I Don’t Miss My Stuff – How To Minimize Your Possessions To Maximize Your Joy

Taking a couple of weeks to return home during our travels put into perspective a lot of details I love about the part of the world we left in April. For instance, I realize just what a beautiful place we have been inhabiting for the last several years. Also, I realize how grateful I am for the number of freedoms we have at home compared to some other countries we’ve visited.

Being back in Alexandria also brought to the forefront of my mind all the things that I’d subconsciously been pretending not to miss, such as the profound ease in being with people who share both your language and innumerable invisible facets of culture. I missed this simplicity.

Friends and family, of course, are at the top of the list of things missed, though. As much as we tried to stay in contact with everyone through the wonders of the internet, what I longed for were the subtle comforts of being together. Natural pauses in conversation, the sounds that characterize certain people, the feelings of a good hug, and a good laugh—these don’t come through a video chat.

What I Haven’t Missed

Now to the point of this post, though. What I have not missed, not even one tiny little bit, is all my stuff.

We made a conscious choice to start this journey unfettered by our house full of possessions. We could have stored our things; we could have boarded up or rented out our house. Instead, we chose to shed it all. After eight months, I can tell you with full commitment and conviction, that one lesson I’ve learned on the topic of living more thoughtfully is the importance of creating a future home that is far more simple than the one we left.

So sure am I that living with fewer things brings me greater happiness, that last month I downsized from a 70-liter backpack to a 40-liter one.

How To Simplify a Pack

How did I simplify? Here are a few choices: no more dirty laundry bag (that’s not a euphemism) or plastic clipboard (yes, I carried one all through Asia) or packing cubes (a clamshell pack nullified their purpose); a better thermal layer to replace the two bulky ones that I’ve been hefting; a lighter and more waterproof rain jacket; a half-sized and streamlined toiletries case without the makeup or hair gel; a smarter supply of medicines and first aid equipment; and fewer clothes and jewelry options (though, those of you who read my previous post on packing an identity into a bag will be happy to know that I still have all the colors of the rainbow in this new pack).

The bottom line is, if I didn’t use it, or if there was a smaller/ lighter/ more efficient option, then it didn’t make the cut.

Maybe you, too, feel burdened by having so many things that you need to care for day in and day out. Perhaps you are like me, a person who hordes items at the bottom of drawers thinking that someday those things will be useful. Maybe you are wondering what to do with the onslaught of new Christmas presents? 

Beginning years ago, when we started the process of shedding belongings in anticipation of this trip, each item shed created just a little more time and mental space in my life.

How To Simplify a Home

Living out of a backpack is perhaps an extreme situation, but all of us can find ways to minimize the things in our homes and lives—the things that distract us from living. Here are some tips that we employed over the years leading up to our trip to slowly simplify the’ stuff’ in our lives: 

• Be thoughtful about what you allow into your home. Never again go “shopping” for fun. Disable one-click-buy on your amazon account.
• Refuse to impulse purchase anything—a 24-hour rule does the trick in our family—if you didn’t decide in advance that you wanted it, you don’t need it.
• Remove things on an ongoing basis. When you buy new clothes, donate some old ones. Consider who else might make better use of things you don’t use: donate or gift. 
• When purging items, ask yourself, “If I didn’t already own this, would I buy it now?” If the answer is’ no,’ it’s probably time to let it go and let someone else enjoy it for a while. 
• Lastly, remember that joyful experiences are better than items every day of the week. Remember that as you give gifts to friends and family—and mention it to them as well. 

What would you create in your day if you spent less time managing your stuff?