All You Need Is Less

I have narrowed down my possessions to these three tupperware, which comprise of all my leftover belongings that I will not be taking with me over my move... (I threw in my Tamaskan, Bourbon, for good measure). I will not be storing these belongings, I will be donating &/or selling them before I go. What I will be taking with my is one backpack & one suitcase. I have to admit that this process has been both liberating as well as terrifying.

Originally I planned on writing this blog post as an advice piece, but I know there are most likely countless others on the subject already out there... & to be quite honest, I don't have specific advice on the subject. I'm unsure as to quite how to describe it, but when you reach that point where you decide that you are tired of your possessions owning you, that alone is enough to make you successful in your purging.

Frankly, I was fed up with the amount of stuff that I owned & it can be quite overwhelming & stressful to have all these items taking up your everyday life. Because if something happened that left you with none of these belongings, can you say that you'd truly be happy? At one point, I would not have been. But with time & energy I can now say that I am happy & proud to say that I am happy with nothing but myself, my friends, my family, my surroundings.

When you decide you want a life of experiences, it really is that simple. I would rather spend a weekend visiting old friends in Paris than buy myself the latest iPhone or that new handbag for Fall. When it comes down to it, I will gladly give up my Lanvin trench coat if it means an extra week backpacking.

Anything you leave behind, 9X out of 10, you will have forgotten about when you return. Take this time to really decide what will compliment your travels & keep those items. Be done with all the rest. If you haven't worn it, used it, seen it in a year, sell it, donate it, or trash it. Simple as that.

I s'pose this post was more of a rambling than anything, but maybe one of you can take inspiration from it. I'd love to know your ideas on the subject as well... & to end, some of my favourite Fight Club quotes. Bisous!
xxx

'You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your fucking khakis. You’re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.'

'It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.'

'We’re consumers. We are the byproducts of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don’t concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy’s name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra…Fuck Martha Stewart. Martha’s polishing the brass on the Titanic. It’s all going down, man. So fuck off with your sofa units and strine green stripe patterns.'



Before the Adventure!

With my upcoming move to Ireland, you could say I'm overwhelmed to say the least... & somehow when I moved to France 3 years ago I don't ever quite remember feeling this stressed. I s'pose it's because this time I really have no idea if I'll ever be returning to Canada! So I figured I would try to just create a quick (hopefully!) checklist of all the things I need to do & most likely a few of them will apply to others, possibly even helping?! These can of course apply to moves, round the world trips & even just short vacations. Anyway, my list...
xxx

Oktoberfest in Canada

 

1. Passport, Visa, Driver's License, etc.
I'd suggest making sure you have at least 6 months left on your passport after the date you plan on returning home. I actually have a friend who's living in Australia (back in Canada at the moment though!) who planned a trip to Bali with a couple of her friends. Needless to say one of them's passport was to expire in 3 or 4 months & even though their trip was only a week long, they refused her entry into the country... Enough said!

Also with visas, be sure that you have all the requirements before applying, such as support funds, etc. Coming from personal experience, leaving it all to the last minute will have you ripping your hair out before you've even left! & depending on your trip you may not even need a visa, in which case, I hate you. Haha, but no in all honesty, I may do a post on my Au Pair Visa that I obtained in France & I'll definitely do a Youth Mobility Scheme post as well!

Driver's licenses, health cards, etc. are pretty self-explanatory! & be sure to make photocopies, send an e-mail with these copies & even keep them on a usb incase anything should happen during your trip.

2. The Dreaded Appointments
Visit your doctor for a physical & stock up on meds for the duration of your trip or until you can get health insurance sorted in your new home country. Research any vaccinations required & get those as well. Lastly, visit your eye doctor, dentist, dermatologist, gyno & whoever else you may be going to to make sure everything's in line before you leave.

3. Banks, Bills, etc.
Call your credit company, let them know when & where you're going! Call your bank as well if you plan on using your account, or of course there's the option of closing it. If you aren't planning on closing your account & have pre-authorized bill payments that will be coming out, make sure you have enough money in your account! NSF fees can kill you, almost literally.

 

4. Belongings
Sell EVERYTHING. Yes, I am going to quote Fight Club, but... 'The things you used to own, now they own you.' Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook Yard Sale, eBay, there is no excuse to be owning the amount of things that we do in this society. Even have a garage sale! If you really feel the need to, or are returning after a short time (a few months to a year or two), put some items in storage. It can be costly though so I do advise against it of course. Owning as little as possible will make your travels that much better, I can promise you that.

This goes with cars & homes as well... I recently sold my baby (the Speed Demon), but I have to say I have zero regrets. If you have a lease, find someone to take it over for you & if you're a homeowner & are serious about long-term travel, I'd just suggest selling. There will always be cars & homes when you return, do not forget that.

5. Quit Your Job
Leave on good terms if at all possible & give as much notice as you can (or want to)!

& just a few other quick suggestions...

❤ Plan your trip, but don't overplan.
❤ Look into travel insurance.
❤ Bring makeup, clothing items, even food that you know you will not find in your destination...
❤ Start a travel blog to document your trip. It's also a great way of keeping your friends & fam up to date!
❤ Stop stressing! Drink a glass (or bottle) of wine while you're planning, save your money, but don't make yourself miserable by not going out with friends before leaving & let go of any worries!