I love staying in hostels. They are a fabulous way to travel the world for cheap, you meet interesting people, make lifelong friends and have the time of your life. If you will be staying in a hostel on your next trip and are wondering what to pack for a hostel stay, I’ve got this list of hostel essentials for you! This ultimate hostel packing list has everything you need for a hostel stay (plus some tips on what NOT to pack) so you can have a fabulous hostel experience.
Packing Tips for a Hostel Stay
Pack Light
If you’re on a backpacking trip, then packing light really is the golden rule. While it is tempting to bring everything with you and cram it into the biggest suitcase you can find, lugging around heavy luggage gets real old real fast.
So, only plan to pack the absolute essentials for a hostel stay, then you can add in a couple of extra items that might make your stay more comfortable. A backpacking trip packing list is going to be longer than a shorter weekend hostel stay, and that’s ok, just try not to overdo it.
Packing cubes can help you to keep organised, and make sure you practise packing before you set off so you know what can fit in – and what you can realistically carry!
Get a Decent Backpack (or Suitcase)
When you’re travelling around I find I usually prefer a backpack for long trips and more “off the beaten path” destinations and a small roller suitcase for short city breaks.
Yes, shock horror I just said I use a suitcase for some trips! In cities with decent paved walkways and airports, I much prefer wheeling a small suitcase with a small daypack on my back instead of having to carry everything on my back.
However, for long backpacking trips, when you might be taking buses instead of planes, and have to check in your luggage, a backpack really is the way to go. In that case, it is easier (if not very enjoyable) to have everything on your back instead of attempting to drag a giant suitcase all around cobbled streets and dirt roads.
Osprey Backpacks are THE name in backpacker & travel backpacks. They make excellent quality backpacks for travel, hiking and a whole range of other activities so you can choose the right backpack for you.
Check-In Backpacks
The Osprey Fairview 70 Women’s Travel Backpack is a firm favourite for backpackers and it comes with a detachable daypack with a built-in laptop and tablet sleeve. Carry them separately when you’re flying so you can check in the larger section and take the day pack on the flight as carry-on, or attach them so you can keep your hands completely free when you’re on the move.
The Fairview 55 is basically the same design but with a smaller capacity, so better for carrying around if you can pack that bit lighter. The Farpoint 55 and Farpoint 70 are men’s travel backpack equivalents.
Knowing some people’s preference for wheels, Osprey also has a selection of wheeled cases in various sizes so you can choose whatever style suits you best. Coming back to my first tip, if you have packed light, your luggage will be lighter and much easier to carry no matter what it is!
Carry-on Backpacks
Smaller backpacks with a maximum of 40-litres capacity are great for taking as carry-on only if you can fit in everything you need. They are perfect for short trips or ultra-lite backpacking adventures and can be combined with a day pack as a personal carry-on item if you need some extra space.
I love the Tortuga Travel Backpack 40l which is the most comfortable backpack I’ve ever worn, thanks to the adjustable shoulder straps which you can alter to suit your height, and the padded hip belt which can take up to 80% of the weight off your shoulders.
You can read my full review of the Tortuga backpack here, or check out the Tortuga website for the full specs and other reviews.
I also have the 40 litre Osprey Fairview pack for women which I have used as my main luggage for weekends away, and I have also used as it a carry-on when checking in a larger suitcase for longer trips. The Fairview is designed for women, and the men’s equivalent is the 40 litre Farpoint which is just as good.
These travel backpacks meet carry-on restrictions for most airlines, and are flexible if you don’t overfill them, so they will squeeze into luggage racks. They all have a separate laptop sleeve, supporting hipbelt and open fully so you can easily access anything you’ve packed.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks
If you’re looking for a cheap travel backpack for carry-on, the Asenlin 40 litre travel backpack is a unisex design, and gets excellent reviews. It opens fully like the Osprey backpacks, has a 17-inch laptop compartment, is water-resistant and comes with a set of 3 packing cubes included.
