The art of knowing what you own

"Minimalism, simplicity, clarity, freedom.

Those are a few words that come to mind when I think about last Friday when we were preparing the flea market for the next day. Since returning from our journey in Portugal, we've really started to get rid of things. I, for myself, made a decision to leave Switzerland with just a backpack containing all the daily essentials and a second bag for all my camera gear. Although we are traveling by car, we could pack much more, but it feels liberating to focus on the essentials and ask myself, 'What do I really need?' At the moment, it's still a theoretical process. I pack my imaginary backpack with a few imaginary items and a few items I already have. This mental exercise determines what goes up for sale, what goes to a thrift store, and what ends up in a family member's basement for the 'I might want this thing in a future scenario.'

As I mentioned, I can plan, I can research, I can try to think logically, but reality will show how my life with just a backpack will be. To be honest, I'm really excited about the first few weeks and months when I put my thoughts into practice. Will it be a case of 'What the heck are you thinking, packing just six t-shirts?' or will it be an easy adjustment to living with what I have?

Either way, the good thing is, and something I constantly remind myself of, is that if I miss something, there's a crazy high chance I can get it almost immediately.

Back to the flea market:

It happened last Saturday, and after 8 hours, we were pleased with the outcome. The items we couldn't sell went straight to the thrift store. So, this was the start of 'leaving things behind,' but to be honest, the end is not really in sight. It's astonishing how much stuff you can accumulate in just a few years. Although the flea market ended at 4 pm, for us, it will probably continue until the 31st of October. We are now mostly selling our stuff online, and in fact, by the end of this week, I will have carried down two dressers from the second floor to hand them over to the new owners.

Ka-ching!

So, if you need anything from an office desk to a set of bamboo straws, we may have it for you. Just send us a message.

Also, there's something else on our minds when it comes to packing. We're considering packing an extra box of kitchen supplies, some spices, and the most important things for cooking wherever we are. More on that in a future blog."