Minimalist travel – Carry less; experience more

Hello and yes, as you may have perceived this is wholeheartedly an argument for minimalist travel. Not only is it what many consider to be a very cathartic experience, but it is also one of the most uninhibited ways to absorb the world around us. On a personal level, when my husband and I started traveling long-term we undoubtedly discovered that if we carry less we’re able to experience more in our adventures.

Now, in society these days minimalism seems to be one of the hottest topics around, from living in tiny homes and budget shopping all the way to packing light for your big next trip. What may seem like a fad now, however, at its debut into the mainstream, has long been a way of life for many. And why not? It’s practical, it’s economical, and it helps to significantly reduce the stress in our lives when we purge ourselves of some truly unnecessary items. When applied to the nomadic life of travel minimalism is your best friend.

One of the most resounding beliefs echoed from travelers around the globe all seem to iterate the same sentiment – that if you travel with less you are then free to experience more. Even if you aren’t seeking a lifetime of travel, by eliminating excess clothing and other “things” from your bag even for a week-long vacation can make all the difference in your trip.

Let’s define minimalism and its relationship to travel

There are people that feel you have to put a finite number on the items you own to qualify as minimalism. Others see it as time spent purging our life of things that we don’t really need. Some believe that minimalism calls into question the value of things, posing ideas like “does this add substance to my life?” or “does it really make me happy?” A blatant dictionary definition of the word minimal states that it’s simply “very small in amount.”

All of which we’re apt to agree with, having found them to be true, and have also eagerly applied this mentality to our own lives as travelers. We along with countless others readily believe that whittling down our packing list directly equates to flexibility in travel. It’s freeing to your physical person as well as helping to clear your mind, and even in purging things out of your soul too. Just try it and you’ll see! Minimalist travel typically has positive effects on people who are open to change.

Minimalism is the gateway to traveling freely

Simply put: when you carry next to nothing you can move about more freely and have peace of mind. You aren’t lugging around bag after bag at the airport, paying extra for excess, and the fear that one of your pieces might get stolen during travel is eliminated. If you remove the excess there’s nothing to be taken from you and if there’s nothing to be taken from you then there’s nothing to worry about.

And for those budgeted travelers opting to take buses over taxis or the subway over renting a car, getting around on public transportation becomes a breeze when you have only a bag or two to worry about.

While many people tend to travel with well beyond what they need for a trip, they also take expensive items that – let’s face it – have no business going on the trip with you in the first place, especially if they’re going to be a source of anxiety.

Things like high-dollar jewelry, electronics and gaming consoles, and even clothing with a hefty price tag on them are a bit silly to carry unless the occasion sincerely demands it. There’s nothing wrong with carrying your phone or a small tablet, or taking a nice shirt or dress with you for a night out – but do you really need more than that? If not, you’re carrying expensive things with you that you’re not completely comfortable leaving unattended for long periods of time. This completely disrupts what should be a peaceful experience.

Ideals of modern society don’t support minimalist travel

Another problem is that in modern society a great emphasis is put on looking stylish, so much so that it overshadows what travel was intended to be in the first place. Experiencing new cultures and places, growing as a person, or simply seeking some rest used to be the goal for traveling. That seems to have changed for a lot of people as our modern world has evolved. So, the real questions are are you traveling to relax, see new places, and maybe even meet new people? Or, are you there to show off what you’re wearing to a set of strangers you’ll never meet again? Are you dropping money at the club or expensive restaurants and then going home? If that’s the case then minimalism really may not be for you…

No, we’re not telling you not to go out to dinner, and we’re not telling you how to spend your money when you travel. And, we’re not advocating that you go around looking like a hobo (unless you feel comfortable in doing so!), but we are suggesting that you can carry less and still look nice. And for those who may need a few extra electronics for working purposes, obviously they’ll have to incorporate those items into their packing because they have to. But, yes, as people who have put this into practice, you can travel with less, still look decent, and still get your work done as you venture away from home. Perhaps you’ll end up wearing the SAME nice shirt over and over again, but does that really matter? Does it make you a different person? Our guess is no.

But, we’ll get down to packing later in this blog post.

You’re free to explore when carrying less

What you’ve just done, my friend, is allotted yourself mobility. Flexibility. Freedom. You can easily keep your bag locked in your car or hotel room with little fear of something valuable getting pinched. But, if it should come down to it, going on an outing with one small bag is completely feasible. It’s definitely not ideal, but doable.

