I thought of a new method on how to become a minimalist… Act as though you need to move across the ocean and fit all of your belongings in a carry-on suitcase, back pack, and large checked bag. Obviously people have done this before, but my idea is to pretend like that’s what you have to do, even if you’re not really moving across the world!
Someone has probably thought of this before me, but looking at my stuff through this new lens has been immensely helpful! I now realize how much I can really live without by asking myself the simple question: What needs to come with me in those three bags? Then ditching the rest. Obviously, you’ll need to keep the essentials like pots & pans, plates, towels, your couch, your bed, etc. if you’re not moving to another country, but other than things like that, only keep enough clothes, toiletries, books, décor, sentimental items, etc. that can fit in those bags.
This is just an idea for those who want to try to become extreme minimalists!
If you want to hear some insane facts about how much stuff people in the Western world have and how much we spend on non-necessities, check out this amazing, quick post by Joshua Becker: 21 Surprising Statistics That Reveal How Much Stuff We Actually Own. I highly recommend you read this post!
It’s really sad in the US, that we have little culture. Our culture is hyper-consumerism. So, I wanted to share this idea on how to help people become minimalists! I know this new way of looking at my things definitely has helped me, so I hope it helps you too!
Here is what I realized I would want to take in my 3 bags:
- Family photo album
- My clothes & shoes:
- 12 tops -gray sweatshirt, black sweatshirt, black long-sleeve, gray cardigan, black tank top, yellow & black flannel, green & black flannel, 3 black tee-shirts, a Christmas sweater, and my black & gray sweater.
- 3-4 pants -black jeans, light wash jeans, black leather leggings, & black ripped jeans.
- 1-2 pairs of shorts
- 1 black suit
- black winter jacket
- tan trench coat
- 6 shoes -2 black boots, sneakers, flipflops, black flats, & black casual slip-ons.
- Patagonia vest
- 1 LBD
- 2 Summer PJs, 2 Winter PJs, 2 comfy/at home pants, & black leggings.
- My wedding rings, 1 belt, 1 sunglasses, 2-4 necklaces, & my sunhat.
- 14 pairs of underwear (6 period), 2 bras, 7 winter socks, 7 summer socks
- 1 romper, 1 swimsuit, & 1 coverup
- A couple of Leo’s toys & a bit of food. A portable litterbox & water bowl for him.
- My toiletries, grooming stuff, & a bit of makeup.
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Laptop, charger, mouse, & headphones. Phone & charger.
- Vitamins & masks.
- Wallet, passport, & papers.
- My planner
- My glasses, glasses cleaner, case, & rag.
- Notebook & 2 pens
Then if I still had some room, here are other things I would want to bring: -These are wants though, and I can go without them.
- Harry Potter & Lord of The Rings Movies
- Highlighters & post-its
- Lint roller
- The Office DVDs
- A few books
- My fav pillow cases & duvet cover
- Our reusable bags
- A few décor/sentimental items
My husband can already fit all of his belongings, other than his tools in 2-3 suitcases, easily! I’m jealous lol. Here is what his 3 “bags” would look like:
- Our Cat Leo in a carrier as his carry-on. Then a backpack and large suitcase full of the following:
- His clothes and shoes -Less than what I would bring.
- Toiletries/Grooming -shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, trimmer, etc.
- His phone, watch, chargers, & headphones.
- Wallet, passport, & important papers.
- Vitamins, masks, & creams.
- A reusable water bottle
- Family Photo Album
- Utility Knife
- And if we moved, would need a fan for white noise at the new place.
I think that is everything we would take with us if we moved across the ocean! The rest we can live without or would be at our Airbnb/apartment, like towels and pots & pans. By the looks of it, I think Brandon will have extra space too, so I could always put more of my stuff in one of his bags.
Hopefully this post is helpful for anyone who wants to live a minimalist lifestyle!
Thanks for reading! New blog post every week, follow for more!
-Meghan
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