Packing is not just a chore you need to do before the interesting part (the travel itself) comes. Packing is actually an art, and your travel experience can absolutely depend on what you took or not on your trip.

Ultimate Packing Guide For Beginners

Today we will share our packing hacks and life lessons on what you should and can take into your travels that helped us become the ultimate travel packers and properly prepare for countless adventures.

What you “Should” take

In this part, we will talk about the things we think you absolutely need to take with you on your trip. You need to have this stuff to be safe, appropriately dressed, and take the best travel photo in your life. But let’s look at these things closely.

Documents

Doublecheck and triple-check your passport and international driving license. These are essential documents, and it is better to have copies of them on hand in case somebody steals the documents.

A basic set of clothes

One of the best packing life hacks we’ve ever seen is to make a capsule wardrobe for a trip. It means that every item in your baggage should fit every other item. This simple idea absolutely changed our views on travel wardrobe, and now even our socks fit jackets and pants. And we are always prepared for every occasion!

Small electronics

Here you should pack a flashlight, a power strip, a phone and camera charger, and adapters if you travel overseas. If you think that taking a flashlight is a little bit excessive, let us remind you that not every country has a stable electricity system and working street lights everywhere.

If you are out in a foreign country at night, a flashlight can be your savior and an effective tool against street robbers.

A camera and photography accessories

Travel photography is the simplest way to capture the memories of your travels. And the most effective, to be honest.

So take your camera, tripod, travel lights with you to take the best shots of your adventures. Don’t try to make everything perfect from the first shot: you can use simple photo editing software later to cover the imperfections or edit every picture. After all, these are your memories, and you can make them look just like you want. Below are some sample cases to carry your camera or electronics.

Printed insurance and booking confirmation

And it will be best if you print it. Of course, nowadays, you can get travel insurance and confirmation about your hotel reservation in the dedicated apps. Still, if your phone is unavailable (and it happens), you will have something to save you.

It is much better to be safe than sorry, so print this stuff beforehand.

What you “Can” take

Now we will talk about the things you can take to your adventure, but it will really depend on the place you are going to, and what you will be doing there.

Waterproof clothes and umbrella

If you travel to the country during the rainy season, or you want to visit a place that is famous because of its bad weather (like England), then add to your bag a good waterproof coat, boots, and durable umbrella.

But if you plan to go to sunny Barbados, for example, use this space for an extra bottle of SPF cream instead.

Going out attire

That’s totally up to you. You can create your capsule wardrobe with party outfits if you plan to go to a club or two on your vacation. However, if you plan to only hit museums instead of nightclubs, you definitely don’t need extra stuff in your bag.

This space can be saved for souvenirs and pictures shot on Polaroid.

A laptop

As we’ve mentioned in the camera section, you can take your laptop with you if you plan to travel for a long time, and you will need to montage video from your trip.

It is essential if you are an aspiring travel blogger because you can communicate with your audience while you are still on the road. You can use free video editing software like Canva, which is easy to use but effective enough to make beautiful travel videos.  We mainly use it for photos and combining images with text, but it is good for many things

Of course, if you are not planning to share your adventures with the world constantly, you can skip this part.

Travel guides and maps

Yeah, we know that all the information can be found online, but it depends on the place you’re going to. Imagine that you don’t have service and you need to know where the closest public transport station is located.

If you don’t speak the language and you can’t be sure about the quality of mobile internet in the area you will be traveling to, take a map and travel guide, and they can save your life. Literally.

Meds

We are talking specifically about painkillers and antipyretics. You may think that meds should be in the “what you should take” part, but hear us out: if you experience headaches from time to time and need medicine for this case, it is fine.

But, if you are in another country and you feel unwell, go to the hospital immediately. You never know how long it will take you to get help, and it is better to get to the emergency room as early as possible to have some time to explain your situation. Don’t hesitate and use your travel insurance: that’s why you purchased it!

Have you packed your bag yet?

Now you know what the essentials you need to pack in your bag and what can be left behind at home, waiting for you from your trip. Of course, this guide is not one size fits all, but you can use it as a guideline and create your own ultimate packing list for any of your future trips. Good luck and have a great trip!