I live out of a backpack by choice.
I run a near million dollar business while traveling the world full time and working from places like Thailand, Bali and Portugal. On top of my coaching clients, I have a Youtube channel and podcast–all while living out of a backpack. It’s an unconventional life, but I love it!
In this post, I’m sharing a behind the scenes look at what I bring on the road, including everything I need as a female digital nomad and online entrepreneur.
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Digital Nomad Packing List Tips
Before diving into the specifics of my female digital nomad packing list, here are a few quick tips that will make your life sooo much easier.
Packing Tip #1: Only bring what you can carry.
When I first moved abroad, I had way more stuff than I do now. And it was a complete nightmare. Imagine walking through the crowded streets of Hong Kong with 4 bags hanging off you–no one wants that!
Now I have two bags and a purse. This is definitely more of a minimalist digital nomad packing list, but you’ll thank me later!
Packing Tip #2: Bring versatile and neutral clothing.
Stick with the basics, or items you can wear in multiple different ways. Loose linens travel best: they’re comfortable in warm climates, and easy to pack. I also always bring a jean jacket and a rain jacket, especially if we’re visiting Southeast Asia during the rainy season.
Make sure the clothes you bring are neutral and can be combined into different outfits without clashing. It’s best to stay away from loud statement pieces and flashy patterns – at least for versatility sake (unless that’s your thing!).
Packing Tip #3: Bring “business” clothing, whatever that looks like for you.
While making your own digital nomad packing list, don’t get so caught up in the fun travel aspects that you forget you also have a business to run! You may not need the same corporate clothes you would at home, but it’s worth bringing a nice pair of slacks or a nice dress to dress up a little.
I also like to stick to an on brand color scheme, so any photos we take can be used for my business. You never know when you might be invited to a more formal event or need new brand photos.
Packing Tip #4: Use packing cubes.
These things are seriously a life saver! You’ll be able to fit so much more in your bags, and also stay organized. Try putting all your tops in one and bottoms in another, use a third for bras and underwear, etc. This makes it so much easier to just pull one thing out when you need it.
Check out the packing cubes I use here.
Related Post: How I built my online business from a laptop on the beach
My Digital Nomad Packing List for Women
Below is a list of everything I bring with me as a female digital nomad and online business owner. Use it as a guideline to make your own list, and keep the packing tips from above in mind as you go!
Digital Nomad Packing List Essential #1: Backpacks & Tech
I carry two bags with me: a 20L Osprey Daylite backpack that carries my tech equipment, and an Osprey Ariel 65L for everything else.
Inside the smaller tech bag I have my:
- Main camera
- Smaller vlogging camera
- Drone
- Tripod
- Camera lens
- Headphones
- iPad
- Laptop
- Converters and adapters
How much tech you bring will vary based on your business and personal preference. I love photography and videography, so I bring my camera and lenses, even though it’s not technically part of my business.
And of course, if you’re living a laptop lifestyle, you need a laptop! Don’t forget a universal adapter so you can actually use your electronics abroad.
NOTE: My adapter is the best and such a life saver when you arrive in a new country late at night and realize you need to charge your phone!
Related Post: How to Manage Your Business While Traveling Full Time
Digital Nomad Packing List Essential #2: Clothing
What we pack varies based on location, but since we’re normally living in warm weather destinations like Thailand, Bali, or Vietnam, that saves space as well.
Here’s a rough breakdown of what I bring:
- 1 pairs of jeans
- 1 pair of long leggings
- 3-4 pairs of shorts (ex. Jean shorts, white shorts, lose linen shorts etc)
- 4 plain tank tops
- 5-10 cute tops
- 1 rain jacket
- 1 lightweight sweatshirt (great for planes and travel)
- Gym clothes (4 tops and 4 pairs of gym shorts)
- Bras & Sports bras
- 2 swimsuits
- Socks and underwear
The exact amount you bring is up to you, but in my opinion: the fewer, the better.
Like your clothing, you also want your shoes to be versatile. A good pair of running shoes is essential if you plan on being active–whether that means going for long walks or climbing mountains.
I also like to bring a pair of Berks and Chacos, or Adidas for colder climates. Choose function and comfort over fashion–it’s so worth it.
Digital Nomad Packing List Essential #3: Toiletries
The biggest thing to remember is to pack light–literally. Choose light weight products (travel-sized if possible) and leave your heavy glass containers at home.
I wear minimal makeup, especially in the Southeast Asia heat, so I stick to the basics: foundation, a few brushes, mascara. Remember you can buy this stuff on the road if/when you need it.
Lastly, I bring a hair curler with me. If you choose to bring any kind of styler, make sure the plugs are universal and have multiple voltages.
Remember that you can find almost anything you need in most places you are living. You may have to switch up brands sometimes but unless you are going off the grid, you’ll be able to find everything.
Digital Nomad Packing List Essential #4: Medicine
If you’re coming from the U.S, I recommend stocking up on medicine after arriving in your destination. Chances are, it will be cheaper than at home. Buying your birth control abroad can save you a fortune!
Stock up on any prescriptions you need beforehand, but remember that basic medications and things like contact lenses can be easily found abroad (and probably at a lower cost).
Tip: Don’t forget travel insurance! We use Safety Wing.
Related Post: Day in the life of a business coach, digital nomad, and 6-figure entrepreneur
And finally, a few questions I get about my minimalist digital nomad packing list:
Why do I still live out of a backpack if I own a near million dollar business?
For me, right now I value wanting to move around a lot and I don’t have a home base, so if I were to have a suitcase and more bags it would make traveling as often as I do a nightmare experience. Because of that, I have gotten used to only owning what I can carry and while it is more convenient, I also enjoy not having many things. This may change one day or when I get a home base somewhere but for now it makes life easy!
How do you keep your belongings safe?
This varies based on the different places we live, but we are smart about always having our main valuables with us. Otherwise we try to look for apartments with safes in them to keep some valuables at home. In the end, we don’t own very many things and other than electronics we don’t travel with irreplaceable items, so if something were to get stolen, it would suck, but its not the end of the world.
We have had our apartments broken into in Bali and had cash stolen from our room, but other than that we’ve never had any issues. Lesson learned – don’t keep hundreds of dollars in cash in your room.
Don’t you get tired of wearing the same clothes?
Short answer: No!
I buy so much stuff in the places we visit that I never get tired of my wardrobe. If something gets worn out, it’s easy to replace–especially in places like Hoi An, Vietnam, where you can buy an entire closet full of custom-made clothes for a fraction of what it would cost in the U.S.
I have dresses and shoes from Bali, Thailand, Vietnam…Remember you can always find what you need–and you probably need less than you think!
That wraps up my digital nomad packing list for women.
I hope you’ve found this helpful!
If you’re new to the digital nomad lifestyle (or just daydreaming about it), check out the Laptop Lifestyle Entrepreneurs Facebook group. And don’t forget to follow me on Insta for more digital nomad tips!