Franz ElizWhen I went hitchhiking for the first time, I packed a backpack with me that contained the things I thought I needed. I even brought a little drum, thinking I might play it on the road. But I barely used it. Eventually, I let it go to make more space in my backpack.
Since hitchhiking required me to walk a lot, carrying my backpack load for an extended period was such a pain. I lose a lot of weight. While it was good exercise, it might not be good for my back and shoulders.
I’ve been travelling light ever since. And minimalism helps me with that.
In this article, I’ll share other ways minimalism helps me to travel better. Let’s go!
Minimalism Helps Me Make Space for More Important Things
Even when I wasn’t hitchhiking, it was always a pain to carry a heavy backpack around while searching for hotels or when I had no place to leave my bag.
Note that I’ve never travelled with a backpack larger than 40L. But for me, even a fully loaded 35L (containing clothes, gadgets, etc.) backpack is heavy when I have to walk for a long distance. I always had to decide what to leave behind whenever I struggled with my backpack’s weight. To avoid the problem, now I always avoid filling my backpack with things I don’t need.
Since minimalism encourages me to rethink what I can live without, I use it as a tool to simplify my travels. At home, I don’t keep many things. Currently, I can fit everything I own in a master bedroom I have in Malaysia without overcrowding it.
Before hitting the road, I list the things I need, from clothing to work gadgets. I usually reserve space in the bag for things I might buy on the road, like food.
It Helps Me Build Friendships Mindfully
Minimalism helps me focus on what I consider important, such as my health, social interactions, and the experiences I build while I’m on the road. With that in mind, I avoid focusing too much on myself and try to talk to people while travelling.
Often, I try to be friendly with other travellers I meet. I do this because getting to know other travellers is important to me.
But how I interact with others or with who I want to socialise is personal. Sometimes I prefer to befriend one or two people only in a particular location. I don’t always enjoy being in a big group as it can sometimes stress me out. Who’s to say that all travellers should be social butterflies?
I Stop Prioritising Souvenirs
There’s always pressure to buy souvenirs when someone goes out travelling. I often hear people say, ‘Don’t forget to bring back some souvenirs’! And when the person on holiday comes home, they’d always bring back fridge magnets.
Often, I don’t bring back souvenirs for my friends and families. There’s usually no space in my backpack for them. Most importantly, I don’t like getting assigned to buy souvenirs or specific items for others when I’m out travelling. It can be stressful, especially when time isn’t on my side.
I used to buy shot glasses from all the places I visited. But I don’t really do that now. In the end, those shot glasses only filled up space in my home and collected dust. Today, I rarely buy knick-knacks.
Don’t get me wrong. I buy souvenirs occasionally for myself and my loved ones. For example, I gave my mom a beautiful alpaca scarf from New Zealand, chocolates from the French Alps for my friends, a unique soap from New Zealand for my sister, and postcards for my friends who live all around the world. Being mindful about gift-giving gives me pleasure.
Less Cleaning or Washing
When I travelled to Hanoi, I saw many beautiful paintings of Vietnamese women in local hats. It wouldn’t hurt to get one for my room. One is enough; I have no reason to buy so many. More things mean more cleaning or maintenance. By having less stuff, I can deal with less cleaning.
Since I’m always working or travelling, I prefer to use my free time to relax, not spend too much time cleaning.
With minimalism, I also avoid owning too many clothes. I try to wear my clothes more than once so I can do less washing. It’s better for the environment, too. On the road, I do the same as well. I often travel with 3–4 sets of clothes only.
To avoid washing my clothes regularly, I wear merino wool garments. Merino wool is so versatile it doesn’t stink easily, so I can wear it for a week or more comfortably. Plus, merino garments are gentle on the skin and usually match various settings.
I Can Travel Better When I Feel Less Worried
Having less stuff doesn’t mean I’m not worried at all about the things I own. I just feel less worried. I don’t have many things, to begin with, and most of the things I own aren’t very expensive.
When I was living out of my backpack, some of my stuff would usually be in the good care of my family and friends. But now I have a base I’m renting I can always come back to and keep my belongings. I don’t always enjoy selling my stuff, like my music equipment, before moving to a different location. Not because my stuff owns me; but just because it’s not always practical from a financial standpoint.
I don’t own a house for the time being, which makes sense since I’m always moving around. With less stuff, I don’t need to rent a whole house. A room is enough for me. Thanks to my new base, I don’t need to worry about selling my stuff every time I travel for an extended period.
I love my new base and can travel better now since I’m less worried about storage and accommodation.
It Taught Me Not To Get Too Attached to Anything
Travelling has taught me not to get too attached to anything, including people. Despite having good times with people I meet on the road, chances are I might not see them again. That doesn’t mean I consider them less important.
The truth is, it’s not always easy to keep up with friends who live all around the globe. First of all, it’s the distance. Secondly, they might not be around when you visit their country. But thanks to social platforms like Facebook and Instagram, staying in touch is easier than ever. Fortunately, my friends and I always try to meet whenever we can.
My friend Joey always jokes about having to throw farewells and welcome parties for me whenever I leave or come home. She has lost count of the number of parties we’ve had.
I used to be very sad whenever I had to say goodbye to travellers I met, my friends, and my family. But by practising the art of letting go – through minimalism – I can travel happily, knowing that life is like a journey on a train.