Bring an Open Mind
I truly believe that you get out of an experience whatever you put in, so if you arrive at a hostel and are unsociable and close-minded you probably won’t have a great time. Be friendly, say hi to people and smile – that is the first step.
Don’t be afraid to strike up conversations with people – asking for travel tips about where to go or where to eat is a great ice-breaker, and might even get you an invite for dinner!
Travel Safely
- Leave valuables at home and don't keep all your money and credit cards in one place. I love hidden pocket clothing like this travel scarf for stashing my cash and passport or a belt with a hidden pocket. Read more about how to hide money while travelling.
- Bring a water bottle with a built-in filter so you can safely drink water from any fresh water source while saving money and reducing plastic use. I take my Water-to-Go bottle with me everywhere!
- Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. I always buy travel insurance and was very glad I had insurance when I had my laptop and passport stolen in Ecuador! Consider getting insurance for your trip to cover things like trip cancellation, emergency medical, lost luggage and stolen items, as well as adventure sports and activities and more.
- I chose World Nomads Travel Insurance for my recent backpacking trip to Australia and New Zealand. They offer travel insurance for independent travellers and intrepid families and you can get a quote, make a claim, or buy or extend your policy while on the road
As an affiliate, I receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. I do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
Hostel Essentials for your Packing List
When it comes to what things are definitely needed in a hostel, the list is surprisingly short but important. These hostel essentials will make the difference between you having a great night’s sleep and lying in your bed wide awake all night. They will help you to make friends, charge up your electronics and keep your valuables as safe as possible.
Padlock
Locks with a number code mean you won’t lose the keys for the locks – as long as you remember the code! Make sure it is something you won’t forget, I once had to ask a hostel to break my lock when I forgot the code which wasn’t ideal!
I also like the locks with an extra-long loop as you’re never quite sure how big the lock mechanism will be.
I usually take two padlocks with me, which can be helpful if you leave your luggage somewhere overnight and take a smaller pack with you on a day or overnight trip somewhere else.
These padlocks are TSA approved so you can lock your luggage when you’re travelling and can then use the padlocks for your hostel locker.
Earplugs
Having a little case to put them in is also really useful to keep them clean and dry while you’re on the move. I like to use simple foam earplugs like these, which I trim down to size (they’re often too long and make sleeping on my side uncomfortable, but snipping a bit off the end solves that!), although there are lots of different designs and materials to choose from.
Eye Mask / Sleep Mask
If you are a light sleeper like me, then anything you can do to help block out noise and light will help – that’s where an eye mask can make a huge difference – especially when roommates turn the light on during the night!
I love this eye mask which is soft and comfortable, and you can adjust it around the nose so it fits closer to your face and blocks out more light. It also has a handy little carry bag too.
Travel Plug Adapter (with USB Sockets)
Something like this universal charger socket is bulkier than individual adapters, but the USB ports are very useful for hostels where plug sockets can be hard to come by – you can charge up everything all at once, and even make friends by offering out spare sockets!
Portable Power Bank
They are also essential for multi-day treks, camping or wilderness stays without electricity. They even come in handy on day trips where you plan to take a lot of photos and need an extra boost of juice!
Anker is one of the best brands for portable chargers and after testing out several brands I always choose Anker. I have a small version which is great for overnight or weekend trips and a larger one which can charge a phone several times for long periods without electricity.
If you can’t find the one you want on Amazon, try eBay – there is a shortage of new electronics at the moment so you might get lucky with a second-hand one.
Microfibre Towel
Microfibre travel towels are quick-drying, easy to wash and come in a variety of colours and sizes. I actually travel with two – one for the beach and one for the hostel.
If you’re travelling somewhere hot and want to pack ultra-light you might get away with a sarong instead of a quick-dry travel towel, but personally, I can’t do without a microfibre towel! They also double up as blankets on cold nights or air-conditioned bus journeys so are worth the space.
