Pack Lightly. Travel Lightly

I love traveling with only a hand luggage. That teaches me to practice the art of minimalism.

When I can take a big suitcase, I usually throw in lots of things, hoping that they will work. Often I would end up with some pieces that I would never use on a trip. With the hand luggage and a week-long trip, I cannot thoughtlessly stuff in clothes. I need to choose, make combos and use my brain. When I pack then my carry-on, I end up with things I ultimately love. Just the best clothes, my favorite jewelry and simple solutions. I love simple solutions! And such packing makes me think about how I want to live my life.

When I go out of my home, with my carry-on, I feel light and free. And in these moments I realize: this is how I want to live my life. Light and free.

I could never call myself a minimalist. I jokingly admitted that I was a maximalist. And a Soviet child in me abhorred the idea of living with less things. I grew up with very few things! I wanted more – not less. More is more.

Well then, “more is more” it will be. I had to go through that experience too. I did my share of buying stuff, of getting a wardrobe overflow and mess (while at the same time, sighing that I have nothing to wear 😆). Now I want to change my course.

I want my life to be like my carry-on luggage. Only best things, only the most favorite ones. Real love – instead of just real stuff. I want few but quality products, quality experiences, my favorite people. To do the things I love, to meet people I love, to own clothes and jewelry I love.

Maybe, this is a sign of getting older – and I am ok with it. There was this idea on my favorite podcast “The good life project”: “When people are young, they do a lot of things and go to a lot of parties. But it often happens that you go to a party, meet 20 new people. 10 are boring, 5 are weird, 2 are freaks, and only 3 are worth a second chance. The youth have to search, sift through and find what works for them. The older people don’t do it – because they have found what works for them. They have three people in their life – but they are the best ones. The older people do the things they love, meet the people they love and don’t need going to hundred of parties”.

Maybe, it’s not true for everyone. Maybe, you are that kind of older person who loves partying and meeting new people 😉. But I love this ability of getting more quality-conscious with age. Getting older is not bad, really! If it lets you create the life with better quality and the things you love, leaving the rest behind.

This point sheds a new light on the idea of minimalism. It is not about restricting myself. It is about creating better quality. In all I have and do. In clothes, at home, at how I spend my time. In my relationships, hobbies, vacations.

I am ready to explore this side of minimalism. Not the ascetic one, but the one that lets me sift out the real luxury.

Because I don’t want much. I just want the best 😆 I want to pack lightly and travel lightly. In all kind of senses.

What kind of luggage packer are you? How do you like to travel? And how has your attitude changed through years?