How to Pick Your Essentials

In my previous blog about my routine, I shared with you about referring back to your essentials to help you stay grounded. Figuring out your essentials can be challenging. The more times I move - and I’ve moved 4 times in the last 17 months - the more I realize how miraculous it is that none of my friends signed me up on an episode of Hoarders. I have to say, I have cut down greatly. When I moved to Paris, I went with 4 checked luggage and 2 carry-ons, when I left for my Nomad journey I left with 1 checked luggage and 2 carry-on. Albeit, it pains me to throw everything out but I realize there are few things that I need in my day to day and the rest I can do without. When I say day-to-day, I meant living a normal weekday life and not a day-to-day on vacation. How do you identify your essentials?

1. Did you use this in the last month?

2. Is your lifestyle going to change from before (i.e. Student to Working or Student to Nomad)?

3. Is it your passport, ID, or wallet?

I figure out rather quickly type 1, when I moved to an apartment temporarily for 2 months in Singapore. I was too lazy to unpack everything and only unpacked my essentials - and there were many many things that I didn’t even touch and remain perfectly packed in those two months.

Type 2, this is difficult to predict and often lead yours truly to over pack or buy more things. For example, if I was interviewing then I tend to shop for more professional attire - however I haven’t started working yet and I don’t even know what the new working environment is like. For this, I learned from my male friends: don’t think too far ahead and just buy it when you need it. It’s still a learning in progress, but in business terms it is the Just-in-Time model. A rude awakening moment for me was from my friend who came to Singapore from Canada for 3 months and only packed a carry-on.

Type 3, whatever you do these are a must. However, think about keeping digital copies of things and store it on the cloud instead if you don’t need a physical copy all the time.

I can share with you some of my essentials from Type 1 group:

1. My favourite summer clothing (build for comfort and convenience)

2. Laptop and iPad

3. Journal

4. Blanket (I never bring this on a vacation trip but it is a necessity when I move somewhere new - it makes me feel at home when I sleep with it therefore a MUST for me in long-term travel)

5. Gym wear (I brought so many varieties because I work out almost everyday and probably the most I laundried)