paper.
• Apple 10.2″ Ipad [x1] – This is a nice to have. I originally traveled with it to use as a dual-screen with my laptop but I rarely do that now. I mostly use it now to read books with illustrations like cookbooks, for easier browsing or in transit.

Audio

• Headphones [x1] (close substitute in link) – Simple headphones for listening to podcasts in transit or when I’m on my computer. I used to carry the big noise-canceling Bose headphones that Mr. NN does. I decided it was not worth it for me. The amount of space it took was just too much versus how little I was using it.

Women’s Packing List: Documents

• Chum’s Wallet [x1] – I like having really small and compact wallets. This Chum’s wallet is perfect because it is light, has 2 compartments and has a keychain.
• Wallet 2 [x1] – This fabric wallet is from Chiang Mai and I actually use it to carry toilet paper! For those times when you need to supply your own toilet paper.
• Passport [x1] – self-explanatory
• Document organizer [x1] – Keep miscellaneous papers like visa documents organized and unwrinkled.

Women’s Packing List: Toiletries

• Toiletry bag [x1] – I’ve had this forever and it still works fine. I put most of my toiletries and all of my make-up here.
• Travel liquid bottles with case [x4] – used to carry soap, detergent, shampoo and any other liquids.

• Retainer with case [x1] – to keep my teeth straight!
• Tooth Powder [x1] – It was recommended by my dentist for plaque but it’s actually really handy for travel because it’s in powder form and lasts a really long time. Plus it doesn’t require water to spit out if you’re brushing on the go.
• Waxed Dental Floss [x1]
• Bamboo toothbrushes [x1] – It has charcoal bristles, a wooden handle, is BPA Free & eco friendly. Oh and they are also sustainably grown in recycled biodegradable packaging. 
• Toothbrush holder [x1] – This has a suction cup that keeps my toothbrush away from dirty surfaces.
• Makeup pouch [x1] – I don’t wear much make-up so I’m able to keep my packing in this area fairly small, might be different for other women out there though!
• bareMinerals Eyeliner [x1]  – Round the Clock waterproof.
• bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 [x1] – The A List, comes in a set of 4 colors.
• bareMinerals Eyeshadow brush [x1] 
• Lip balm [x2] – one Burt’s Bees and another generic one that has SPF.
• Natio Lipstick [x1] – Ruby, for some color.
• Nail clipper [x1] – This is pretty small and does the job!
• Tweezers [x1]
• Comb [x1] – I use a very thin and small comb.
• Hair ties [x3]
• Soap [x1] – This needs to be constantly refilled so we try to find natural soap at a health store in whichever country we are in. Bar form is better for travel.
• Shampoo [x1] –  This also needs to be refilled and we try to find a natural shampoo at a health store.
• Mineral sunscreen SPF 20 [x1] – I make sure to get a mineral based sunscreen because unfortunately a lot of sunscreens have toxic ingredients.
• Laundry sheets [x1] – These are an amazing new addition! You can travel with a bunch of sheets, they are environmentally friendly and they are easy to travel with since they are non-liquid.

• Quick Dry Microfiber Travel Towel [x1] – These travel towels are just very handy and practical for the beach, a boat trip or any place you might be staying that do not provide towels. They don’t take up much space and dry quickly.

Women’s Packing List: Self Care

• Tongue scraper [x1] – an ayurvedic morning practice to get rid of bad bacteria.
• Dry brush [x1] – an ayurvedic practice to dry brush my whole body before showering to activate the lymphatic system and clear dead skin.
• Essential oil [x1] – used to add to baths, I learned the hard way that this is very concentrated and you only need 1-2 drops.
• Chakra Stones / Healing Crystals [x8] – For the mind, body and spirit.
• Moleskine Classic Notebook, Hard Cover [x1] – Daily journal + gratitude.

Women’s Packing List for Long-Term Travel: Miscellaneous

Compression/Organization

• Packing cubes – These are essential to keep your clothes organized and compact.
• Laundry bag (close substitute in link) [x1] – A simple bag to keep dirty clothes separate.

Sleep gear

• Sleep Mask [x1] – For when I take red eye flights to make sure I can get a good night of sleep, some apartments don’t have good shades and require a sleep mask too.
• Soft Silicone Earplugs [a few] – These are great earplugs that I heard about from Tim Ferriss. Unlike foam earplugs that are inserted into the ear canal and then left to expand, these are effectively smeared over the ear opening. They fit perfectly and block everything.

Others

• First Aid Emergency Kit [x1] – We carry this in our backpack in case of emergency, it’s one of the smaller ones you can get that is still well equipped.
• Scrubba Wash Bag [x1] – This is a portable laundry bag. It was a gift from my coworkers many years ago and we are actually putting it to good use! When we don’t have a laundry machine and just have a few items to wash, the Scrubba does the trick. You simply fill with water, detergent and clothes, scrub against the bumpy board inside, rinse and then hang your clothes to dry.

Zero Waste Kit

• Foldable grocery bag [x1] – very handy for groceries or an additional bag to carry items in transit. Folds up very small and I always keep it on me.
• Premium Reusable Mesh Produce Bags with Tare Weight Tags [x5] – We do a lot of grocery shopping and we aim to use zero plastic bags. These have been super handy for fruits and vegetables.

• Vremi Silicone Food Storage Containers with BPA Free Airtight Plastic Lids [x1] – This kit comes with 4 collapsible containers of different sizes. They are a great way to reduce our footprint when we need to pack our food on the go. They can double as a great storage container too. We took the two biggest ones and each of us carries one. 
• Handkerchief Cloth [x1] – to use instead of napkins and tissues.
• Portable Stainless Steel Flatware Set [x1] – We started with a plastic version that was a gift and have upgraded to this stainless steel set.
• Glass straw [x1] – recently added to our zero-waste kit.

• Simple Modern Wave Water Bottle – 17oz [x1] – This water bottle is insulated so it can keep both water hot (for 10 hours!) or cold (for 24 hours). I used the 17 oz capacity but you can get up to 34 oz if needed.
• Hydration Pack Waterproof [x1] – I put this in my backpack when we go hiking. It can store up to 3 liters, which is usually plenty for a full day.
• Reusable water bottle [x1] – I bought this secondhand and added to the collection recently. I found we wanted to get juices a lot and I wanted to avoid using plastic cups.

Food

• Sea Salt [x1] – This is just my crazy priority because I’m particular about my salt, we all have those quirks.
• Turmeric [x1] – ditto
• Black Pepper [x1] – ditto
• Tea bags [a few] – I need to have some tea always handy!

Putting everything together

How much does everything in this women’s packing list weigh? The weight of the rolling suitcase is around 45 lbs (20 kg) which usually just hits the limit of the check-in baggage weight. My personal bag is usually another 15 lbs (7 kg). Considering this is enough clothes and gear for long-term year round, I think it’s quite a reasonable weight!

So there you have it, my women’s packing list for long-term travel. Hopefully you found it helpful to decide to what to include in your own packing list. Don’t worry if you don’t get it perfect the first time around. We’ve learned what works over time and have replaced items. We’ve also lost items or needed new items and simply purchased them during our travels. Bon Voyage and enjoy this adventure of a lifetime!

Would you like to read the men’s packing list version? See Mr. NN’s Men’s packing list. You might also be interested in The Real Cost to Travel the World as Nomads – 5 Years of Expenses.

Would you suggest other items for us to consider? Please let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.