Essential Things To Take To A Hostel

So it’s your first time staying in a hostel, and you don’t know what hostel items to pack? Don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! Even if you’ve stayed in a hostel before, you might not have thought of some of these things, so keep on reading!

Essential Hostel Items:

• A padlock! Okay, this is such an easy one, but it’s worth noting every time because you don’t want to forget it – you never know who you could be sharing with. I’d recommend taking one with a key, as often combination locks are easy to get into.

• A lanyard! One thing that always confused me was, “Where do I put the key to my lock?”. I saw a lot of people say that they put it in their pocket or on the bedside table, but usually, what I sleep in doesn’t have pockets, and I always feel like someone would be able to easily steal it from the bedside table if they wanted too. That’s when I remembered about those handy things called lanyards! I always *stupidly* thought that they were just for ID card purposes – but then I realised they’re good for keys too, so it would be perfect for a hostel!

• Breath Spray! I don’t know about you, but I am paranoid about having bad breath, and sometimes in hostels, the bathrooms are a bit dirty, the water tastes a bit funny, or you’ve been travelling for a long time without being able to freshen up. That’s where breath spray comes in handy! It’s by no means an alternative to brushing your teeth, but it helps put your mind at ease for a few hours if you’re unable to do so.

• Chewing gum! For reasons similar to the ones listed above – chewing gum is a lifesaver when it comes to keeping feeling fresh when it’s a little bit tricky! It’s also small and cheap to buy so you can take it with you anywhere! Chewing gum is an essential hostel item.

• Tissues. If you’re staying in a hostel, chances are you have a shared bathroom also. Unfortunately, there might also be a time when there’s no toilet paper, and you’re a bit f*cked. So just always try and bring a packet of tissues with you!

• Portable charger. You might have a problem where there isn’t a plug socket near your bed, or the voltage isn’t very strong – whatever it may be, having a portable charger will help you out so much. Not only is it good for convenience, but it’s also great for safety!

• Wet wipes. There may be a time when the hostel you’re staying at isn’t particularly clean, or you might not be able to clean yourself well whilst travelling but don’t want to smell. Luckily wet wipes are cheap, easy, and it doesn’t count as a liquid when you travel through the airport!

• Body spray! Sometimes hostels smell really bad – which is unpleasant for everyone! Therefore, I really suggest bringing some body spray that you can spray to make the room and your clothes smell nicer.

• A Shower cap. Personally, I have really curly hair that’s hard to tame, so I straighten it. This means if I’m away somewhere for a few days, I’ll go without washing it because it’s too much effort to take my straighteners – however, sometimes there’s an issue with the shower where I’m staying. There can sometimes be only a simple shower and no shower hose (is that what you call them?). Luckily, if you remember to take a shower cap with you, this will solve your issue of wanting to stay clean and your hair not getting wet!

• Flip flops. I can not stress enough how important it is to take flip-flops with you. It will make showering and walking around so much easier, especially since not all hostels get thorough daily cleans.

What items do you recommend to bring to a hostel? Any stories of regretting not bringing a certain item?

If you liked this post, you might also like ‘How To Spend a Week in Malaga, Spain‘ or ‘The Best Tips For Solo Travellers‘.