Ultra Minimalist Challenge (2020)

Inspired by Andrey Hyde, I decided to try two weeks only a few objects.

Normally I travel with a 50L backpack. Recently, in Colombia, my old bag broke in front of the airport gate. Quick solution: I decided to put everything in my second, smaller 20L bag.

Except for my computer, its accessories (mouse and Bluetooth keyboard), and another pair of shoes, all my belongings fit. I had to use tricks at the airport gate because they only allow us to bring one carry-on.

A new challenge

In Peru, it was the COVID19 lockdown for 15 days. We are stuck inside. We could go out only for specific reasons (supermarkets, pharmacy, banks). There is an 80% chance you get caught by the police.

Stuck inside, I decided to split my things into two categories.

1. I definitely love and need.
2. I can live without it.

Which objects did I keep?

What I wear in this picture counts as well. Included the smartphone I used for the picture.

Business,

• Laptop hybrid
• Chargers
• Notebook and pens

Toiletries,

• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• 1 microfiber towel

Clothes,

• 2 polos
• 1 shirt
• 4 underwears
• 5 pairs of socks
• 2 long pants
• 1 short
• 2 pairs of shoes

The most important,

• Your passport
• Your MasterCard/Visa
• Your smartphone with a 4G SIM card.  

➡ You can lose everything if you have those three elements; everything is going to be fine.

Everything should fit in a 20L backpack. You still have some places left for the food (snacks on the plane) and a bottle of water.

2 months later – A review of this ultra-minimalist lifestyle

Please first notify that those two weeks were a bit special,

• I did only videoconferences for business. No meeting in a suit.
• We were in an Airbnb in Cusco with all the kitchen tools available.
• The temperature outside was around 17° during the day, 3° during the night.
• We had a laundry machine at our disposal.

There were not enough underwear and socks.

The idea was that we washed our clothes regularly (every 4 days). I would advise you to take 10 socks and underwear. If you compress them correctly, it might not take so much space in your bag or closet.

If you need to go to a laundry service every week, being a minimalist is not fun at all. Then double it again.

Covid19 kit

I had to buy a mask, disinfectant gel, and plastic clothes. Due to the pandemic, the police are very strict. We can’t go outside without a mask…  

This ultra-minimalist list works very well if you don’t do a lot of sport.

It’s a laundry problem. After one social party (where I danced crazy salsa, bachata & kizomba 🕺), I would have used one shirt, one polo, and one towel. Everything will be sweat.

After one party, I’ve got only one polo left. It’s hard to manage and requires daily laundry.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, I didn’t have this problem, and I managed perfectly. 🙏

Don’t forget your body care.

I won’t be a good L’Oréal brand ambassador. I prefer women with no make-up and creams and I’m not a fan of fragrances and gels.

That’s why I took only a toothbrush on my minimalist list. Wrong move!

Unfortunately, society still judges you. I had a video conference meeting, and I knew my beard would cause problems.

Normally, I own one electric razor, but it recently broke. I had to buy a plastic razor and gel. I feel sorry because once again I failed in my ultra-minimalist challenge…

If you travel in exotic places, prepare 3 kind of clothes.

1. One you look wealthy
2. One you look regular
3. One you look cheap

For this experience, I took only polos and a shirt. It was a mistake. I should have replaced one polo with one basic t-shirt.

In some areas, you don’t want to look fancy.

• You will draw too much attention to yourself.
• Suddenly prices are higher, and it’s hard to bargain.
• People are less welcoming and more on their guard.

When you visit a pueblo, a small village, a favela, or an unfamiliar neighborhood, take your inexpensive clothes; it might save your wallet. On the contrary, if you attend a business meetup or a party, consider wearing a shirt and nicer clothes.  

Tip: If you plan to do the minimalist in your home city, it’s better to look fancy all the time 😉. Opportunities then appear. You would be shocked how people change their attitude when you wear a suit. Suddenly, all doors open…

My backpack through time

Finally, you can see a huge difference between August 2019 and April 2020. You become a minimalist with time. You try things and discover yourself etc.

