What we’d pack, and what we’d leave running at home

How to Retire Overseas — Kathleen Peddicord

The founder of International Living’s practical primer. The classic place to start.

Worth knowing: Published 2018, so treat the numbers as history and the thinking as current.

Die With Zero — Bill Perkins

Permission to spend your best years on experiences, not just savings.

From Strength to Strength — Arthur C. Brooks

Why the second half can be the better half.

Learning to Love Midlife — Chip Conley

Midlife as a beginning, not a countdown.

Life Is in the Transitions — Bruce Feiler

For couples in the middle of a big change.

On Mexican Time — Tony Cohan

A couple remakes their life in San Miguel de Allende.

A Year in Provence — Peter Mayle

The book that made a generation want to move.

Under the Tuscan Sun — Frances Mayes

Same spell, Italian edition.

Driving Over Lemons — Chris Stewart

Funny, honest settling-in in rural Spain.

Rick Steves guidebooks (current editions)

The test-drive bible: walks, neighbourhoods, what to skip.

Worth knowing: Buy the newest edition; check the year on the cover.

Landmass Scratch-Off World Map

A kitchen-wall keepsake for the Wonder stage.

Worth knowing: Gift-y. Lovely, not essential.

Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 dot-grid notebook

Your ‘Should We?’ notebook, with numbered pages.

Traveler’s Company Traveler’s Notebook, brown leather

Refillable leather that ages with the trip.

Worth knowing: Buy from the official listing; resellers abound.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Compression Cube Set

Squeezes a season of clothes into a carry-on mindset.

Worth knowing: Two cubes; best for soft clothes.

Peak Design Packing Cube (Medium)

Compression plus a clean/dirty divider and a lifetime guarantee.

Worth knowing: Pricey per cube.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21” Carry-On Spinner

A frequent top pick among luggage testers; built to last years.

Worth knowing: Heavy, and slightly large for some small European airlines.

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22” Carry-On

Compression system and a fold-out garment carrier; lifetime warranty.

Worth knowing: Over 10 lb empty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite Large Check-In

Built for 90 days, not a long weekend.

Worth knowing: Easy to fill past the weight limit.

Samsonite Freeform 28” Spinner

Light, big and expandable.

Worth knowing: Over the common 62-inch size limit; check your airline.

Dr.meter Digital Luggage Scale

Ends the repack at the check-in desk.

RFID family travel wallet (holds up to 6 passports)

Both passports, cards, boarding passes and a phone in one place.

Travelon Anti-Theft Classic Messenger

Slash-resistant strap and locking zips; works for either of you.

Worth knowing: The strap is a little scratchy.

Sukuos AM/PM Weekly Pill Organizer

Each day’s row pops out; easy buttons for stiff hands.

Worth knowing: No travel case.

Addalock Portable Door Lock

Peace of mind in a rental, for four ounces.

Worth knowing: Inward-opening doors only.

SABRE Door Stop Alarm

A wedge with a 120 dB alarm.

Worth knowing: Needs a battery.

EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter TA-105 Pro

One block for Europe, the UK and Mexico that charges a laptop too.

Worth knowing: Bulky in the wall.

Anker Nano Travel Adapter 5-in-1

The tiny one for a weekend bag.

Worth knowing: Won’t charge a laptop.

Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim charger

Pencil-thin, with swappable US, UK and EU plugs.

Worth knowing: Runs warm.

Anker Nano Power Bank 10K with built-in cable

Light, carry-on legal, cable built in.

Worth knowing: Slows down when charging two things.

GL.iNet Slate 7 travel router

A touchscreen switch for your home VPN: banking and streaming as if you never left.

Worth knowing: Half the VPN speed of its sibling, the Beryl 7.

GL.iNet Beryl 7 travel router

The fastest VPN for the money.

Worth knowing: No screen; better for the techier half.

Apple AirTag (2nd gen) 4-pack

One in every bag, and you can share a lost bag’s location with the airline.

Worth knowing: iPhone only.

Chipolo POP

Works with Apple or Google, so it suits a mixed-phone couple.

Worth knowing: Shorter range.

Kobo Libra Colour

Borrow library books from anywhere, with page-turn buttons.

Worth knowing: Stylus sold separately.

Kindle Paperwhite

The familiar choice.

Worth knowing: Wait for a sale.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd gen)

Some of the best noise cancelling you can buy, for the overnight flight.

Worth knowing: Fussy touch controls.

Sony WH-1000XM6

Superb sound, and they fold flat again.

Worth knowing: Same splurge territory.

T3 Afar dual-voltage travel hair dryer

Works on European power without a converter.

Worth knowing: Slower on thick hair.

Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25, 4-pack

Lamps on a schedule so the house looks lived-in.

Worth knowing: Needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

YoLink Water Leak Sensor 4-pack with hub

Long-range sensors that text you before a drip becomes a flood.

Worth knowing: Uses the included hub.

GoveeLife Water Leak Detector 5-pack

The cheapest way to cover every sink, heater and washer.

Worth knowing: Lighter-weight brand.

TP-Link Tapo C425 battery camera

Records to a memory card, no subscription.

Worth knowing: Buy the microSD card separately.

Master Lock 5401D wall-mount lock box

Set your own code; change it between sitters.

Master Lock 5400D portable lock box

Hangs on a doorknob, no drilling.

Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt

Send the sitter a code from Lisbon. No hub needed.

Worth knowing: Keep an eye on the batteries.

Schlage Encode Plus

Adds tap-to-unlock with iPhone and Apple Watch.

Worth knowing: No backup power if the batteries die.

HOKA Clifton 10

Cushioned for 15-mile days on cobbles.

Worth knowing: Runs narrow for some.

Brooks Ghost 17

Durable and sizes consistently; there’s a waterproof GTX version for rainy cities.

Worth knowing: Firmer ride.

Vionic Walker Classic

Built-in arch support that still works at dinner.

Patagonia Torrentshell 3L

A top-rated rain shell that stows in its own pocket.

Worth knowing: Crinkly fabric.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

Auto open and close; packs small.

BAGGU Standard Reusable Bag

The ‘out for tomatoes, back an hour later’ bag.

Worth knowing: Pricey for a tote.

Sockwell compression socks

Merino compression for the long-haul flight.

Worth knowing: Can run long.

Trtl Pillow Plus

Adjustable, washable neck support.

Worth knowing: Supportive, not plush.

Scrubba Wash Bag

A pocket washing machine for week one.

Worth knowing: Small loads only.

AeroPress Go

Good coffee in any rental kitchen.

Brentwood KT-1508 dual-voltage travel kettle

Works on European power with just a plug adapter.

Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .3

A two-ounce first-aid kit for the day bag.

Voluspa Mini Tin Candle

A small ritual that makes a rental feel like yours.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12

Instant prints for the arrival journal; no app required.

Worth knowing: Film adds up.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo

Choose which shots to print.

Worth knowing: Stores about 45 images.

Canon Ivy 2 mini photo printer

Prints from your phone straight into a notebook.

Worth knowing: Small 2x3 prints.

Fluent Forever (revised edition) — Gabriel Wyner

The thinking adult’s method: pronunciation first.

Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish

A cult classic built on words you already know.

Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners — Olly Richards

Graded reading that’s actually pleasant. Italian and Portuguese editions too.

Lonely Planet Latin American Spanish Phrasebook

Right for Mexico.

QuickStudy Spanish Vocabulary Flash Cards

Five minutes over morning coffee.