36 Great Tips for Keeping Travel as Simple as Possible (and Two Poems)

“He who would travel happily must travel light.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

When you travel, do you want to be as light as possible? A light bag, and a light itinerary?

Many of us have had the nightmare experience of lugging around too much luggage, waiting in the baggage claims area, trying to cram too many activities into each day, and generally being so stressed that we need a vacation when we get home.

Instead, simplify your travel.

12 Essential Rules to Live More Like a Zen Monk

“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

I’m not a Zen monk, nor will I ever become one. However, I find great inspiration in the way they try to live their lives: the simplicity of their lives, the concentration and mindfulness of every activity, the calm and peace they find in their days.

You probably don’t want to become a Zen monk either, but you can live your life in a more Zen-like manner by following a few simple rules.

Ask the Readers: Tips for Keeping Travel Simple

Hi my friends … I’m planning a trip to Thailand this summer, my first to that fascinating country. I haven’t traveled in years, and so I’ve been doing a lot of research and planning and reading and dreaming. Guidebooks, tons of research on the Internet, reading blogs and customer reviews and searching for good vegetarian restaurants in Bangkok and learning some Thai words.

In short, I’m already having a blast.

I’m planning on keeping my packing list very light, and will only be bringing a small backpack (not one of those huge trekking backpacks or anything) and a couple changes of clothes. I’ll be gone a couple weeks in late June/early July.

A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Workspace

Unclutterer.com, one of my favorite blogs, has published a guest post I wrote that I think you might be interested in reading:

A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Workspace

Head on over to see my workspace … and please keep in mind that I’m not telling anyone to create a space exactly like mine! :)

Share your thoughts in the comments over there — there’s already an interesting discussion going on in the comments.

Are you an unclutterer or a cleaner?

Editor’s note:This is a guest post from Erin Doland, Editor-in-Chief of the fantastic blog, Unclutterer.com.

Un·clut·ter·er | ənklətərər |
noun
1. One who seeks to get rid of clutter and distractions that create barriers to or hinder the formation of a remarkable life.
2. One who unclutters.
3. One who reads the home and office organization blog Unclutterer.

Language has a beautiful way of being manipulated so that an exact thought or intention can be simply expressed between two people. The word “unclutterer” didn’t exist in 2005, but today it is a regular part of my vocabulary. I can’t remember what I said in its place before — maybe “neatnik” or “person who is organized” — but neither of those phrases were as efficient or accurate as “unclutterer.”