Zen In The Art Of Minimalism

10-2-2012

14:37 Mexico D.F.

Hokay.

So I've finally gotten around to it. I found a cozy place to post up for a while and catch up on ye olde blog. If everything goes as planned I'm going to spend the next several hours (maybe two days) focusing on getting my journeys up to speed.  So stay focused!... Me, not you! You can sit back, relax and read away...

This here post has to do more with my preparation for the trip, how I slimmed everything I owned down to just under 30 lbs and a couple of lessons that I've learned regarding international backpacking.

...

This isn't the first time I've "up and left" a place. I grew up moving all over the states. It wasn't until I was twelve that my family stayed in one place for more than four years. Born in Mississippi -> Rochester, NY until I was four -> two houses in Bellevue, WA -> Albuquerque, NM for six months -> Roseburg, Corvallis and finally Albany, OR. I think that's one of the reasons I feel so uninterested in settling down. Because I know that there is always something new to discover or experience somewhere else. I also developed the guilty pleasure of being the "new kid". 

Being a foreigner is a little like being a celebrity. You are the ultimate new kid. Everyone wants to know about where you come from. 'What's it like there? What are the people like? Do they have this there or that?' I'm not gonna lie. It's pretty fun. Being the new kid also gives you a certain level of freedom you can't attain in any other way. Since you're not from that place, you can't be expected to know everything about it. And consequently you're permitted to make mistakes of all kinds. Cultural etiquette, social blunders... You have to learn sometimes. And most people make a decent effort to try, but making a mistake isn't the biggest deal. It's liberating.

Another skill I developed due to this transient lifestyle was the ability to differentiate "needs" from "wants". This is especially applicable with regards to which material goods you need or want, but also useful when determining how to spend money. For example, "I need a new pair of shoes." - OR - "I just WANT a new pair of shoes." Remember, the more you own, the more it owns you. And in my case, the less you own, the less you carry or the fewer things that can be stolen. So the sooner you make this distinction, the better. 

I've always enjoyed getting rid of things. It's like molting. You grow with the things that you acquire along the way and then you reach the limit of the shell. The skin grows taught, dry as a drum's head. What once held you safe now cramps your bulging spirit. Neck kinked to one side you grope for something sharp. Just... One... Cut! And the bubble snaps. For a moment, you stand in awe of your world through brand new insectoid eyes. You writhe with uncertainty, this new world needs a different kind of armor. But yours is nascent. And there's much to try, before it closes you in again.

In the case of experiential goods I tend to be more lenient with my money. A decent example of something I'm more willing to spend money on (even if I don't need it) is a really good meal. Or a beer I'd like to try. Something that I will likely be unable to try later on down the road. Of course, I don't have unlimited funds - so I have to pick and choose which experiences I'm most interested in.

Slimming down to only a few items is difficult, even for the Jedi Wanderer. But I can help you out. The things you choose should cover all of your basic needs and a few of your wants. Travel with some class! Items should be specific to the activities you intend to participate in, but they should also perform as many varied tasks as possible. "Stacking functions!" as my friend Arvo would say. For example, a rain jacket is not just a rain jacket. It's also a warmth layer, a pillow and a stylish addition to any vagabond hippie wardrobe. On the same token, don't take things that require other additional items to operate. Case in point: wear sandals. Shoes require socks -> socks need to be washed AND they take up lots of room! Yeah, you might get some funny looks and you'll probably get a few mosquito bites but it's totally worth it! You're a minimalist NOT a materialist, remember?

Cutting the fat takes some practice, there's no doubt. I still consider myself a just shy of a professional minimalist - even I could slim down more. But I'll give you amateurs a little "How To" so you, too, can learn to shed the extras. In my case, I have gotten rid of everything minus what fits in my pack and one 18 gallon tote of sentimentals stored in my parents' attic. Some people just need to pack for a trip from which they will return. If this applies to you, you may skip ahead to step #4.

Step-By-Step Guide To Minimalism (Poco A Poco)

Boy, you've got a lot of stuff! Where's it all going to go? You've got five options:

          A. Sell it.

          B. Give it.

          C. Toss it.

          D. Store it

          E. Pack it.

You now need to sort everything into these five categories. I recommend doing so physically, if possible.  Hopefully you have some time on your hands... And some surplus floor space... 'Cause this might take a while. Are those pesky couches in the way? I've got a solution - Sell 'em. Problem solved.

1. Sell it!

Selling is the easiest category to determine. "Well, I can't take my car to Guatemala..." SOLD! Now I have money AND I don't have to carry it. Man, that would have been heavy.

Sell your items to friends and family, Craigslist, eBay. Whatever you have the patience to deal with. Didn't sell it in time? NO PROBLEM! Give it away!

2. Give it! 

Giving things away not only feels good - It IS good. Put that badboy up on Craigslist's FREE section and sit back to watch the vultures circle. Giving your items away solves two dilemmas:

          A. You've just done something really nice for another human being. (Cha CHING! Talk about making a deposit in the Karma Bank.)

          B. Now you don't have to carry it!... Or store it!

You didn't really need the money that badly, did you? I didn't think so. Giving things away is a surefire way to lighten your load. Chances are someone was going to pay for what you had anyway. Now they'll rush to get it for free! One man's trash...

3. Toss it!

Let's be honest. As much as you hate to waste things and as much as you're SURE that SOMEONE could use it - it's time to throw out the half-eaten jar of mayonaise. Nobody wants it that bad, and it's going to save you hours of internal deliberation. Toss it along with all of her condimental cousins.

