Have you ever asked yourself why in the middle of an infinite quantity of objects, tasks and distractions, we feel like it's so hard to find peace and ease. Why is everything so hard to do? It's not about complexity but ambiguity, yet the amount of things we own and are, makes life complex beyond something we have the energy to take care of. Then is where the philosophy of Minimalism comes in. It's based on the idea of valuing simplicity and eliminating superficiality.
Coming from an art movement from the 1950s, minimalism has spread it's wings over many fields such as music, arts, architecture, fashion and it's prevalence has made it in our minds as well. But how can this apply to traveling and why should you travel in a minimalistic way?
Essentially for ease of mind, with less items you have less to worry about, carefully thought over to contain everything you need in one bag. It allows freedom of movement and the security of caring everything you need with you all the time.
Although there are some practices within your journey that enable this lifestyle, it's as simple as washing panties in the sink at night or choosing functional clothing for the weather of the place you're going, having the necessary documents, small amount of clothes and some trickery of multi-use like a Swiss army knife which can serve purposes like cutlery, box opener, wine opener, vegetable cutter, keys and so on. For example purposes i will be linking this people's video how they do the one bag traveling but there are many resources on the internet such as the r/onebag subreddit or popular website's ideas.
a guide to Luggage Free Travel
Ultralight Packing for Morocco | Extreme Minimalist Travel
Minimalist Packing for 5 YEARS OF TRAVELING | Golden Packing Rule
This idea is not exclusive to travel though, being minimalistic can help you if you need to move a lot due to job openings or work relocations, but also for the adventurous it can be a nice skill to learn for hiking, bike-packing and backpacking. And sadly, since right now there is a rise in climate disasters and war climate, it can be a great way to be prepared with a one bag to get out with everything needed inside if you ever need, and i sincerely hope you don't.
So i guess you're excited to know traveling item's ideas right?
- Clothing, i recommend black and white or gray: dressy jacket, 2-4 shirts, 2 pairs trousers, 3+ pairs socks, 3+ pairs underwear, swimsuit, a sweater, rain-wear or umbrella, coat, hairband, bandana or sun hat, gloves and mask, 1 or 2 pair of shoes, 1 pair of sandals or flip-flops, belt.
- Travel Pack : an extra purse and luggage locks, flashlight, sun charger, Swiss army knife with cutlery, screwdrivers, keys and knife built in, battery, a compass, a whistle, a door lock, cord, a small sewing kit, plastic bags, garbage bags, repair tape or glue, toothbrush, tooth cleaner, razor, soap, hairbrush or comb, shampoo, container for these, nail clippers, deodorant, an unbreakable mirror, towel, inflatable travel pillow, earplugs and maybe sleep mask, sleeping bag, blanket, tent, detergent soap, inflatable hangers, toilet paper, water bottle, antibacterial wipes, analgesic of choice, diarrhea and infection treatment of choice, malaria tablets, insect repellent, mosquito net, sun cream, lip balm, tweezers, bandages, first aid, menstrual or contraceptive supplies, vitamins, other medication, plastic bottle or cup, dark glasses, retainer, case, lens cleaning cloth, prescriptions, docs, pen, small notebook, paper clips, maps, guidebooks, business cards, phone, notebook computer, passports, visas, extra passport photos, vaccination certificates, copies of important documents, driver's license, health insurance information, travel tickets, cash, security pouch worn under clothes.
This is a small situational compilation but the importance and priority of these items is highly due to your current circumstances, they could all be functional and helpful but you will still need to research and learn what's best for you. I also do recommend getting a few emotional items with you, could be small ones like a neckless or kids drawing, you don't need to get rid of everything, as emotional beings as well, some needs are for our memory.
