New Zealand Packing List: What I Brought for a One Year Working Holiday

When I started thinking about my New Zealand packing list I had certain expectations that turned out to be remarkably wrong. Plus, my plans changed drastically (and quickly) once I got there, which in turn changed what I needed.

I thought it would be helpful to provide a detailed list of items I brought with me, highlighting the stuff I used every day, what I put away in storage, and what I ended up not needing at all.

If you’re curious about what to bring with you for a working holiday in New Zealand (or what not to bring) this post is for you.

My expectations of working in New Zealand

I traveled to New Zealand with plans to implant myself in some small town on the South Island and easily fall right into a great job within weeks, if not days of arriving.

With years of experience working in restaurants and vacation accommodations, this was my initial go-to. I can always rely on this experience to fall back on at home, so why not just go for it in New Zealand? My Plan B was to work in retail or in an office setting.

I also wanted to experience the New Zealand WWOOFing scene, hopefully working with sheep or other animals. Lastly, as a sort of last resort, I was open to working on produce farms or a vineyard.

>> This last one was actually a bad idea because I am allergic to bee stings! <<<

I thought it would be easy enough to move around as the seasons changed but definitely wanted to experience a New Zealand winter in the mountains.

So, I packed according to these expectations and ideas of how I thought my time in New Zealand would unfold.

Read More: New Zealand Trip Cost Breakdown From a Solo Female Traveler

What actually happened

It turned out I didn’t need most of what I brought with me.

I thought I would need at least one decent outfit for interviews or an office job, clothes that could get dirty on a farm, lots of layers to get through season changes, and basic cold-weather items. Sounds logical, right?

Well, it turns out I overplanned and overpacked.

My New Zealand packing list

So, I ended up storing half of what I brought with me almost right away – and for the entire duration of my trip. Plus, I ditched a handful of items along the way as I realized I didn’t need them at all.

I did buy a few things over the three months that I traveled around the country to supplement what I had, but not too many.

So, this packing list is broken into three sections: 1) what I carried with me, 2) what I stored/ditched, and 3) what I picked up along the way.

Three months in New Zealand

These are the items that I carried in my Farpoint 55 and Delsey Montmarte+ Personal Tote for the full three months in New Zealand.

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Items I shipped to a friend’s house before my final 2 weeks

Once I decided to go home, I planned a fast-paced tour of the South Island before heading back up to Auckland. To cut back on the weight of my backpack some more, I shipped a box of extra clothes to my friend’s house in West Harbour, where I would be staying for the final few nights in New Zealand.

These are the items I knew I could manage without for 2 weeks:

• grey jersey skirt
• Bermuda shorts
• yoga pants
• 2 pairs of cold weather socks
• bandana
• small travel towel
• 4 t-shirts
• nice tank top
• bathing suit
• linen shirt
• flannel button-down
• hiking boots

Items I put in storage or ditched along the way

These are the things I stored at the Auckland BUNAC/Work New Zealand office in January. Everything fit perfectly inside Little Red Suitcase.

Some of the items were helpful while traveling in the US but not so helpful in New Zealand. Most of the clothes were meant for winter weather (mostly worn in Massachusetts and California before setting off for NZ) and not necessary to lug around during the summer.

My plan was to secure a job on the South Island then fly up to Auckland for a couple of days to retrieve the luggage. As it turns out, though, I just picked it up a few days before I flew back to the United States in April.

Work New Zealand only charged me $20-$30 NZD to store my stuff in a securely locked room in their office.

Things I did not anticipate

AKA: Reasons why this stuff went into storage or got ditched.

Firstly, I horribly underestimated the summer weather in New Zealand. It is HOT in February! Plus, the sun is just stronger down there.

I didn’t expect to be traveling at light speed. Aside from the 6 weeks spent in Christchurch, I moved from one place to the next every week or so.

I ended up not being hired for a single job I applied for (which was a super blow to confidence levels, btw), so did not need some of the office/farm clothes I brought.

Lastly, I didn’t expect to leave New Zealand before winter, so I didn’t need any of the cold weather clothes I packed.

Read More: Ultimate Healthy Travel Kit

Things I picked up along the way

Over the course of three months, I bought a few things to make backpacking New Zealand easy to do.

I took the adapter/converter and the clothes back to the US with me (plus souvenirs and gifts) and left the rest of the stuff on this list at the last hostel I stayed at for other travelers to use if they needed it.

• 2nd reusable grocery bag (to help carry food and stuff)
• lightweight casual pants
• lightweight t-shirt
• individual New Zealand plug converter
• New Zealand USB power adapter
• Ziploc bags
• 2 plastic containers for food
• 1 plastic container for laundry detergent

Luggage for New Zealand (packing for 1 year)

So, how did I pack all that up? Here is the luggage I used to pack for New Zealand.

Medium Suitcase

This suitcase (dubbed the Little Red Suitcase by an old friend) has been my staple piece of luggage for years. I’ve used it for at least 15 years, I’d say.

I’ve checked it in for many flights in the past but it will also fit in an overhead bin.

The retractable handle gets stuck, which seems to frustrate bus drivers at times, and it tips over if not properly leaned against something. I’m not even sure what brand it is because the metal label on the front pocket was ripped off in transit several years ago.

I am ok with these “flaws” as long as the zippers and wheels still work!

Backpack

The Osprey Farpoint 55 was a new purchase for this trip but I’m sure I’ll use it for years to come.

It’s a 40-liter backpack with a 15-liter detachable daypack, so it’s a 2-for-1. It opens more like a suitcase than a backpack. So, you can see all the contents of the pack while it’s lying flat.

Another great feature is the secret compartment in the back to completely tuck the straps away when you check the pack or put it up in overhead storage. It also has a handle on the long side of the pack, which makes it easy to carry horizontally once the straps are hidden.

Tote Bag

I received the Delsey Montmarte+ Personal Tote as a gift when I attended the Women In Travel Summit in Irvine, California. I looked it up on the Delsey website to link to it, but it’s no longer available. Sorry!

It is the perfect personal item to bring on flights. It’s large enough for a laptop and accessories, plus toiletries, a change of clothes, other electronics – whatever you need while in flight – with room to spare. It fits perfectly beneath the seat in front of you.

Luggage Locks

These luggage locks are perfect for travelers. They are small, light, and easy to use.

Secure your belongings in the lockers provided to you at hostels (instead of buying their overpriced locks if they offer them). Or to secure your belongings inside your luggage while staying at hostels without personal lockers or in hotel rooms.

TIP: Bring one for each piece of luggage you carry.

Packing Cubes

I kept everything organized with two sets of packing cubes that I purchased at Marshall’s. This set by TravelWise is very close to what I used.

I also had several smaller bags that I used to wrangle toiletries, cables/chargers, and other small items.

The two sets of packing cubes I used each had three different sizes. I used the two small and two medium cubes for the contents of my backpack, while the large ones stayed with my suitcase in storage. I found that the large ones could hold too much stuff for the size and shape of the backpack, which made evenly packing it difficult.

Read More: Must-Have Travel Items

Some closing packing advice

So, for the circumstances I ended up in once I arrived in New Zealand, I over-packed. Had things worked out the way I envisioned, I think it would have been just fine.

Even though I packed for different types of jobs and seasons, it wasn’t TOO much stuff. I didn’t pack too many of one thing, for instance.

This was my first time packing for long-term travel. In the future, I might reconsider a few things when I do it again, but overall I call it a success.

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