¡Vamanós! "When I have met an immigrant tottering under a bundle which contained his all—looking like an enormous wen which had grown out of the nape of his neck—I have pitied him, not because that was his all, but because he had all that to carry. If I have got to drag my trap, I will take care that it be a light one and do not nip me in a vital part. But perchance it would be wisest never to put one's paw into it."
-Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Only through the experience of moving our "stuff" out of our Chicago apartment and into what would make up our luggage (or "trap" as Thoreau called it) did Lynsey and I realize how much we had actually accumulated over the past four years. It was almost beyond comprehension. We went through things that we hadn't touched in YEARS, and still, somehow, had a hard time putting them into the "give-away" pile. Where does that compulsion to keep and hoard come from? A week or so into sorting our stuff we agreed that we would take on an entirely different philosophy to this move; one that aligned better with a "less is more" approach to our belongings so that we might travel lightly on our way south.
First we parted with our big furniture and then moved on to the endless boxes of smaller stuff. Craigslist came through for us, and within two weeks we had sold our couch, rugs, coffee table, end tables, and full dining room set. Memories lost? No, and instead a feeling of freedom and movement set in and we became hooked on the high of getting rid of all this stuff. We put the non-sellable items in the alley and gladly watched as happy alley-cruisers walked away with their treasure for the day. Goodwill and AmVets got most of the rest, and by the end we were left storing the following things: books and important papers, a bed set, a pair of caribou antlers, wall hangings, dishes and pots n' pans, and winter clothes.
-Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Only through the experience of moving our "stuff" out of our Chicago apartment and into what would make up our luggage (or "trap" as Thoreau called it) did Lynsey and I realize how much we had actually accumulated over the past four years. It was almost beyond comprehension. We went through things that we hadn't touched in YEARS, and still, somehow, had a hard time putting them into the "give-away" pile. Where does that compulsion to keep and hoard come from? A week or so into sorting our stuff we agreed that we would take on an entirely different philosophy to this move; one that aligned better with a "less is more" approach to our belongings so that we might travel lightly on our way south.
First we parted with our big furniture and then moved on to the endless boxes of smaller stuff. Craigslist came through for us, and within two weeks we had sold our couch, rugs, coffee table, end tables, and full dining room set. Memories lost? No, and instead a feeling of freedom and movement set in and we became hooked on the high of getting rid of all this stuff. We put the non-sellable items in the alley and gladly watched as happy alley-cruisers walked away with their treasure for the day. Goodwill and AmVets got most of the rest, and by the end we were left storing the following things: books and important papers, a bed set, a pair of caribou antlers, wall hangings, dishes and pots n' pans, and winter clothes.
The 134 lbs. of America that came with us So what did we bring? Each of us were allowed 67 lbs. for our checked and carry-on bags combined. Working with that number, we managed to pack everything we needed into four checked bags and two carry-ons. The contents were mostly an array of clothes for the weather we would encounter, shoes (b/c I read Ecuadorian sizes stop at 10), and a complete collection of backpacking gear (you didn't think I would leave without THOSE things, did you?). Our mentality for not going over weight and bringing more was simply that we could buy things there, and those things that we did buy there would only help blend us a bit more into the fabric of our new country. So that was it, and were able to get everything we needed all on our backs or rolling alongside us all the way to Ecuador and soon into our new home. More to come on that topic soon...
Ok, your gear gets a bit wrinkly, but still completely worth it! A little tip for travelers: Lynsey introduced me to a great space-saving trick using "Space Bags." Basically a huge zip-lock, you roll all the air out of your clothes and are left with a super compact bag (nearly 1/2 the height) that stacks nicely. You can pick them up at Bed Bath Beyond and the Container Store...or so I hear from those who shop there :-)
If you had to live off of 67 lbs. of "baggage," what would YOU pack? What would you happily LEAVE behind? Comment below!
If you had to live off of 67 lbs. of "baggage," what would YOU pack? What would you happily LEAVE behind? Comment below!
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