For instance, when my husband and I were living in China we took a trip to The Great Wall. On our way back home we stopped in Shanghai, but instead of getting tickets to transfer to another train home, we made a day of it! For this trip we both carried only one backpack each, which gave us just enough mobility to see the city. We hopped on and off China’s notoriously overly crowded trains and buses with ease and we were light enough in what we carried to walk to most places ourselves. Would we have preferred to have no bags? Of course! But were we still able to travel without it being an aggravating hassle? Most definitely.

Minimalist travel: what do I really need?

A good, helpful thought that we’ve started calling the “only one” rule has really challenged us (in a good way) to dial in our own packing lists before a big trip… or a small one. What’s in our bags for long-term travel is slightly different, however that’s another topic for another day. But the only one rule is just like it sounds; you may take only one of each item that you NEED, not want. Of course a want or a luxury item is permissible so long as it doesn’t weigh you down too much.

Let’s say you’re going to the beach for a week. You deserve a little melatonin and rest after you’ve been working none stop, I’m sure. Do you want to encumbered with a lot of stuff, hindering you from your goal of laying corpse-like in the sun baking, waking only for a little volleyball or a salt-water scrub? Or do you want to pack the essentials only and embrace your long lost tropical paradise with arms wide open and empty of needless crap? That’s what we thought…

A light packing guideline for minimalist travel

So, for a trip described like the one above, and adhering to the “only one” guide, our own list might look a little something like this:

• 1 swimsuit
• 1 towel
• 1 pair of sunglasses
• 1 tank top
• 1 regular shirt
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of pants
• 1 dress
• 1 pair of PJs
• 1 pair of flip flops
• 1 pair of regular shoes
• 1 hat
• 1 beach coverup
• 1 cellphone/charger
• 1 book

Toiletries, undies, and socks are up to you and what you feel comfortable with. Our suggestion is to carry only what you need for one week. If you’re feeling froggy, you can take a few pairs of socks and underwear and just be prepared to wash what you have!

Please be clear, that my husband and I would both each take one of the items listed – obviously you can’t always share everything. Also don’t forget that you’d be wearing at least one full outfit made up from the items listed above, which means they would be eliminated from your bag.

So for all you inner adventurers out there, consider putting yourselves to the test and really seeing what you need and what you don’t need for minimalist travel.

For those of you who feel like this is a little too skimpy, maybe you can add an extra piece or two to your list. Still try adhering to the “only one” guide and take only one of the extra items you choose to include.

Overall, minimalism helps with self-growth

As we’ve discussed, minimalist travel absolutely opens up your mobility and can give you an overwhelming sense of peace when you aren’t weighed down with excess items. Furthermore, if you can challenge yourself to travel with less you may actually start to purge yourself on both a mental and spiritual level. “Do I really need this?” is a fantastic question to ask yourself before a trip, but what really makes a difference is referring back to the question, “does this item really make me happy?” As The Minimalists suggest, “does this item add value to my life?”

Do you need 5-10 shirts for a week-long stay at the beach because you want “options?” Or is what you really need an completely uninhibited week off? Maybe ditch the shirts, because now you’re worried about what shorts go with them and what pairs of shoes you need too. Instead, maybe ask “what shirt do I feel happiest in?” and stick with that. Yeah, yeah, I can feel your eyes rolling… but if you give it an honest try with a positive mentality, you might just be surprised at the outcome.

Your world changes the minute you let go of “stuff” and the things you think you need for your trip. At that point really consider the absolute necessities instead. Your trip becomes less about things that you think you need to have for a nice time and more about the trip itself. The destination you’re headed too, the reason you’re traveling to begin with, and even the people you’re spending time with become the focus once more. You have removed great attention from the objects you’re taking and challenged yourself to consider what may be of much, much greater important. When you do that you leave room to experience maybe even more than you’ve considered in your travels. Hopefully, you’ve also found success in scaling down and discovered that you yourself can actually live with less and still be happy.

Travel light, travel uninhibited, travel minimally

Yes, minimalist travel seems to be a popular subject for good reason. It appears that more and more people are getting fed up with being overloaded with possessions and commercialism. So much so that they’re searching for a more natural, less hassled lifestyle through the practice of minimalism. Maybe long-term travel isn’t what you’re seeking, but it still stands to reason that minimalist ideologies, when applied to short travels, have the potential to make even the smallest increments of time all the more valuable when focused on the right things and not the things themselves.