When was the last time you considering the things you carried.
I’m not talking about emotions and the past, I’m talking about the objects in your life.
Even if you don’t carry them around with you everywhere you go (as I do) – you carry them with you in life.
Possessions weigh on you by attaching you to the world, to a place, to things. The modern brand of Western consumerism driven by the cradle-to-grave philosophy encourages status by possession and not status by merit. And when those possessions are no longer interesting it’s time to stuff them into corners and leave them forgotten.
Yet they are still there. They weigh upon your freedom.
Examine the things you carry with you in life.
Are they necessary? Do they contribute to your life in a meaningful way? Are they just a way of showing status to others?
Cut the cords of attachment to possessions, reduce the clutter, and go on with a minimalist living.
My Minimalist Living Story:
Recently I re-considered the things I carry when my suitcase died. I sought out a replacement and settled on the 22″ E-Motion 4.0 Trek Pack Plus. It is quite a bit smaller than my old suitcase which forced me to minimize.
And so my 100 Item Challenge is underway.
My initial list was around 90 items. I was already under 100 items – a surprising fact.
So, when I ended up in Maine for a week long respite from the world, I thinned down my travel gear once more and below is the final list. Some of the items are listed as collections which made the challenge a little easier.
My final total: 77 items.
- 4 Ties
- 3 Scarves
- 1 Belt
- 1 Set of Suspenders
- 1 Pair of Florsheim Dress Shoes
- 1 Pair of White Leather Keds
- 1 Hat
- 1 White Linen Jacket
- 2 Pairs of Dress Pants
- 1 Pair of Jeans
- 1 Pair of Shorts
- 10 T-Shirts / Short Sleeve Shirts
- 5 Dress Shirts / Long Sleeve Shirts
- 2 Sweaters
- 1 Black Pin-Stripe Vest
- 1 Sweater Vest
- 7 Pairs of Boxer Briefs
- 7 Pairs of Socks
- 1 Travel Towel
- 1 External Hard Drive with Cable
- 1 MacBook Pro with Cables, Extra Battery and Bluetooth Mouse
- 1 iPhone 3G with Cable and vModo Duo Headphones
- 1 Extra Internal Hard Drive
- 1 LED Flashlight
- 1 Wallet
- 1 Washboard with Thimbles and Brushes
- 1 Book Collection
- 1 Pen Collection
- 1 Journal
- 1 Moleskin Pocket Reporters Notebook
- 1 Pad of Graph Paper
- 1 Pad of Yellow Notepaper
- 2 Small Pilates Balls
- 1 Set of Exercise Bands
- 1 Bar Soap
- 1 Shaving Kit (Merkur Safety Razor, Brush and Shave Soap)
- 1 Stick Deodorant
- 1 Bottle of Pain Relievers
- 1 Toothbrush
- 1 Container of Hel Gel
- 1 Passport
- 1 Thermos
- 1 Victorinox 22″ E-Motion 4.0 Trek Pack Plus
- 1 Chrome Metropolis Messenger Bag
