Slice of Tina
Slice of Tina
Digital Nomads16 Things You Didn’t Know You Needed to Pack
Hiking in the Alps
Digital Nomads, Travel Tips
July 12, 2022

16 Things You Didn’t Know You Needed to Pack

Packing for more than two weeks abroad can be daunting. On three separate occasions I have lived abroad for one year, five months, and four and a half months. This by no means makes me an expert at packing, but I have definitely learned a lot from these three periods of my life. Below is a list of what has become my go-to guide. This post won’t be focusing on clothes or shoes, but all of the other necessities that are often forgotten. Plus helpful items that really keep me organized and the backpack that fits it all!

Disclosure: I only recommend products I use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. By choosing to purchase products through the affiliate links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.

Necessary Tech

  1. Outlet Converter: I can’t tell you how many times I have gone abroad and witnessed people forgetting an outlet converter. I really like this one because it is universal, and I even use it at home because of the two USB ports.
  2. Headphones: Obviously headphones are a must. I am obsessed with my AirPods (also highly recommend paying a bit more for AirPods Pro because the noise cancelling is such a game changer on an airplane). But, one thing that is annoying about wireless headphones is having to also bring ones with a cord for the inflight movies. I recently saw a TikTok with this bluetooth connector (called AirFly) which allows you to connect your AirPods to the airplane TV, and I will 100% be using this on my next long flight.
  3. Travel Charger: A charging bank is so clutch when traveling around. I really like this one because it charges faster and has two USB ports.
  4. Waterproof Phone Case Protector: This is really great to have on beach vacations, so you don’t have to worry about water damage. Plus it is great for some underwater pics!
  5. Luggage Scale: Always nice to have so you can avoid extra weight fees.
  6. Tripod / Selfie Stick: I just bought this before my last trip abroad and I found it to be super useful – especially for hikes. There are tons of options, but I purchased this one because it was inexpensive and had great reviews.

Organization

  1. Travel Vacuum Bags: This is one of my new favorite ways to pack! I have used vacuum sealed bags before, but it doesn’t make sense for trips where you are hopping around a lot. Finding a vacuum isn’t always possible. Which is why this portable USB vacuum sealer is the absolute best! I packed 5 months into a carry-on backpack and this product helped make it possible.
  2. Packing Cubes: Along with vacuum sealed bags, I also use packing cubes. I like these ones a lot because they compress more than most other options.
  3. Tech Organizer: I hate having all my cords and charging cables tangled up so this bad boy keeps them tidy and organized.
  4. Ziploc Bags: I find it super helpful to have a couple gallon size bags with me on every trip. This is great if your swimsuit is wet and you have to pack it or if your clothes are smoky from a bon fire and you don’t want your whole backpack to stink.
  5. Jewelry Organizer: I love packing a variety of fun earrings and necklaces when I travel. It is especially great for longer trips because it makes me feel like I can create new outfits without shoving more clothes in my backpack.
    • Small: I use this one for shorter trips.
    • Big: This one has been my favorite for trips longer than 2 weeks.

Random

  1. Shout Color Catchers: These things are life savers. You throw a sheet in when you do your laundry, and they protect your clothes from bleeding. I love having these while traveling because it saves time from doing multiple loads for colors or whites. I even rip them in half to make them last longer and it still works just as well.
  2. Travel Notebook: I always take a travel journal with me because it is so fun to look back and remember a particular day you might otherwise have forgotten. When I did a semester in Rome, I was religious about journaling every day and I still go back and read it from time to time. I have also been buying stickers from each new city I travel to and put them on the cover.
  3. Padlock: This is a must if you stay in a hostel. Most hostels provide a crate or area to store your luggage but some don’t provide locks – so it is great to have one of these handy. I have heard way too many horror stories about things getting stolen that I always have a lock if I know I am in a hostel.
  4. Medicine: I honestly pack a lot of different over the counter meds when I go abroad because depending on where you are they might not have what you need – or it will be expensive. In the US you can get a pack of 500 tablets of ibuprofen for $7, and when I lived in Croatia it was 10 tablets for 12 euros. This was crazy because Croatia is also relatively inexpensive. So, make sure to bring the typical meds you use. Some of my go-tos are ibuprofen, Midol, DayQuil and NyQuil. Plus a few packets of Emergen-C for the days I feel like I may be coming down with something.

Backpack

I recently came home from four and a half months abroad and I managed to fit everything I needed in an Osprey Travel Pack. I cannot tell you how much research I did before purchasing this backpack. After reading loads of blog posts about different backpacks, I went into REI and tried it out. It was helpful to get sized and walk around the store, but I did end up buying it on Amazon because it was cheaper.

I went with a backpack instead of a suitcase because I was able to use it as a carry-on rather than pay for a checked bag. Even though it was technically bigger than a carry-on I was able to go on more than 10 flights without having any problems (even budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet). So all in all, I definitely recommend this backpack.

Osprey Fairview 40 Women’s Travel Backpack (Here is the Men’s verison)

A Midwestern girl with a nomadic soul