We are overwhelmed with stuff. How do we say ‘enough’ in this world of abundance? |
Ten years ago, a postie delivered eight packages to my door. Each one contained something for me to photograph and promote on social media, and the pile felt ominous. Too much stuff, too much obligation! I was disgusted by the excess.
A few years later, my partner and I sold 80% of our belongings, and moved into a caravan to go on a road-trip around the country with our four children. I think this is called overhauling your life; when you subtract what’s superfluous so you’re left with the essentials – the things that really matter. Another word for it is “enoughness”: take what you need, leave the rest – a counter-cultural concept in 2026.
After a shift to van life and two slow years on the road, we eventually settled in a small town in rural Lutruwita/Tasmania. We bought a house, got a dog and enrolled the kids in school. People were interested in our choices, they were curious about one particular thing: how had I held on to the lessons I’d learned? What they were really asking was, how have I prevented my life from filling back up again?
Simplicity is intriguing because it’s a radical choice in a world........