Travel Toiletries
Unlike hotels, hostels don’t usually offer any toiletries. Occasionally there will be soap or show gel dispensers in the bathroom but you will need your own soap, shampoo, conditioner and any other lotions and potions you usually use.
Having travel-sized containers to decant your own toiletries into is a fabulous space-saving trick, as well as reducing pointless plastic use when buying mini-sized toiletries at the airport.
I also like to take solid shampoo and conditioner bars which don’t contribute to your liquid allocation for hand luggage. Lush does the best ones I’ve found, although I’ve yet to find a solid conditioner that really works for long thick hair. You can also save a bit of space with a folding toothbrush and by using toothpaste tabs instead of paste.
I always take the following essential toiletries, plus a bit of make-up and nail varnish (and remover pads) if I’m feeling fancy.
- Bar of soap in a container
- Solid shampoo and conditioner bars from Lush (in tins)
- Folding toothbrush
- Toothpaste tabs
- Deodorant
- Perfume in a refillable mini bottle or free samples
- Moisturizer & lip balm (both with SPF)
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Travel hairbrush with mirror
- Mini Razor
Flip Flops
I got some Havainas in Brazil and wore them till they fell apart, but any rubber or plastic flip flops will do for the shower room. If you also wear them out of the hostel, make sure they’re clean before you go tramping your dirty feet through the bathroom, it’s just nice hostel etiquette!
Water Bottle with a Filter
Water-to-Go is the bottle I use everywhere which filters 99.9999% of illness-causing contaminants, including those as small as a virus. You can drink water from taps, rivers, streams and any freshwater source wherever you are, without fear of a dodgy stomach or waterborne disease.
All Tales of a Backpacker readers can get 15% discount on a Water-to-Go filter bottle with the code BYORB
Nightwear
If you’re used to sleeping with no clothes on in the comfort of your own home, remember to bring something to wear at night – for the benefit of everyone! In hot weather, a pair of boxer shorts will do for guys and a strappy top and shorts/underwear for the girls will be just fine.
In colder weather, if you don’t want to pack extra pyjamas I often just wear the t-shirt I’ve had on during the day and a pair of leggings on my bottom half. Whatever covers the essentials and you feel comfortable in if you need to get up and go to the loo in the night works!
Even if you’re going to be sleeping in a private room instead of a shared dorm room, I usually still prefer to have something on in case of a fire alarm or something – you never know!
Travel Insurance
Boring I know, but travel insurance really is essential for any trip – especially if you’re going to be sharing a room with other people. I am very glad I had insurance when my laptop and passport got stolen from a hostel locker, and I never leave home without it!
These days as well as coverage for your health and personal belongings you also want to look for travel insurance which covers COVID disruption such as World Nomads or Safety Wing for long term travel and digital nomad living.
Extra Items for your Hostel Packing List
I wouldn’t say that these are hostel essentials, as you don’t NEED them but they certainly can be useful! Some of these I do carry with me and others I’ve left behind over the years but everyone is different so see what you think you might like to pack for your hostel stay!
Worldpackers Membership
If you are planning to travel for a long time, then membership to a work exchange website like Worldpackers or Workaway can save you A TON of money. These websites offer a platform for hosts who are looking for volunteers to help them with their business, family life or eco-project, and members offer their skills and time in exchange for free accommodation.
Working in a hostel as a volunteer is great fun, and as well as free accommodation you often get other benefits such as free meals or tours as well as the opportunity to learn a new language, have a unique and immersive experience and spend more time in a different culture.
All Tales of a Backpacker readers can get a $10 discount code for Worldpackers (that’s a saving of 20%) right here, or if you’re not sure if work exchanges are for you, check out my more in-depth articles on work exchanges.
A Dry Bag
Any kind of additional bag from a linen tote bag to a light laundry bag can serve a multitude of purposes, but for me, a waterproof dry bag ticks the most boxes. Choose the size that is right for you and the size of your backpack.
