7 Items I Wish I Had When I Started Traveling Full-Time

I have been a digital nomad for over a year, and the past 14 months have taught me invaluable lessons on making travel easy, sustainable, and efficient. I’ve spent time eating gelato in Torino, Italy, drinking world-class coffee in Medellín, Colombia, and networking with other nomads in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My travels have taught me how to pack for both summer and winter in one suitcase, which was a lesson learned the hard way leaving the beaches of Croatia and going to crisp autumn weather in Paris wholly unprepared.

When I first embarked on this journey, I mainly packed clothes, toiletries, adapters, and other basics I normally brought when traveling on vacation. It wasn’t until I left that I realized how different long-term and short-term travel are. When traveling for months on end, many things you wouldn’t necessarily consider bringing when going somewhere for a week became essential.

Today, packing is very streamlined process for me. I always check the Large Suitcase from Away, use the Everywhere Bag as a personal item, and have the backpack that my cat, Isabelle, rides in as my carry-on. Through a series of trial-and-error, I found that some items are must-haves for any trip. Read on for a list of seven items I wish I had with me from the start—and have since purchased to take with me on my next stint out of the country.