Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words (click here for details).
Today we hear from Brasilicana, who reduced her possessions to the airline’s baggage allowance for her international move. Please visit her blog to learn more about her life in Brazil.
Brasilicana writes:
Brasilicana
I’ve always had minimalist tendencies; I was never one to accumulate lots of clothes or knickknacks. Throughout my young adulthood, I preferred spending my money on travel and experiences rather than on acquiring things.
However, the true test of my convictions came when I got married and moved to Brazil.
I could only take what I could fit into the airline’s baggage allowance of two 70-pound suitcases plus a carry-on. Suddenly, it wasn’t about selecting which items to get rid of – it was about selecting which items would come with me, and all the rest would be thrown away, given away, or else would stay behind. I felt like I was experiencing a real-life version of, “If you were shipwrecked on a desert island, which three things would you like to have with you?”
The easiest things to part with were all my winter clothes – that was a no-brainer, since I wouldn’t need them in the tropical climate. The hardest were my books. Despite performing triage and donating about half my collection, I still filled one of my suitcases entirely with those that remained.
So I arrived in Brazil to start my new life with two weeks of clothing, a laptop and camera, a few personal items, and 70 pounds of books. I did leave some things behind at my parents’ house, but now that I’ve been separated from those possessions for nearly a year, I neither miss them nor remember what they are!
My husband and I rented a basic furnished apartment and decided that we would only acquire things for our new household if we discovered we really needed them. We’ve found that we need internet, a pressure cooker to make the famous Brazilian rice and beans, and a fan for the hot summer nights – and we’re doing just fine without cable TV, a washing machine, or a car.
Our home is one of love, joy, and simplicity – and someday, when we take off to travel the world, those are three things we’ll definitely be taking along!
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Beautiful, I especially like your last line!
Thank you! One of the reasons I was actually attracted to my husband when I first met him was his minimalist tendencies :-)
Great story. I love moving, because it forces me to rethink every single one of my possessions and whether I really use or need it.
Brazil sounds so beautiful. My son has had his mind set on moving there for a while.
It’s a great place to visit – so much culture and natural beauty. And with the economy on the upswing, it’s turning into a good place to live and work as well!
No clutter AND a good looking bloke – heaven on a popsicle stick!!!
LOL! I like this comment. :)
I can relate to this, moving by plane is quite liberating!
Would you believe the 70 pounds of books I brought are still sitting in their suitcase? Now if only I could get them all transferred over to my Kindle, I’ll really be free :-)
I was wondering why you didn’t just get them on Kindle and if you even read them since moving. My teen daughters and I have cut all our books down to two series, maybe 15 books total, that we definitely reread often and we share them. One of those series we can’t get on Kindle yet, the other we are slowly purchasing on Kindle but I need to buy them their own Kindles before I cull the books. There’s no way I could devote one whole bag, of only two allowed bags, to books. And I love books. :-) But I think your story is so inspiring to cull everything down to 3 bags and move overseas. I’d really love to do something like that some day (year!)
I do read them occasionally – but for the next international move, I think I’ll buy my absolute favorites on Kindle (I kinda wish you could get the electronic version for free if you already own the print version, but such is life!) and donate the rest.
Thanks for sharing your story – I, too, would probably find it easier to eliminate what I didn’t have room to pack than rule out things first. How liberating.
We’re planning either an international move or a long trip as soon as my husband graduates from college – and that knowledge actually helps act as a “check” against accumulating too much stuff in the present!
What a short and sweet story! You both look so happy. One of my dreams is to just pack up whatever I ‘cannot’ be without and move countries. Whilst hubby and I are only young and have young children, we talk about it every now and then. It’s definitely not something that need be reserved for retirement. :)
You are living the dream Brasilicana – Enjoy it! May your lives continue to flourish.
Thank you! I agree 110% about not putting your travel dreams (and others!) off until retirement.
Wow..Thanks for sharing! While my wife and I are not down to the possessions that you are, we have only what we are using.
If you have only what you’re using, sounds like you’ve struck a great balance!
Great attitide, thanks for sharing!
