What to bring with you when you move or relocate? Less but better stuff!
It was an exciting moment. I was finally moving to the other side of the world after living 23 years in Australia. London was calling out to me … but what to pack in my suitcase?
Don’t Let Things Weigh You Down
This moment represented a turning point (with many tears of frustration) in my life when I couldn’t fit all the things I ‘needed’ in a suitcase for my move. After many days of sorting, I began to feel physically sick when confronted with all the stuff I had accumulated over the years, and realized how unnecessary it was to have ceiling high wardrobes stretched from wall-to-wall crammed with clothes.
I flew to London, and then worked on an island in Greece, ate my way through Spain, and learnt Italian in Italy. Overtime, I gradually learnt what was a ‘necessary’ item to have in my suitcase and what wasn’t.
Back to Basics with Less But Better Stuff
I learnt that having less but better stuff like good quality black basics (black leggings, jeans, jackets) and layering them with colorful scarves, bold colored jackets, or uniquely shaped jewelry made the suitcase a lot lighter whilst still remaining fashionable.
Experiences, Not Things
I discovered that if you spent money on unique experiences instead of material goods, that you became a happier person – I joyfully cycled through pine forests in Tuscany, expanded by mind by learning from astronauts at NASA, and danced away at medieval festivals in the rural parts of Spain.
A Lighter Lifestyle
I began to ignore the seductive lure of advertising and looked at them with rational eyes. Does the celebrity holding the bag justify the 800% premium?
Overtime, I became a less wasteful person – having to think carefully whether every item I bought would fit in the suitcase and whether I would realistically frequently use or wear them, changed my relationship with things that I owned.
The next time you yearn to buy the trendy new dress or in-season fluro-colored leggings, it’s useful to have a ‘suitcase’ mentality and ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” and “Will I still be wearing this next year?”
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Great points, all Melissa. Makes me wonder how many clothes we might really have if our closets were only half as big!
I love to cook in my super-equipped enormous kitchen, and I spent three weeks in a tiny apartment in France with Jim this summer with 1/10 of what I have in my kitchen. I went to the markets every day (because I wanted to, I love them.) The American-sized refrigerator remained largely empty. We ate quail wrapped in bacon, Boeuf Bourginon, homemade ravioli in rouquefort sauce, marinated artichokes, squash blossoms, gorgeous salads, gariguette strawberries with merangue and creme fraiche……
Certainly made me think about what do I REALLY need in my kitchen?
Great post! I can completely relate. It’s interesting to look and see how the definition of the word “necessity” changes with time. For example, when I lived abroad for the first time, I took so many things I didn’t need: posters for my room, so many knick-knacks – all stuff I thought would make the transition easier but ended up just being clutter that I found I could easily do without. “Experiences not things” is my motto!
This post really hit home with me at the moment. As a recently college graduate I’ve been sorting through what I collected over four years of my life. Seeing it spread out around my room as I attempt to declutter the overwhelming amount of “stuff” makes me realize how little of it I actually need. Also, as a notorious over packer, I often find myself weighted down by heavy luggage only to realize how few things in my bag are really necessary. So, I’ve recently decided that I want to embrace this “experiences, not things” lifestyle. I know I would much rather spend my money visiting one of my many friends now spread out around the globe than splurge on the latest dress that I’ve been dreaming of. I think this contrast between things and experiences tells a lot about our consumerist and wasteful society today. We generally don’t know, or choose to ignore, the difference between what we want and what we need. Trends and products are changing so quickly that the things we want now will probably be obsolete and unwanted in a few years, but memories from experiences can be valued forever. If we as a culture transitioned into a paradigm where we all choose experiences over things, our world would be much more sustainable.
I wholeheartedly can relate to this! When I first left Australia for an around the world trip my suitcase was huge and heavy – lugging it about from place to place was just a drag and in all honesty I don’t think I used everything that I had packed. 42 countries later and many kg’s lighter I can honestly say that adopting the suitcase mentality is the way of the future to cut down on waste and unnecessary purchases!
After my recent move home to the U.S. after spending over four years living in Toronto, I had a rude awakening to all the things I’ve accumulated. I arrived in the country with two suitcases, but left with a full van. Just the thought of unpacking was stressful, not to mention the act itself. As I began this seeming impossible chore, I started to sort through all my possessions in such a way that would allow them to not only fit into my small room (a big change from the 3 bedroom apartment I was living in), but to weed out things I haven’t used/no longer need. This unpacking task, and subsequent downsizing was a major realization to me as to what I really needed.
Do I really need to keep the one-size-too-big dress I bought thrifting in Montreal or are the memories of the city strong enough? The memories (and pictures too) were definitely stronger than any dress I could own. Debunking sentimental value for practical value is a great skill and I’m very excited that you touch upon this.
I’m glad you also brought up the idea of purchasing experiences rather than items. I still feel the need to buy a little gift from every new place I visit, but now when I travel I buy tea and dessert from the places I visit (I’m a tea and chocolate fanatic). This allows me to still take something from my trip back home, while still reducing my accumulation of souvenirs that I’m too nostalgic to throw out. I would much rather share a nice tea party with friends than sit in a room full of old knick-knacks.