If we want to change how we spend our time, what do we do with all of our stuff?
Also, how the hell did we get so much? This goes way beyond deciding what to take in our single carry-ons for a world-wide trip. It’s about simplifying life in general.
Do we really need it all? Why do we have it? Is there an easier way and would it make us happier?
What if that answer was yes?
Like anyone, we love stuff. We prize quality over quantity, but who are we kidding? Like you, we had a helluva lot of it. The latest gadgets, the new car, the big house, closets full of clothes, garage filled with everything but the three cars, huge yard with a garden shed full of every yard tool that looked too cool to leave in the store. The storage room packed with seasonal decor and sports equipment amongst all the other “just in case” stuff … and let’s not even get started on the toy room. Still, we smiled when we brought every new purchase home.
But all these things come with a cost. We buy them with money we have earned through an exchange of our personal energy, through transferring our time and creativity, even our blood, sweat and tears, to create value in exchange for money that we then spend to buy the things we want and need.
Everything under our roof (including our roof) has cost something of ourselves to obtain. It also costs us something to retain. It takes up space, requires that we acquire more space, we spend time and money to organize and reorganize that space to accommodate more acquisitions (or leave it unorganized which then takes up precious mental space because that “to-do” will never leave my head) and it requires maintenance, insurance, etc. These costs are not a bad thing; it’s a fair trade if it meets our needs and makes us happy.
Does it?
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” – Will Rogers
So we had beautiful things, and lots of it. Like I said, we love stuff. But we love our kids more.
We are so grateful for the children we have been blessed with. Yes, they are ours so we are biased, but honestly, they are really cool people. Sweet, funny, intelligent and, dare I say, frequently profound (you can learn a lot from your kids when you shut up for a minute and listen). Watch them closely, they are innovative, highly imaginative and ambitious when left to their own devices, and ultimately, they are a heck of a lot of fun!
So it came to us, if we need to exchange our precious possessions for more treasured time as a family, so be it. Done. Now how the hell do we do that? And how far do we go? You’ll be surprised.
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
Our Life in Five Carry-on Bags
To go on this world trip, remember we are not backpackers here, we had to create strategies, do a lot of research and effectively set ourselves up with the right possessions to support our journey. Adaptability is important because, while we can replace as things wear out and seasons or locations change, we need to be very mindful of space, weight and, of course, cost.
How do you possibly pack for a world trip in a carry-on suitcase? We have done it; very successfully.
We are not dreadlocked backpackers stepping toe in every country (there are already so many of these very cool people out there), and the primacy effect is important to us. Dressing flashy is foolish and borderline insulting in some places. Instead, out of respect for our global hosts and as representatives of Canada and our family, we packed to dress like locals with function and style. We will show you how we do it and how to apply it at home as well as travel.
Remember, as we travel, we are not on vacation. We are living our lives abroad. We are “world-schooling” our kids, working on our respective projects, exploring the fascinating countries we are visiting and learning to over come the challenges that come with visiting foreign lands.
As part of our lifestyle redesign (Lifestyle 2.0) we are focused on more activity and healthy eating, including excellent nutrition coupled with the desire for the savoury flavours that add zest to life; we are adamant that healthy can also be delicious. We don’t only want to fuel our desire for adventure and experience, but also achieve more balance physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. To live well, as well as simply, we have become acutely aware of what things, tools, amenities, accomodations, we truly need to support a great life.
“People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos, is because things are being loved, and people are being used.” – author unknown
It’s time to reset the balance. Please follow along on our quest below.
How Did We Get All This Stuff? – Coming Soon …
We will be adding detailed posts about how we simplified our life …
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