Travelling smart and keeping your luggage as light as possible is super important. Especially when you plan on staying in hostels. Hostel life comes with its own set of pros and cons. Therefore, packing the right sort of items is essential for your hostel stay. Packing can be overwhelming at the best of times so here are the essentials you don’t want to leave behind.
Table of contents
Bathroom Essentials
Travel Towel
Some hostels may or may not provide towels, so carrying your own is important. A microfiber towel is a lifesaver when you are travelling. They’re lightweight, anti-bacterial, compact, and dirt resistant. They’re also easy to handwash and dry super quickly if you can’t get to a laundromat.
Toiletries bag
Hostels generally don’t provide toiletries. And due to the shared nature of a dorm room, it’s not advised to leave your toiletries all over the bathroom. A toiletry bag that is small but that can hold all your travel-sized essentials is perfect. Some of the basic toiletries you will need in your bag include:
- a toothbrush & paste,
- shower gel,
- face wash,
- shampoo & conditioner,
- moisturizer,
- and feminine products.
Shower Shoes
If you do not want to take a shower or go to the loo barefoot, take your own shower shoes. They’re essential for hostels for a number of reasons. In case the floor is wet, to prevent slipping and in case the showers don’t get cleaned thoroughly. Gross as it is, shared showers are a hotbed for a multitude of foot fungi.
Security Essentials
Padlock
While staying in a hostel, one of the important things is to take care of your belongings. Whether it is money, accessories, or any other precious items, you should never leave your belongings in the open. Utilise the cupboards or security lockers most hostels provide in the rooms. Some hostels will let you hire a padlock for a cost. But in case they don’t provide one, carrying your own padlock is essential while staying at a hostel.
Travel belt
A practical solution for your very important documents when leaving your room is to get a travel belt or a bumbag. This way, you will be able to access your wallet and documents easily without worrying too much about their safekeeping. Even if you’re just heading to the common room to chill, having your most important and valuable items on you, will put you at ease.
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Sleeping Essentials
Torch
It’s no fun to navigate through your room in total darkness while your dorm mates sleep. A small torch needs to be in your luggage for this exact reason. You do not want to wake them up by turning on the lights. But you do want to make it safely to the loo or out of the room without tripping or bumping into something.
Earplugs
When it’s time to sleep noise is a deal breaker for most people. Staying in a dorm means there is a fair chance that you will rarely get any peace. Earplugs are an easy solution to this problem. Bring noise-cancelling earplugs so you can block out all the extra noise.
Sleeping bag liner/ Sheet
For your own peace of mind, having your own sleeping bag liner or sheet is a must. Unfortunately, bed bugs are a real possibility in a hostel. As well as not perfectly cleaned sheets.
This isn’t to say all hostels have these issues, the majority are really great. However, if you’re not 100% sure and don’t want to risk it, your own sheet is a great idea.
Eye mask
People sharing a dorm have to come to a compromise most of the time. An eye mask will save you when you’re ready to sleep and your dorm mates still need the lights on. They’ll also help if the dorm room curtains don’t block out all the street lights. Take a good eye mask with you so that there is no risk of you losing your precious sleep.
Tech Essentials
Travel Adapter
In this modern age, we cannot afford to live without technology. Charging your devices is a necessity, but unfortunately not every country has the same power points. An international adaptor is an absolute essential.
Power Board
Most of us have more than one device, and hostels generally only provide one power point per bed. Pack a power board with you so charging multiple devices at once is a breeze.
Your favourite books or a kindle
Reading a book is a great way to unwind and kill some time. Books are a great way to escape into another reality for a short period of time. Or use your downtime to read up on the city or country you’re currently visiting. If you cannot pack books in your bag, you can always get a lightweight kindle. With a kindle, you will be able to read numerous books and also save space in your suitcase.
Headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones are great to block out any noise or chit-chatter going on in the dorm room. Or even the street noise and new sounds of the city you’re in. Plus listening to your favourite music, podcast or even watching a Netflix episode is a great way to disconnect and unwind.
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Bonus Essential Hostel Items
A good day pack
A good day pack will make your day trips out of the hostel that much easier. Pack your camera, water bottle, guide book and a packed lunch. There are some great packs on the market that fold away when not in use. Therefore making them easy to pack into your suitcase or backpack.
A deck of playing cards
Having a deck of cards stashed in your backpack is the ultimate icebreaker. Whether you pull them out in the dorm room to get to know your bunkies. Or take them to the common room, cards are a hostel essential. My go-to card deck is Spot it. While it is considered a “kids” game, it actually makes for a super easy game for people from different countries. No language is needed for this fun matching game.
The Born Wanderess Trusted Essentials & Resources
for staying in a hostel
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Accommodation
Hostelworld.com (link below)
Activities and Tours
Last Minute Travel Essentials
Packing cubes, batteries, chargers and more
Local Guide Book
The savvy backpackers guide to hostels in Europe
Travel Journal
Travel journal to record all your beautiful memories
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Luisa is a solo traveller from Australia, having travelled internationally since 1998. She has travelled to over 63 countries on 6 continents.
Her goal is to teach you how to travel solo with confidence.
She shares guides and tips on travel, budgeting and photography.
Luisa is also a group trip host and travel consultant and can be hired here.