Over the last 7 years, I left home and lived a Nomadic Existence. I travelled India North, South, East and West. I went to Singapore and spent a semester in Shanghai. In my travels, often I was required to leave on short notice, pack quick, and sometimes go with the bare minimum. Over the years I needed the ultimate packing list. One which would have all my essentials yet be light enough to simply pick up and go. When I couldn’t find one, I decided it was time to make one myself.
A. Prima Facie
First of all, the can’t-do-withouts. The basic essentials. Don’t leave home without them.
A1. Bag
You need a bag while leaving home. Big enough to get all your stuff in place, small enough to be stuffed into an airplane’s overhead compartment and strong enough to not break while climbing a rough hill. Personally, I prefer Wenger and American Tourister for just the purpose.
A2. Underwear
Be it asking a girl out in a bar or preparing to die in a duel (though not much difference in the two). You want to have clean underwear.
A3. Liquid Soap
You don’t know what life is going to throw at you, but once in a while, you're going to want to wash it off your hands.
A4. Water bottle
Because some day, you'll make money selling it.
A5. Plastic Packets
And to the environmentalists we say - Not Today.
A6. Towel
“A towel, [The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy] says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.”
A7. Spectacles
I prefer specs to lenses for easy removal. Also, if you're in a barbeque party, you don't have the lingering fear of plastic melting in your eyes. But be sure to keep an extra pair and an empty case with you so that you don't have to sleep with the specs on. (Though that can be an experience too, the dreams are clearer :P )
A8. Socks
If you care for other travelers, or yourself (in case you're in a sleeper train in India), always keep your socks on.
A9. Shaving Kit
This isn't just your shaving kit. It's your blades, after-shaves for before-dates, nail-clipper, dental care, band-aids, medicine, screwdriver... Anything you think you just need to have, if it fits in your shaving kit, it qualifies. Again my vote to American Tourister.
B. Pockets
You're not going to leave empty handed. There are a few essentials you need to carry close. Really close.
B1. Phone
While I'm not a fan of phones, I'm a fan of their apps. The alarm clock, language translator, clock, calendar, notes, calculator, documents, maps... A smart phone used smartly can be a life saver in many difficult positions. Plus, it reduced the weight of the traditional bag by half. I think a little weight in your pocket isn't such a bad deal.
B2. Wallet
There's a reason why a wallet is designed as it is. You keep the things most important to you in there. Your identity card, ATM cards, pictures of loved ones, death note, and ofcourse - money.
B3. Swiss Knife
This is useful is saving both money and life. Be it cutting a cake a cake at a birthday celebration or thwarting a pimp in an isolated Shanghai street. This is your friend for life. (But be sure to keep it in your bag before boarding a plane)
B4. Handkerchief
Because I don't like to be sneezed, coughed or spread marinara on.
C. Also
There're some things you can do without for a while. But they later come back to bite you. Better safe than sorry.
C1. Phone charger
Because the anticipation of your phone dying is worse than it really shutting off.
C2. Shorts
Once in a while, you're going to want something in between underwear and jeans. And that's why God created shorts.
C3. Shirts
Because even the same wife gets frustrating after a while.
C4. Trousers
Wash regular and stay clean, and you won't need more than 2 of these. Carry 3 if you're Sheldon Cooper. And while you're at it, don't forget the belt. These pants don't need it, doesn't mean none will.
C5. Bedsheet
Since the LOTR days, it's the new rope. And indeed very useful in Mordor. What about a bit of cloth? You’ll want it, if you haven’t got it. Well, you’ll want it. You can’t get it now.
C6. Universal Adapter
You might not need this if you're traveling domestic. But once out of the country, this little thing might prove to be a life saver. And after you've shopped in that country, the constant companion.
D. Expendables
And finally, the expendables. The ones which you can do without but you'll carry along anyway.
D1. Laptop
Because you've forgotten how to live without it. I do recommend a break from the technology frenzy, especially if you have a good smartphone to check your mail. But after seeing the image you're not even listening to me anymore. It's already in your bag.
D2. Laptop charger
Now that you've already packed the laptop, it'd be foolish to leave without the charger.
D3. Book
Once you have a phone/tablet/laptop, a book is just additional weight. But for bibliophiles (myself included), nothing can replace the pleasure of running your fingers through the leaves of a good book. Nice try Kindle!
D4. Footwear
Because whatever you're going to wear out is not going to be enough. But this is the last item in your packing and the most space consuming, so go for what you can manage. Don't forget to use the space inside the shoes too!