4. Store it!

Alright, so there are a few things that you just CAN'T seem to let go of. I understand. Memories are precious and as silly as it may seem to someone else - you're Cookie Monster stuffed animal is something you want forever. Me, too. But you need to be picky and you need to have a secure location to store these things. Preferably somewhere safe, free and with people who do not plan on following your lifestyle. I chose my parents' house. I'm like... 90% sure they're staying put.

4. Pack it! 

Ok, now things are getting tricky. At this point you'll go back and forth between what you originally wanted to bring and what no longer makes sense. Here, the ultimatum will present itself. Most likely, that decision will be to toss it or give it away; whichever is faster.

A.  Set a limit. Pick your pack and don't take more than you can fit. I like to keep a little extra room in case I want to pick something up along the way - Or, if I'm feeling extra lazy that day and I don't want to pack my bag correctly. Bonus points if your pack has lots of zippers and dangly carabiners. You are a certified hippie.

B.  Know your needs. Fill them, or as many as you're comfortable with. Don't overfill. It helps if you separate your belongings into piles that fulfill one of your need categories. Seeing your items in separate physical piles allows to take exactly what you need and no more. I know. Choosing which T-shirt to bring may feel like a life-altering decision, but once you've left the others behind I guarantee you won't miss them. Do what I do. I give them to my little sisters. That way - they still live on and I reunite with them occasionally.

C.  Choose versatile items that are lightweight. e.g. the rainjacket. Choose synthetic materials over wool or cotton. They pack better and they dry faster.

D.  Let's see what made the cut, shall we? Below is a picture of what I'm carrying with me through Central America. If it's not in the picture, I don't have it. And I hope you appreciate this photo since I had to get naked to take it. What?! 

Alright. Here we go:

- 5 T-shirts

- 1 REI rain shell

- 1 Northface lightweight fleece

- 1 pair of synthetic shorts

- 1 pair of convertible pants

- 1 pair of trashy cutoff denim shorts (AKA, my drinking shorts) Remember what I said about class?  =D

- 6 pairs of synthetic boxer briefs

- 1 leather belt

- 1 REI camp towel (lost it)

- 1 pair of slightly used Vibram Five Finger Toe Shoes (Thanks, Jeff!)

- 1 REI 55F+ travel sack lightweight sleeping bag

- 1 mosquito net hammock, two load-bearing carabiners (Thanks, Bro) and 100' of parachord

- 1 extra shitty free Kodak camera someone gave me

- 1 rechargeable UV Steripen

- 1 backup bottle of iodine tablets

- 1 bottle of body wash

- 1 kickass Merkur safety razor plus blades (Thanks, Tom!). Shaving cream did not make the cut)

- dehydrated hand soap

- floss, chapstick, fro pick, gum, scissors, x-acto knife, tweezers, nail clippers, thread and needle

- Afterbite itch eraser, deodorant, Lotramin (jungle defunkafier), toothbrush, toothpaste

- 3 hitchhiking Sharpies, 1 pencil, mini notebook, collapsible kitchen set, Leatherman Wave tool

- vitamins, full-sized journal, chcf's knife and custom sheath

- 2 Bic lighters, extra TP (don't leave home without it)

- 1 pair goofy looking sunglasses

- 1 US Passport with a picture that does NOT look like me

- 1 Black Diamond headlamp w/extra batteries

- 1 deck of Bicycle playing cards and a flute and harmonica to busk with

- 1 POS netbook, 500GB external hard drive, chargers for camera/Steripen/netbook

- 1 one liter Nalgene water bottle (complete with hippie paraphernalia)

- 1 18 liter crushable lightweight REI Flashpack

- 1 pair of Chaco sandals

- my beloved 42 liter Deuter "Day Pack"  =D

- and of course, Mr. Hanky

The socks you see in the picture, along with the purple beanie have since been donated. All together, it weighs about 28 lbs. Not too shabby.

5. The Art Of Stuffing It

The last thing you need to know is how to pack it. You'll want the most commonly used items easily accessible. No one wants to see the entire contents of your life explode onto the floor every time you need your toothbrush. And you're not going to want to repack it either. Trust me. If you got a pack with lots of zippers like I told you to get then you will easily achieve this. However, it's most important that you learn HOW to pack. Here are some bulleted points to consider:

- Heavy things go at the bottom near the center. Your back and your legs will thank you.

- ROLL! Do not fold your clothes. The more folds there are, the more space it takes up.

- Rubber bands! They'll keep your clothes from unrolling. Promise.

- Squash it! It'll fit... Probably. A lot of people neglect the empty space between large items. Use that space for something small.

- Dirty items still get rolled up. But turn them inside out - or do the sniff test. Your choice.

- Take a shower in the morning so your towel can dry during the day. Something wet inside your pack for even a few hours will stink up everything. Imagine what happens when you forget a half-eaten cucumber in there for two weeks... Um. Soup. Gross.

On that note, a face cloth works well for scrubbing as well as drying. A wet towel wicks water away faster, anyway. Water is a polar molecule. It's attracted to itself. Wipe, wring, repeat. Keep a second dry face towel for the finale if you wish. If you're at a hostel - Use theirs! It's probably softer!

I don't know if this is the same for everybody - but the most commonly replaced pieces in my entourage are shower things: body wash, wash cloths/lufas/whatever. Take your hygienical items out of the bathroom each time you use them. You're going to be in a lot of bathrooms. It's really easy to check the whole house for everything before taking off and completely blank on the baño. Make sure that you don't forget these along the way. Losing an Ipod charger may suck, but being stinky ain't no picnic, either.

...

Well, folks. I hope you enjoyed that. I doubt you will ever need it. But in the off chance that you find yourself needing less and less (which, I highly recommend) I hope you use some of these tips to lighten your load. Remember: "Pack light, Move fast".

Over and out.