The Freedom of Fewer Possessions

All of my belongings fit into one suitcase. In fact, with a bit more intention, I could live out of a 40L backpack. At the moment, I’ve chosen a 25L backpack for daily essentials and a small suitcase for my clothing, sheets, and a few extra toiletries.

Here’s why I’ve distilled my life this way:

  1. Simplicity and Flexibility: There’s an unparalleled freedom in simplicity. Being able to pick up your life and move or travel on a whim is a remarkable feeling.
  2. Mental Clarity: There’s a cognitive tax to owning many things. Each item requires a sliver of attention, and collectively, that adds up. Without the mental clutter of possessions, my focus sharpens.
  3. The Modern Era: We live in an age where accessibility is a given. Groceries, conveniences, and even modern luxuries are often just a click away.

There’s a hidden cost to every item we own. Beyond its monetary value, each item consumes space, not just in our homes, but in our minds. It’s like trimming the branches of an overgrown tree: once the excess is removed, the tree can grow stronger and healthier. Similarly, when your surroundings are streamlined, your mental bandwidth isn’t taxed by the unnecessary. This is also why I don’t own a car. The simple life isn’t just about fewer things; it’s about greater mental well-being.

Today, even with the world’s amenities at our fingertips, the digital landscape has altered our interaction with possessions. Most of my life, digitally speaking, is cloud-based. While skeptics will point out that the cloud is just another term for “someone else’s computer”, it’s undeniable that the cloud has reshaped modern living. Key documents? They’re on a USB. Everything else lives in the cloud. Our trust in cloud systems, from essential services to leisure activities, is profound and growing.

Reflecting on my life’s journey, I see that this minimalistic bent isn’t new for me. Financial constraints early on naturally limited my acquisitions. But even after those constraints lifted, I found excess purchases hollow. The tangible items aren’t what make life rich. There’s a truth in the adage that the more you own, the more those things end up owning you.

In this lifestyle, material chains fall away. Misplacements are rare, shopping is purpose-driven, and the lure of ads fades. If wanderlust strikes, I simply grab my backpack and embark.

My Possessions, At a Glance:

Backpack

  • 13-inch MacBook Air
  • Laptop sleeve (for chargers and cables too)
  • Essentials like cables, adapters, pens, and a padlock
  • Daily utilities: an insulated water bottle, umbrella, Aranet 4 and face mask for high CO2 areas, and a metal spoon
  • Personal care: electric shaver, nail clipper, USB-C toothbrush
  • Miscellaneous: A metal keychain, 512GB USB, and a few cherished items

On Me

  • Cellphone, wallet, AirPods Pro, and keys

Suitcase

  • Clothes, more toiletries, and a set of bedsheets

The possession-light life isn’t for everyone, but it offers a different kind of richness, one of experience, clarity, and focus. The future, I believe, is not just in the cloud, but in how we navigate our physical world with intent and simplicity.