Airbnb Packing List: Top Things to Pack for Your Next Stay

We made the decision in December 2021 to give up our apartment, become digital nomads, and travel the world. This has translated into living solely in Airbnbs, generally for one month at a time. Since then, we’ve learned the hard way that a “well-equipped” kitchen is often missing key pieces and that being aspiring minimalists, we still want at least a few things that make us feel at home. That’s why we put together this Airbnb packing list, meant to include everything we’ve needed while staying in Airbnbs long-term.

This includes everything from kitchen and bathroom appliances to electronics and workout gear. As you’ll see, some are absolute necessities, while others are meant to make your stay more comfortable and your routine easier to keep. We also put together a list of essential items to pack in your carry-on, which you can find here.

One caveat: we drive places, so it’s possible for us to bring things like a blender or a yoga mat. We know everyone’s travel plans are different, so our hope is for this list to serve as an initial guide – to hopefully introduce some things that you too will love and remind you of things that you may have forgotten to pack.

Airbnb Packing List: For the Kitchen

We are not the best cooks out there, but we do like to cook. We love to explore the outdoor markets in the area and try to make some local recipes. We’ve also found it to be one of the easiest ways to keep costs down. For that reason, our biggest bin in the car is full of kitchen appliances that are generally lacking at most Airbnbs. 

The biggest item on our list is a high-quality, durable blender. We love the Ninja Blender that comes with a pitcher, a processor bowl, and to-go cups since we have everything we need in one. We use it almost every day for smoothies, but it is heavy and really only makes sense if you’re driving to your destination.

Though not super exciting, we now always travel with our Zip Top containers. They are incredibly light, have sizes for everything you might need, and don’t require a lid. They can be tricky to wash if you store soups or liquids in them, but they are dishwasher safe.

We are big coffee and tea drinkers and have learned (the hard way) that many places don’t have the appliances or at times even the supplies to make them. For this reason, we now bring with us at least some coffee beans and some loose leaf tea. When it comes to the appliances themselves, we’ve found that Moka pots tend to be the easiest and most reliable to transport. The Bialetti brand is a favorite – super simple to use and always reliable. And with regards to tea, the Tealyra porcelain pot does require a bit more care when packing, but it’s cute and makes two delicious cups of tea.

In addition to the bigger appliances, there are a few other kitchen items that we’ve found quite useful to have, and that are often lacking in most Airbnb kitchens:

• One good, sharp knife: You don’t need the whole knife set as part of your Airbnb packing list, but the reality is that most places generally have dull, flimsy knives that will make cooking much harder. For that reason, we always bring a sharp high-quality knife. We have a handmade knife from Japan that was a gift but we’ve heard great things about the Mac Chef Knife.
  
• Cutting board: While most Airbnbs do have cutting boards, they are at times not very sturdy or the cleanest items in the kitchen. One of us might be a bit of a neat freak, so we have found it to be a lot easier to just bring our trusted OXO cutting board along.
• Grater and peeler: Similar to the cutting board, you can generally find a grater and a peeler in most Airbnbs, but they are also not always good quality or hygienic. Since they are not big items, we just pack them in our kitchen bin and bring them along. Plus, they are often missing which can be a huge hassle!

• Lemon squeezer: This one is certainly not a must, but Cristina drinks hot water with lemon every single morning. They can also make cooking certain recipes a lot easier and are almost never in Airbnbs.
• Measuring cups: Again, not a must, but if you like to bake or rely on recipes quite often like us, proper measuring cups are nice to have.
• Wine opener: Most places do provide these, but some of them are old and tough to use. Plus, we truly love our OXO wine opener and it’s tiny, so we always carry it along.
• Spices and oil: A lot of places do provide some spices like salt and pepper. But, if you like to cook things like chili or curry, or if you like some cinnamon in your coffee, don’t expect those to be included. Plus,  you might want to buy some local spices to take with you. This is why we have our spice containers and generally bring olive oil and coconut oil, as well as curry powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon.

Airbnb Packing List: For Work

As bloggers and freelancers, we rely heavily on our portable office. Like many of you, we’ve made the mistake of buying cheap electronics in the past and spending more money because we had to replace them. So, now we have the items that we absolutely love and need to be successful – so we make sure they are a key part of our Airbnb packing list.

We purchased a MacBook Air about a year ago and it has been one of the best purchases thus far.  The laptop is reliable, fast, light, and incredibly helpful if you use other Apple products. The screen is also great for outdoor use!

We now also rely on our Nexstand Laptop Stand. As much as we’d love to travel with standing desks, those are a bit challenging to pack and heavy. So these are the second-best thing. When we got them, we thought they might be too brittle and unstable, but they are actually quite sturdy and reliable. They fit almost any laptop, including our Mac and Lenovo, and can hold up to 20 pounds, or 2-6 times the weight of a laptop.

If you’re going to be using the computer stand, you will absolutely need a wireless keyboard and mouse. Our favorites are the Logitech K380 – light, reliable, and easy to use and set up. And if you’re like us, living in small spaces, and wanting to keep things organized, these desk pads will undoubtedly come in handy! 

