The Journey East Begins | The Freedom of Less

@macchiata · 2025-11-05 03:22 · The MINIMALIST

Minimalist Packing Progression.....

It was around 8 AM when I heard my phone ring quite continuously. I was still fast asleep and up until the next thirty minutes, I was finally awake. I read the message that I needed to travel right there, right now. A bit disoriented, I panicked. I haven’t packed nor have I had the idea what to pack and for how long I’d be on the road again.

![20251104_140355.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/23wgMrKWwRgLYWAZgXsyFEVVEBxhXgKgkLeCdynN1ardW4NaGdBz9UhuZ9xETKiZgkPNZ.jpg) In that sudden rush, I remembered all the clutters in my room or the things I suddenly owned that weighed me down a bit. I used to know how many things I owned down to its name and numbers but since I created this little nest, God knows how many things are there now. ## “ Should I bring my mechanical keyboard too?” \- I kid you not, this what pops up into my head. This isn’t going to be just one of those week trips. It's full blown on the road that I used to do for months and end. I used to master packing very light and survived on a few items. But this is an art, the less you practice, the worse you become. So, since it had been a while, even my trip to Malaysia for Hive fest, I realized I carried too much. I was only learning this art again from Walter who inspired me to travel light again and fit whatever we could in some 60lt bag or less [The inspiration\!](https://peakd.com/hive-141359/@walterjay/waltinasia0-final-preparation-and-air-france-flight-to-asia-gfk) Honestly, I started thinking more about what to ditch and what to bring and I started re-evaluating the things I owned that weighed me down too. I used to be so mobile until I wasn’t. I was a minimalist through and through but funny how our environment can quietly shape us, like what happened to me hanging out around hoarders. It’s slowly pulling you in and once I have my own space and live on my own terms, this is really all I need, in some 30L bag. ### When I packed this bag, I was so overjoyed that it felt good. It felt like I was back being myself and not losing the art of my minimalist packing. So, I deserve a good pat, I guess. I know, it’s tempting to bring more and I even want to bring my coffee maker as a coffee snob but those have to stay at home. While I am dying inside, I have to let it all go and besides, now I am less snobby about my coffee 🤣as long as it’s coffee, I’d be good now. Oh and as a woman, make up & toiletries can be its own baggage. When I was “nesting”, I had that habit of collecting shades and such. But now, I have to let them all go and stick to what’s truly essential. From quite a bit of things to this is quite an achievement on its own. I know, I’ll manage anyway.
![DSC08253.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/Eo45DS9n6w1DvKLHSWhr3ixK2DxpyHrwJRkQ37zZ3iWpibCYMJtXnwTVin16czm9YNz.JPG)
![DSC08255.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/Eo8LeR7pbBsZ12QVLm5jc9rttwxyA52JqCcX7s2WZAtCrYJZGfZwbFZZCnsnbN4bWGS.JPG)
### Before and After Packing Progression There seems to be progression on the way I pack too. Now, it’s all neater and less chaotic than before. I know what I’d need, what I’ll truly wear and I stop buying things I won’t wear. So, that frees up a lot of spaces in my bag.
this one right here is my before I was truly enlightened :D just look at how messy that is and I was overpacking so much. This was from my 2023 trip to Thailand-Laos for more than 2 months. The other one is my refined version where I think it sort of reflect my state of mind too 😃 Maybe now, I am less complicated, truly free and a lot less neurotic haha. I also think that the less we really have, the easier it is to be flexible and moving around. Anyway,I am happy that 3 years changed a lot in me and my minimalism journey too. ![Eou8fyupSiZMpu88DSUf5R2tF3r9sQeJFzJuGSU2YJ9zD7gTAEHWUQD4i3fpWcKjhQE.JPG](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/Eou8fyupSiZMpu88DSUf5R2tF3r9sQeJFzJuGSU2YJ9zD7gTAEHWUQD4i3fpWcKjhQE.JPG)
![20251104_100934.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/242rkix7KzJpqGDvTzpsRtnMMgYqA5S16udxY5EAHhXWJ7sFvqEBWyjEFdBRhkh22kBh5.jpg)
Recently, I got a Voyager Tote Bag from Eiger. This bag fits every electronic and accessories I have. It even has a space for a water bottle compartment that is great when you move around. While it cost a bit more than my other totebag, it was a great investment I made because it’s durable and fits everything I have from camera to my laptop. It’s also low-key hobo-like and classic. This bag made me donate all the other bags that I used to have and will only stick to this one. ![from the store website ](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/macchiata/23zGyikfCSB2w2jDKCGBF5eLxmQDJVp9erJhWcJ7pBvQ9URkBLShgsdRraXz6bsQU57sB.png) And surprisingly, unlike before where I was still scrambling to fit things like puzzles, these days I don’t have to. I can pack my things within an hour and just go with it. > A week ago, I’ve been rearranging the things I will bring like a puzzle. It was like playing a puzzle game where I have to make sure every piece fits and has its place Now, I no longer ask myself or done all that. I was simply following what I like & my institution. I guess now, I am truly experienced in packing light? For details of my previous experience, you can check out this post [Can You Pack Months of Adventure into a 30L Bag?](https://peakd.com/hive-194848/@macchiata/can-you-pack-months-of-adventure-into-a-30l-bag)
By the way, this was one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on this year regarding to Hive awareness in Indonesian (Sept–Feb 2024–2025). You can learn how I managed it here :
NTy4GV6ooFRmaCXZ8UYgPhoud1kjiNX8QokLEZtbBKLuLWQ9yt7K3o4PG7qiS2SfyUvr6dYces7DWJ8xfHhq8PVtQPrvofyP72KL3ppdRxeugWvBfxeBRgtHv4FSStZc4YZ6Tzt1Pm995NNPZRyGjU7WNd7xvdEv2qtUNXuG.jpg
𝘊𝘦𝘮𝘺 (𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘤) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍 & 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘳, 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺, 𝘱𝘰𝘱 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺; 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴.
#minimalism #travel #backpacking #minimalist-tips #packingtips #minimalist-lifestyle
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