For those who travel on a low budget over a long period, adopting a minimalist lifestyle is common sense. If it can be perceived as “forced” at the start, very often, the backpacker traveler photos taken a liking to it…
Traveling for long months necessarily implies a minimalist lifestyle. Indeed, on the road, you learn to do without many things. No television, little or no stupid consumption or shopping. Life is simplified for the benefit of mobility. We also have more time for ourselves and/or meetings. The intensity of a trip, the lived experiences make us forget other more material considerations.
Long-distance travel: a school of minimalism
Moreover, when you travel with a backpack, you can’t carry a lot of things. And we realize that yes, we can live with very few things: a few t-shirts and clothes, a few books, a toiletry kit… I have known people who traveled for a long time with very few things in their bag. Here we are approaching ultralight travel: leaving with a bag of less than 10 kg on your back for several months. Difficult to do more minimal!
During my first long mother daughter trips, I realized that I really needed little when traveling.
A school of minimalism… which we extend on our return
Once back home, I prolonged this state of mind for a longer or shorter time. At the very least, I quickly realized that less is more (“Less is more”, a concept from modern architecture; in other words: simplicity is preferable to overload). It must be said that I was already quite close to this concept even before leaving around the world. The meeting between travel and values already present in me was logical.
Of course, once we are sedentary for a while, we are caught up in the consumer frenzy of our society. However, often something remains. Some people really extend this conviction on a daily basis. The trip made them realize that you could live well on very little. And that experiences were always more valuable than material goods.
Since then, I have continued this minimalist lifestyle, little has changed in fifteen years, in the end. My car has been sitting in my parents’ garden shed for fifteen years. I live without a TV, the few pieces of furniture I have are stored somewhere. Of course, I’ve never taken out credit to buy consumer goods. When I want to make a purchase, I ask myself if this object is really necessary. I usually wait some time to assess if I still want it. This avoids impulse purchases.
Digital nomad: essentially minimalism
I have made this way of life my own as, since 2011, I have been a digital nomad. I spend a large part of the year abroad. So, of course, I avoid clutter to keep my mobility. Of course, once we are sedentary for a while, we are caught up in the consumer frenzy of our society. However, often something remains. Some people really extend this conviction on a daily basis. The trip made them realize that you could live well on very little. And that experiences were always more valuable than material goods.
My office fits in a small backpack: my laptop, a hard drive and photo-video equipment. That’s all. It’s a joy.
Moreover, I am creative: it is an important aspect of my professional activity. However, to develop your creative capacity, nothing beats spending time abroad, in another environment. It is really beneficial for intellectual stimulation. Traveling for long months necessarily implies a minimalist lifestyle. Indeed, on the road, you learn to do without many things. No television, little or no stupid consumption or shopping. Life is simplified for the benefit of mobility. We also have more time for ourselves and/or meetings. The intensity of a trip, the lived experiences make us forget other more material considerations.