While you’re travelling it will keep your electronics and a clean set of clothes clean and dry. It can be used as a laundry bag to keep your dirty stuff away from everything else, and at night if you’re sleeping somewhere without a locker you can put your valuables in it and clip it to your bed or cuddle it like a teddy bear!
Sleeping Bag Liner
Some people swear by these sleeping bag liners – not to use in a sleeping bag, but to sleep in if you’re not sure how clean the hostel bedding is! I took one with me on my backpacking trip and never used it once – and never had a run-in with bed-bugs either!
However, if you do end up in a grotty bed, I must admit having a barrier between you and the dirty or bug-ridden sheets could be life-saver! Just make sure you clean it and get rid of any potential infestations before you go to the next hostel.
Packing Cubes
Head Torch
Playing Cards
I carried a pack of cards all around South America with me, and do you know how often I used them? Twice. While it can be fun to set up a card game, I prefer to start up a conversation or a drinking game – something that people can join in easily without the need to explain any rules!
Often you’ll find that hostels have games that you can borrow to play anyway, so personally, I would skip the cards but you will find them on most other hostel packing lists.
Foldable Tupperware
If you’re going to be cooking in hostel kitchens, it’s great to be able to pack up leftovers in your own Tupperware for lunch or dinner the next day – as long as you label them clearly! Foldable silicon pots like this take up less space while you’re travelling, or you can fill them up with electronics or other bits and bobs when there is no food in them!
The downside is they aren’t always watertight, so they aren’t great if you want to pack leftovers to take with you in your backpack as they might leak.
Bamboo Cutlery
Inflatable Neck Pillow
Notepad & Pen
Often overlooked, I actually can’t do without a good old fashioned pen and paper. Make a note of hostel addresses, recommendations from other travellers, shopping lists, or start a travel journal.
For me, no amount of iPhones, tablets or laptops can make up for doing it old school! Hardcover journals are more sturdy, so if you plan to keep it as a souvenir then go for a hardback or leatherbound journal although it will add more weight and bulk to your backpack. If it is just for jotting down useful information then any old notepad will do.
Memory Sticks
Memory sticks or smaller memory cards are vital for backing up all of your photos when poor internet at the hostels makes cloud upload a mind-numbingly impossible task. If possible take at least two and keep them separate and backed up as often as you can.
I can’t emphasize enough how gutted I was to lose all my photos when my laptop got stolen! These Sandisk Ultra Fit memory sticks are small enough to leave in your laptop all the time if you have one with you or to hide in secret places to keep safe.
What NOT to Pack for a Hostel
Of course, there are lots more things that you could pack, but there are some things that you definitely don’t need for a hostel stay, so don’t waste your time or valuable backpack space packing these!
Bedding or Sleeping Bag
I have never used a sleeping bag in a hostel, in fact, most hostels don’t allow you to use your own bedding in case you bring bed bugs with you! Some people do like to bring a sleeping bag liner, but you usually won’t need one.
Expensive Jewelry & Valuables
Although hostels are safe in general, unfortunately, thefts in hostels do happen (I had my laptop and passport stolen from a hostel in Ecuador) so leave your valuables safe at home if you really don’t need them. Jewelry and watches, as well as phones, cameras and laptops can all be worth a lot of money – and thieves can take advantage of a relaxed hostel atmosphere.
If you are working on the road then you might need expensive equipment like laptops and photography gear, but if you don’t need them for work then consider if you really do need to bring them – or make sure your travel insurance covers the value of anything you do pack.
A Guitar
Please please don’t be “THAT GUY” who brings a guitar to a hostel and forces everyone into a sing-song. Or makes us listen to Wanderwall performed badly for the millionth time. If there is a guitar already in the hostel then fine, but bringing one with you is just. not. necessary.
I hope you’ve found this list of what to pack for a hostel useful – and that you won’t forget any of your hostel essentials on your next trip! If you have any suggestions for anything else you need for a hostel or if you think I should take something off then let me know in the comments below!