We have recently done something similar. We moved to China with just our aeroplane luggage allowance (and 2 small boys!). We chose not to ship anything. Books were a major part of our luggage too. They weren’t ours though, we’ve gone the Kindle route and are loving it. Almost all the books we brought are childrens ones. Our boys love reading and I think it’s so important for them. Actually now that they have a much much smaller collection they actually read more and as they are in our living room they become more a part of our day and we read together even more. When the Kindle can do touchy-feely books for 16 month old toddlers I’m there!
simplelivingchina.blogspot.com
Good for you! Shipping containers internationally can be so expensive. I always found it curious that people will ship furniture and bedding and things that could just as well be bought in the new country. Now, if I could get a shipping container full of peanut butter, I’d be happy ;-)
It’s funny you mentioned bedding as actually, the one thing I almost wish I had shipped is my lovely feather duvet! I’m sure I could find a really good one in China but it wouldn’t be cheap and I don’t want to spend a lot on something I won’t keep for a long time. Though if I’d allowed myself the option of shipping things it would have been a disaster so no regrets :)
Just some English tea would do it!
simplelivingchina.blogspot.com
Brasilicana, I LOVE your story!
I’ve been on the minimalist kick on and off for a little more than about 10 years, but I’ve recently really ramped it up. I’ve gotten rid of so many books (I mailed them off to people who appreciated and needed them (for classes) and I’m down to about 55 books. Aside from a few, the ones left aren’t available on Kindle (I read on my iPod Touch).
I might be moving in a few years and I dream of being able to move with what fits in my car, and perhaps a few boxes being mailed.
Thank you!
The Kindle and other electronic reading devices are godsends for us bookworms who also want to be minimalists :-) Good luck on your journey!
Great story! Thank you! My books are a major source of frustration! It seems never-ending. I’m down from 10 bookcases to 7. Ugh! Your story reminded me of how when I did my study-abroad program in college, I took pounds of books and ended up giving them all away. I discovered English is a universal language and even in Asia, libraries are well-stocked with English-language books!
My secret, slightly-cheating book reduction strategy is to give them to my parents – who I think have about 7 bookcases as well – so that if I really miss a certain book, I can go “visit” it at their house ;-)
Great story! I have started on my path toward minimalism and find it very energizing to read others’ stories. As a librarian, I want to remind everyone that you don’t always need to have your own books – you can go to the library! Everyone always thinks that because I’m a librarian, I’ll have a huge collection of books. It’s the opposite for me, though. I hardly have any because I know I can get almost anything I want at my library. E-readers can be great for those of us who don’t like collecting a lot of stuff, but if you prefer printed material, a library card is another way to go. :)
Great point!
What a beautiful story. I can relate with the book problem. :) Brazil sounds amazing, would love to go there someday…
This was such a helpful post.
I do a great job at minimalism except for my craft work and supplies.
Today I tidied the half done quilts,(I too knit now, instead)and started finishing them with a view to giving them away.
Thank you so much for your thoughts.
I am always interested in the stories about overseas moves. It makes me wonder what I would take with me. I assume classics in English would be available everywhere and you can get them on Kindle,etc. I would probably take a few favorites and leave the rest behind. There are some pictures I want to take but I could get frames anywhere and some of my jewelry. I would sell the rest.
We recently went on a Mediterranean cruise. We got a small cabin on a huge ship. We take very little when we travel. Part of the fun is watching people eat their own body weight. And watching people spend money like there’s no tomorrow. We did a lot of walking in Barcelona and Pisa, my husband and I are slowing down a little but there was plenty to see and do aboard the ship. When the kids were little we used to take long car trips all over the US.
Years ago, we used to travel to Europe and England. We took public transportation everywhere. If we had been burdened with tons of luggage we would not have been so free.
I have 4 bags full of things to give away. In the winter, I go through my hobby and craft supplies and look for what I haven’t used in the past year. Since none was bought new, I can just pass them on. My daughter also brought things for me to look through and give away. I took 1 shirt and gave away a pair of old sweat pants.
I have a set of dishes to give away and I was just given more houseplants. I also have some other items to go through. I also was given some silk flowers which I take apart and use in collage or jewelry crafting. I store them flat when I’ve taken them apart.
We give away a bag or two every week. Linens, clothing, and shoes go to Goodwill. Art and craft supplies go to schools, the library, the park district, or the YMCA. I have been giving some of my silver earrings and earrings with precious stones to my daughter. I have also been giving away magazines and instruction books. If there is only one pattern I can imagine making, I make a copy and give the magazine or book away. I have a big box of books ready to mail and I need to do it this week.