Minimalist Living: Our Go-To for Moving Abroad
After living abroad for a year and a half in Stockholm, David and I are thrilled to be moving back home to NYC. Through this transition, we're trying to be as mindful as we can and take the opportunities to be proactive towards reverse culture shock in the US, as well as leverage the power of minimalist living.
Deciding what to do with our household goods is usually one of the more daunting tasks before a move, more-so when we have different perspectives on what to do with our stuff. That's why I made this simple decision-making diagram as a handy guide for our pre-move preparations!
Minimalist living offers SO many lifestyle benefits, like:
More:
- Physical space
- Headspace
- Positive vibes
- Family and Friends
- Giving
- Quality
- Autonomy
- Flexibility
- Meaning
- Humility
- Respect
- Gratitude
- Purpose
- Creativity
- Savings
- Health
- Fun
- We Time
- Me Time
Less:
- Mess
- Stress
- Headaches
- Waste
- Clutter
- Quantity
- Cost
- Cleaning
Letting go of items we've had for years but haven't used in six months used to feel quite scary in the past. Now that we've done it a few times, we're overcome with a sense of gratification, accomplishment, and freedom! We can walk away appreciating what's most important to us and stop wasting time on things that simply aren't.