One of the things that struck me last night when I returned home was that I had a wardrobe. I looked around for the suitcase that I had lived out of for the last 5 weeks and I had already unpacked and put everything away (I’m efficient, what can I say?). Anyhow, it caused me to realise and reflect upon something which I want to share with you—how long could you live out a suitcase?
As I got changed last night, I realised a few things: 1) I had a variety of choices as to what to wear; 2) I had a lot of clothes; 3) I managed to live out of a suitcase for 5 weeks. In turn, it begs a number of choices about the way that we live and the messages our society continues to proclaim. Do we really need all the stuff that we have? Are we so immune and affluent that we have lost sight of who we are? What is it that we really need?
For 5 weeks, I lived out of a suitcase with a few basic sets of clothes. I needed some shoes for a friend’s wedding (I only brought sneakers and flip-flots), so I went out and bought a pair of shoes. I forgot my belt, so I went out and bought a belt (and while I was there some shirts and pants, since they were on sale…but did I really need them?). However, I cycled through my “outfits” without much care (as long as they matched somewhat). But, I survived and had no need to buy much else.
Most people have been on holidays/camps/trips, so the idea of living out of a suitcase isn’t entirely foreign. So just for a bit of a fun exercise, just try for a week, or maybe a fortnight, to live out of suitcase. Plan ahead and “pack” the things you’ll need, but see how you fare.
