Minimalistic traveler
I started my big travel adventure back in 2019, leaving behind the chaos and concrete of New York City. My first stop was India… then Thailand… and I just kept going. I didn’t have some master plan or Instagrammable itinerary just a carry-on, a laptop, and the feeling that I needed less in my life, not more.
That shift hit me hard right out of the gate.
Back in NYC, I was always buying stuff. New kicks. Another jacket. Amazon packages showing up like clockwork. Half of it I didn’t even need I just bought things out of boredom, habit, or that subtle pressure to keep up with everyone else. But once I hit the road, that whole mindset crumbled.
I started staying in hostels. Not just for the budget (though that mattered), but because I wasn’t sticking around anywhere long enough to justify an Airbnb or hotel. I was sightseeing during the day, working at coffee shops in the afternoon, and crashing at night. A bed and a locker were more than enough.
Eventually, I realized something deeper: I didn’t need much at all.
The Essentialist Mindset
One of the books that helped me make sense of this shift was Essentialism by Greg McKeown. It’s not a travel book… it’s a life book. His core message? Less, but better.
McKeown says, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” That hit me. Because that’s exactly what I was doing in NYC letting trends, ads, and culture dictate my priorities. Traveling forced me to ask: What do I actually need to live? To work? To be happy?
Turns out, the list was short:
My laptop
Two iPhones (one backup)
A couple pairs of shorts and t-shirts
Two decent shirts for dates or nice dinners
Sandals and one pair of sneakers
That’s it.
I didn’t need five jackets or a shoe rotation or an entire drawer of chargers and cables. The more I stripped away, the lighter I felt physically and mentally.
Escaping the Trap of Consumption
There’s a weird freedom that comes from not needing to own much. For the first two years of traveling, I didn’t buy a single piece of clothing, except for a $6 t-shirt in Thailand. That would’ve been unthinkable to 2018-me, back when new gear was my way of “treating myself” after a long week.
But you learn quickly on the road that most of the stuff we buy is just a distraction. A way to pass the time, feel good for five minutes, or show off on Instagram.
McKeown talks about the “disciplined pursuit of less.” That means saying no to the nonessential, even when it’s tempting. Especially when it’s tempting. That’s how you make space for what actually matters connection, creativity, freedom, peace of mind.
And for me, that peace came in the form of a 40-liter backpack and the decision to stop carrying around extra weight in my bag and in my life.
Minimalism Isn’t Deprivation
People think minimalism means depriving yourself. That’s not true.
Minimalism is choosing what matters most and cutting the rest.
Sometimes that means skipping the fancy hotel. Sometimes it means walking past the sneaker store even if there’s a sale. Sometimes it’s eating the same street food three days in a row because you’ve got better things to spend your energy on.
But it also means:
Waking up without anxiety
Having clarity on what to pack, what to wear, and what to do next
Being able to move to a new country with 24 hours’ notice
Feeling in control of your time and your choices
Final Thoughts
I didn’t set out to become a minimalist. I just wanted to travel. But somewhere between booking $3 hostels and buying $1 fruit bowls, I found myself shedding all the stuff I thought I needed.
And I haven’t missed it since.
If there’s one thing Essentialism and traveling taught me, it’s this:
You don’t need more. You need less… but better.
– Hector Sanchez