Another must when it comes to electronics is having at least two trustworthy power adapters. We love the Bestek Power Adapter because it acts as a power converter, has multiple charging sockets, and comes with different plug adapters. We always bring this one along and have all our electronics charged in one place. Additionally, we bring the smaller Tripshell Adapter. This one is nice because it’s easier to transport, but can also be adjusted for any plug and any outlet around the world.

Our Anker portable charger is especially important if we’re going to be using our phone for directions often. This one is light and good for hours of charge.

Airbnb Packing List: For Entertainment

Everyone knows electronics are mostly for entertainment and we have a few priorities we carry with us as part of our Airbnb packing list. The Apple TV is at the top of the list. It’s tiny and allows us to play our favorite streaming providers, like Netflix or Amazon Prime. Or mirror anything from our Ipad. You can’t count on a smart TV at AirBnBs and this way we are always signed into our accounts.

Our Apple Watch is mainly used to help us track workouts and hikes. It has the added advantage of keeping you connected without having to go to your phone for every notification. A surprising quality of life improvement. Having a portable speaker has been quite handy too. This one is not an absolute must, but it’s nice to have when you want to entertain or just enjoy some music while cooking or working.

We both love physical books but quickly realized that they are either too heavy or tough to find in certain countries. That’s when the Kindle Paperwhite became our new best friend. It’s light and can pack a library of books and magazines.

As travel bloggers, we always have our Sony camera with us – for work and for fun. It’s easy to use and a great first camera to learn about photography. And of course, wireless earbuds are always ideal to have too. We love the Jabra Elite earbuds, which are comfortable, light, durable, and pretty affordable when it comes to earbuds.  

If we know we’ll be heading to the beach or the lake, we make sure to bring our Wekapo beach blanket and our microfiber towels. The blanket is large and packs up into a small container. It’s perfect to fit us and the pup! And We have completely replaced our old beach towels and instead carry these small, lights ones that dry quickly. A soft cooler is perfect for transporting cold things from one place to another, or when we want to hit the beach or go for a picnic.

Airbnb Packing List: For the Bathroom

We’ve noticed too many times that some Airbnbs often supply rough, uncomfortable towels. So, if you’re planning on spending a long period of time in a new spot, you may want to consider bringing your own towels – at least some for your face. We like the Onsen bath sheets because they are particularly light and dry fairly quickly. Cristina always carries with her the AQUIS hair towel. It’s super light and helps keep the excess water out of her hair while retaining some moisture and reducing frizz. 

There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to heating in Airbnbs. Sometimes the floors are cold or there’s a draft. Or the heating isn’t uniform and parts of the house are cold. So, we pack some extras to stay warm and cozy. Cristina’s Natori bathrobe is light, but also long and cozy. And our L.L. Bean slippers have become an absolute must, particularly during the winter months.

Another oldy but goody is our garment steamer. After traveling through Europe and realizing that many places don’t have an iron, and how inconvenient irons can be, a friend turned us into this steamer. It’s light and easy to pack, but just be sure to check the power voltage and use a power converter if needed. We made the mistake of frying ours in Europe the first time we used it abroad.

Just because we’re nomads doesn’t mean we don’t like looking good! Cristina carries a Revlon hot air brush. It’s a bit heavier but it’s so easy to use that it’s worth the trouble. It does get hot very quickly, though, so be careful and make sure to check the power voltage here too! On this end, Mike relies on his Philips trimmer and shaver. Again, a bit on the heavier side, but it’s reliable and has multiple length settings.

Airbnb Packing List: For Health & Safety

Though not as exciting, there are a few musts that we carry along to keep ourselves safe:

• Carbon monoxide detector: You may have noticed that a lot of Airbnbs point out that they do not have a carbon monoxide detector. We didn’t think much about it until we saw an incredibly sad story of a family dying from carbon monoxide poisoning in Mexico. So, we now make a habit to carry one along. This one is particularly good since it’s a combination of smoke and a carbon monoxide detector in one.
• Flashlight: As Cristina’s stepdad always says, it’s also key to have a good flashlight. It’s not uncommon for the power to go out at times while staying at Airbnbs, especially in the countryside or in the off-the-beaten spots we like to visit. This ThurNite one has great reviews for having a wide range of brightness.
• First aid kit: When you’re a digital nomad, you often don’t have space to carry the traditional medicines or first aid equipment you would normally have at home. That’s why we carry a small but reliable first aid kit like this one. It has all the things you could need from bandages to medication.
• At-home Covid tests: Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we like to bring with us at least a couple of at-home rapid antigen Covid tests. They’re nice to have in case we get sick. We’ve used the On/Go ones before and have had a good experience. They have simple instructions and are relatively easy to use.

Airbnb Packing List: For Working Out

When you are traveling constantly, it’s tough to belong to a gym or keep a steady workout routine. Yoga and pilates are great because they can be done anywhere and require very little equipment. We’ve found two amazing online classes that make keeping up a strong workout routine much easier.

