In the last few years of living overseas, I’ve come to appreciate more and more the opportunity that the expat life can offer to simplify my lifestyle and align it closer with my values. There’s a couple of ways I think this can work.
The expat life involves moving. And not just moving all your things into a new flat or a new city. But to a whole new country. That will likely involve shipping a good amount of stuff across the planet to be reunited with you in your new home.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need all the stuff.
Just repeat after me: I don’t need all the stuff. I know, it’s mind blowing. But all those books you can’t live without? You can live without them. The boxes full of mementoes and old school books? You’ll not actually unpack them before you move again. The cake tins in every possible shape and size? Well, maybe… ahem. No, even those are not necessary.
If you’re about to move overseas, or if you’re currently there, take a moment to look around you and think, Is this an item I need or truly value in my life? If not, give it away or sell it. Not only does it make it cheaper and easier to live an expat life, it subtly reminds you each day that there’s more to life than what you own and helps you focus on what’s really meaningful in your life.
And bonus? A less cluttered home is likely to have a significant positive impact on your mental and physical health (not to mention your bank balance).
The other aspect of this simpler lifestyle that I find the expat lifestyle can inspire is the shedding of the over-busy schedules we can find ourselves burdened with at home. When you start new in any place, you have a chance to focus your time on what is important, and leave lots of time in between for spontaneity and rest.
Most of us have to work of course, but here’s a chance to be intentional about how we use the rest of our time. If or when you return to your home country and people ask you what you spent your time doing overseas, what do you want to be able to tell them?
What about you? Have you found that expat life has helped your embrace a simpler lifstyle, or do you find yourself clinging tighter to the lifestyle you came from?
///
This post is part of my 31 days to embrace expat life. I’m writing every day through October on this topic.
Yesterday’s post – Avoiding comparisons.
Photo: Backpacker (via pinterest)
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh Fiona, this is so true! It took shipping quotes from five companies, regarding moving a relatively small amount from Canada to Spain, to convince me I don’t need a lot of stuff. And it was still really hard! Family heirlooms and special, meaningful gifts came with me. School ephemera and my collection of Disney movies did not. And you’re absolutely right – I can sleep at night without them.
In Canada, I lived in a house. Here, I live in a flat. It’s a large flat, but it’s not a house, and even if I did want to spend thousands of dollars moving all of my things, there just wouldn’t be room for them. I’d end up paying again for them to go into storage!
I think moving around has helped me become a better gift-giver as well. Experiences (spa gift certificates, classes, hiking maps) and edibles are my new staples, especially when I know the person is a “mover”.
REALLY enjoying this series!
I LOVE your point about being a better gift-giver. We’ve had a few gifts of restaurant meals or hotels nights and they’ve been soooo appreciated. You will always have the memory, and don’t have to worry about all the extra stuff you’re collecting. I like gifting my parent-friends babysitting nights so they can go out and enjoy.
(And whoever said no to cake for presents?!)
I knew you’d like this one – you were a big inspiration for this post!
I went to a talk about 3rd Culture Kids (I have two young boys) and one of the things Ruth Van Reken advocates is that you use all the things you have, momentos, pictures etc to make the unfamiliar, familiar. In fact her first advise to ex pat mums is ‘hang those pictures up’! Isnt part of moving around, collecting wonderful momentos en route and displaying them in your home? Mind you, I will have to pass on the million sized cake tins!! Then one of my friends shared how her house had burnt down the second year of living abroad anbd she lost all her things. She challenged us to think of a world where we dont need or rely on things. So maybe there is a balance to be had here?
Just off to dust my million trinkets…:)
Hi Abby,
As a TCK myself, I think the balance you mention is a good point for TCKs, who aren’t necessarily making the choice to move like adults. On the other hand, it’s also a really valuable learning opportunity for the kids– what do they really value, what familiar things are truly important. We were often asked to choose just two or three things we really wanted to keep, which gave us the balance of having something familiar, but also taught us that we aren’t our stuff.
When Dan and I moved across the country three years ago we sold/gave away everything except clothes …. and books! It was the familiar thing we both valued most.
Really good points. Some of our “stuff” holds a lot of meaning, and maybe especially for children, can be important for finding a sense of balance even as everything changes. I wrote above that we should surround ourselves with things we “need or value” and I think that second part is key too. But if I’m honest with myself, there’s a lot of things I have that don’t fulfil either category! There’s definitely a balance to be found, and it will probably look different for every person…
Love this expat theme Fiona and will be reading every day!
) I can relate to so much of it and especially agree with the not comparing post! I am a TCK and we moved every 3 years growing up and our family phrase was “home is where the heart is”… literally. Doesn’t matter not having your roots tied to any one country, letting go of material things every few years etc as long as your roots are rooted in a loving family. And then, like you, you can find your wings! (Which never in a million years would I have thought would involve this little country called Luxembourg!). 
) x
Rasmus and I have a print at home which says “home is wherever I’m with you”, which is how we’ve come to think of it, since we come from two different countries. I love your thoughts about how you can still feel ROOTED even if you move around a lot, if you feel loved. That’s a really beautiful thought.