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.