Our goal was to eliminate everything we owned that did not fit in 4 pieces of luggage and 2 backpacks. However, we had to add 1 additional carry-on piece to keep the weight beneath 50 pounds per each piece of checked in luggage.
Getting down to this footprint was not easy. Minimalism advocates living with less and among items you truly cherish. If a possession did not spark joy, we let it go with gratitude and donated it to those who could benefit from having it. Thank goodness for Marie Kondo!
November 3 months later…
We came close to reaching our goal to minimalize. However, looking back, we still overpacked and could have easily reduced our luggage by 1/3. Minimalism will continue to be pursued and balanced with pragmatism and practicality. Since we arrived in Panama, we acquired a TV and a car but plan to acquire little else. Striving for minimalism, for us, has been truly liberating and we hope our journey will be kinder on the environment.