About to hit the road and not sure what you’ll need? Here’s how to make sure you’re ready to do your best work, no matter where you are.
Backup power
I’ve used an assortment of external battery packs, from fancy ones to conference freebies. Casey swears by the Bolt. You never know when your flight isn’t going to have outlets or your rental car will break down in the middle of nowhere.
A proper keyboard
I can’t live without my Macbook Air, even if it’s a million years old. If you’re one of those that travels without a proper laptop, you at least need a proper keyboard. These silicone keyboards roll up to nothing and are pretty indestructible. I never quite got used to the squishy feeling, but they’re still so fun and useful.
A tote bag
From an alternative to carrying a bulky purse to a way to carry groceries, I can’t live without a tote bag.
A spork
I have one of these in my bag right now. Always.
A sleep sack
I’ve probably only used my sleep sack as intended a handful of times in our eight years together, but I use it all the time. It’s a scarf on chilly days, it’s a pillow on a long flight, it’s a shawl with a sundress, it’s a blanket on a cold train, it’s a bathing suit coverup, it’s a skirt when I’ve run out of clean clothes, it’s a headscarf in a mosque, you can even tie it into a tote bag or use it as a towel in a pinch. It takes no space in your bag and it weighs nothing.
Don’t waste your time with “artificial silk.” The real thing will keep you at the right temperature and last forever.
A watch
Nothing kills the moment or your feeling of flow like checking your cell phone and getting distracted by notifications. The solution is simple: wear a watch. Pick one that’s easy to set when you switch time zones!
Organized toiletries
Don’t be that person in line with too many liquids. Keep everything ready to go through security and ready to use.
A backup bag
If you’re on a long trip and have to stash seasonal gear, a duffel bag that folds down to nothing is great. I also keep a bag to hold my backpack in case I ever need to check it, to save it from getting eaten by the luggage handling equipment.
A way to cook
If you’re in one place for more than a few days, you’re going to need a way to cook. Yes, those folks in the suburbs require a million contraptions to put together a meal, but you can do a lot with a little. This breakfast center is cute, cheap, and really all you need.
Wow!
This is a fabulous 9 essentials list. I’m actually planning a trip to the sydney Islands soon and this will really come in handy. The power bank amazing.
Interesting choices to list! I think I would have to add a external hardrive that is shockproof to this list because for most of what I do, the work is waaaay too heavy to store simply on my computer alone. The spork is a great addition! I have portable chopsticks in my bag 😛
I’ve been lucky enough to not have thought of a shockproof harddrive, but now I might have to upgrade!
I sync things to the cloud, too, but my macbook air is a little too old and slow to fully work off the cloud these days.
Practical and sensible list of things that are necessary. Always when traveling we need to balance between what to carry and what not to carry. These kind of lists help in making the right decision and dropping non-value add items from your luggage.
I love that proper keyboard, it is such a smart idea. I carry my macbook pro around and it is just too heavy. I want to get a MacBook air instead or ipad, so much easier for travelling. That breakfast center is so clever. I love it. A backup power is essential for travelling! Thank you for sharing this great list 😀
This is truly a great list for digital nomads. This is something that a digital nomads should always have and always ready on a road trip while working with these essentials. I think I need to buy an organized toiletries for I don’t have it yet. Thank you so much for reminding me that I have to have one. Great article!
Thanks for sharing! I definitely have to get a battery pack because it’s always so stressful trying to make my charges last as long as possible!
You have some interesting essentials there. I have never heard of a way cook but I would love one 🙂 My next item is going to be a travel kettle, for a cuppa of green tea in my room before a day of exploring.
Omg! That breakfast center is so cute! I’ve never seen something like that and I almost feel like taking that on my next road trip! And I would also take along those sporks 🙂
I especially agree with the power bank! We actually have to have more than one on hand since we use our phone to use for navigation, fly our drone, GoPro, and OSMO cameras. It really drains the battery and these things are life savers on the road!!