1. My belongings when I left Belgium (2019)

2. My belongings when I came back to Belgium (2020)

Minimalism – Advantages  

• Less stress and safer. I know what I own, and no FOMO allowed. When you take the bus, the train, you can keep your bag with you.
• Less frustration when you need to pack up. It takes literally 5 minutes to leave an Airbnb.
• The room is always clean. Because I’ve got less, the mess is not spread up in the apartment.  
• Carry-on for sure. If airplane companies decided to reduce the carry-on to 20 cm, I could still travel without a supplement. If you want to earn 80€ on each plane, prioritize ultra-minimalism.
• You can get anything anywhere. Only bring from home what you can’t get locally. People with huge backpacks simply don’t realize that developing countries are highly developed nowadays. You’ll find more stuff in Bangkok than in Brussels…

• You will save money. When you buy products in Europe, you pay 3x times the price. If you need anything, buy it in a local shop.

I was cold in Cusco, so I bought an alpaca scarf for 5 €. In Japan, we needed gloves, and we bought two for 2 €. An adapter costs 1 € in Asia. The same applies to medicine and shower gel/shampoo.

• You are free to move. When I see those backpackers with giant bags, I feel bad for them… It’s heavy, not easy to carry and not comfortable. They are limited in their moves.

For example: When we did the Belgian repatriation, some tourists complained they had to walk 30 minutes with their luggage. Seriously? Does it mean those tourists take all the time a taxi, Uber?

Minimalism – Disadvantages

• You are limited. Your bag is too small. You won’t be gifts for all your family when you come back.
• You might do a lot of laundry. When I lived in Belgium, I had enough clothes and underwear to last me for three weeks without doing laundry.
• You wear the same shoes and clothes They will be worn out quickly. I need to buy need sneakers everything 6 months…
• The clothes I listed are suitable for a temperature range of 5° to 35°. Below 5°, I would advise you to purchase a larger jacket and some sweaters. Consider replacing the shorts with another pair of pants.
• Electronics are hard to get.  My e-reader and my electric razor were broken, and it was impossible to fix them anywhere in the world. To buy, prices change drastically from one country to another. In foreign countries, you can forget your warranty. Keyboards are different, adaptors are different. Because you change addresses constantly, you can’t order online etc.
• Which sport do you do? When you adopt a minimalist approach, your objects should serve multiple functions. I dance a lot; I can use my daily sneakers for my sport. I don’t like to spin anyway 🌪. What if you need specific equipment for your sport?
• On all your pictures you will have the same clothes. Some fashionista might notice it.
• You’ll become a freak about your clothes. As soon as I’ve a spot on my shirt, I run to the toilet to clean it. I’ve only a few clothes, so I need to save them!

I hope it inspires you.

To live with less will allow you more concentration and time for what truly matters to you.

P.S.: I know many people who love their clothes, cars, etc. For them, these objects matter a great deal. They touch their values and well-being.

If your wardrobe makes you happy and you are proud to have 50 shoes, go for it. My message is not an anti-consumerist one, but wise consumerist. Buy what you truly need for your happiness. In my case, it might be a faster laptop 😅.

PPS: Don’t throw it away. You can reuse a lot or give it away. When I declutter, I give my clothes to charities. They first looked weird to me but then smiled and said, thank you.

PPPS: I do agree with Pieter Levels, there is some hypocrisy behind the minimalist lifestyle. Not everyone can afford it. It’s a thing for privileged Westerners…

I have the luxury of being able to buy the food I need from the 7-Eleven around the corner, whereas most people in the world need to stock up large volumes of food to be able to afford eating at all.

In an emergency I have a credit card to fall back on while most people in this world do not. There’s a reason you see homeless people in America hoarding stuff, it’s because that’s all they have, and they need it to survive. – Pieter Levels (founder of Nomadlist).

We have the luxury of getting rid of our stuff.

Thank you for reading. I wish you all the best 😊!