Ask an experienced grey nomad what single piece of advice they would give to someone just setting out, and the most likely answer is … bring less stuff.
Despite the expert counsel though, it seems most ‘newbies’ simply can’t help themselves. Caravans and motorhomes are commonly filled with stacks of books and brochures, cupboards are full of various ‘just-in-case’ gadgets and devices, and enough clothes are brought along to guarantee an outfit for every occasion.
Ultimately, travellers just want to bring along items that they have become attached to and – normally inaccurately – think they ‘need’ all the things. Working on the maxim that ‘less is more’ an increasing number of grey nomads have however, been adopting a minimalist approach to life on the road.
The term minimalism surfaced after the 2008 financial crash and is centred on the idea of reducing physical possessions to make way for the important non-material things in life, such as personal wellbeing and everyday experiences.
Leading minimalist authors and bloggers, Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus, say losing the clutter can help people find lasting happiness.
“Minimalists search for happiness not through things, but through life itself,” they said. “Thus, it’s up to you to determine what is necessary and what is superfluous in your life.”
The main questions in minimalism are said to be: ‘Do I need this?’ and ‘How is this adding value to my life?’. It’s basically about promoting the things that are most valued, and removing everything that distracts us from them.
While having less space consuming possessions adding weight to the rig will obviously appeal to many grey nomads, so too will the idea of putting relationships and experiences ahead of possessions.
An organisation focussed on helping people find contentment, the Happiness Academy, is impressed.
“Benefits of minimalism are many,” it said. “It lowers stress, saves money, it means less cleaning and maintaining, it gives more time and space for enjoyment, more clarity, focus and time for creating, for loved ones, for ‘me time’, for doing the things that give us joy.”
After several tours around the block, veteran traveller Jeremy Mark is a big convert to the ‘less is more’ philosophy.
“I cannot believe how cluttered the van used to look and feel back in the day, I just don’t know what I was thinking,” he said. “I simply didn’t need four towels, two pairs of jeans, a mini library and more than one tin opener … and getting rid of them has been the most liberating feeling ever!”
My motto – the more space you have – the more crap you collect.
My wife and I travelled Australia for nearly twenty years on our motorcycles including one big lap. You find over time what you can’t live without but also what you can do without. We have finally decided two years ago to get a caravan. We loaded all our “necessary” items from our bike travelling days and are now left with acres of cupboard space that we will probably eventually fill with crap we don’t really need.
Absolutely, less is more! Concentrate on the important things. Take an iPad or tablet instead of books.
Same goes with the big vans with slide outs. Surely your awning is your friend? I/we use our van to sleep and prepare our meal in. All “spatter” cooking is done outside under the awning. Use the inside oven for scones, yum and biscuits, yum, yum. Seen may a van with a slide out pull in, wind the legs down, slide out, out and in they go to be seen the next day. If it floats your boat, well????
Other problems with slide outs are weight and wear.. A problem I also have but not with a slide out.