CorePower Yoga offers all kinds of yoga classes, from level 1 vinyasa to some that incorporate cardio and strength-training moves. The other one is Barre3 – offering hundreds of full-body barre workouts with different levels of challenge. You don’t need much equipment at all do to them, but this is what we like to have:

• Yoga mat: There are lots of options in the market and it’s really a matter of personal preference, but we love the Lululemon reversible yoga mat. It’s made from a natural rubber base, so it’s not slippery, but it does have a little extra cushion. It’s a bit heavier than others but worth the extra weight.
• Foam roller: This has become essential in our stretching and workout routines, particularly after a long day of travel.
• Resistance band: It’s not anything special but an absolute must for back and neck stretches, and a great tool for workout routines. It is especially nice as a replacement for heavyweights that can be tougher to carry around.
• Core ball: A core ball is also nice to pack as an additional workout tool. You can deflate it, making it small and compact to carry, and it’s great for ab exercises and squats.

Airbnb Packing List: For the Environment

It’s easy to forget about your routine when traveling, and this includes the things we do to protect the environment – like using fewer bags or water bottles. For that reason, we carry these few things as part of our Airbnb packing list:

• Reusable bags: There are so many kinds of reusable bags on the market, but we love these cotton mesh ones. They are light yet strong enough to hold all your products. They are easy to fold, so perfect to carry in your purse or to have in the car in case of an unexpected shopping spree.
• Produce bags: In addition to traditional reusable bags, we’ve started bringing with us several produce bags as well. They come in different sizes and they are great for shopping for fruits and veggies, especially at outdoor markets where every seller will give you a new plastic bag.
• Storage bags: These reusable Ziploc bags come in different sizes and are dishwasher safe. We use Ziploc bags quite often, for snacks or storage, and these have truly been a game-changer in keeping down our plastic use.

We have made one of our mission to avoid plastic water bottles, which is why we carry around a few different kinds of reusable bottles:

• Water bottle: We love our Hydro Flask water bottle for the car or a hike. It’s not too heavy and keeps liquids cold for up to 3 days. It’s especially nice because the drink never touches the plastic and it’s really easy to clean.
• Water mug: We also love to have a water mug for the house. We both work from home and like to drink a lot of water, so this is much nicer to have than the small glasses generally available in most Airbnbs. Our favorite is the YETI ramble mug. It’s a bit more expensive than others but worth it for the lid and the vacuum insulation.
• Water filter: We love having our Pur Water Filter system. It’s small, easy to carry around, and super simple to install – no matter the faucet and no tools needed. It’s also certified to reduce over 70 contaminants, including lead, mercury, and some pesticides. Just make sure to bring enough replacement filters with you as they can be tough to find in certain places.

Airbnb Packing List: For the Pup

Last, but certainly not least, we generally travel with our black lab mix pup. Traveling and staying in an Airbnb with a pet isn’t always simple, so making sure you’re prepared with the right equipment makes life a lot easier.

For us, the most important thing is her dog bed. Ours is large and rectangular, which we like because it fits perfectly in the back seat and allows her to lay comfortably during long rides. It’s also the first thing we take out of the car when we arrive at a new Airbnb (in addition to a blanket we got from her foster parents when she was a pup). The bed and blanket have familiar smells, make her feel at home, and let her know where her “space” is.

We also make sure to bring a furniture cover so that she can jump on the couch and keep everything clean and hair-free. We were those dog parents who said our dog would never be allowed on the furniture but caved after month 3, so now we’re stuck. This cover is particularly nice because it’s lightweight and waterproof.

Additionally, we bring two large towels for our pup. These are light, ultra-absorbent, and easy to carry. In our household, they are an absolute must, especially when we’re traveling to an Airbnb near the beach or the lake.

Poop bags are our least favorite thing to buy, but they are essential. Yes, you can find them everywhere or you can just use plastic bags, but these Earth Rated ones are so much better. They are thicker than most bags and the scent helps make the act of picking up poop slightly less bad. Trust us – you want to make sure you don’t run out of these.

When it comes to food and water, we’re strong believers in bringing the pet’s own bowls – and we generally like to have two sets. One of the dog bowl sets is for the house, and we like them to be stainless steel anti-slip. They are light, durable, and easy to clean. And the other one is a collapsible dog bowl. These can fit into any backpack but are sturdy enough for dogs. These are particularly needed for people who have dogs like ours who simply cannot drink out of a hose.

Our pup sheds a lot so we really need our Furminator dog brush. It removes so much hair and it’s super easy to clean. Just be careful not to push too hard when brushing since the bristles are kind of rough. And for the same shedding reason, we have come to love the Chom Chom pet hair remover. It truly works wonders and gets rid of hair on blankets, sheets, or furniture. We were criticized once at an Airbnb for leaving some dog hair on the couch (long ago, before we invested in the furniture covers), but that has not happened since we purchased this hair remover. It’s a small device and can be a bit annoying to clean, but it truly works.

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