Minimalists. I Admire them From Afar

I am currently in the last week (insert sad emoji!) of my Mini Grand Tour of Australia. Being the little consumer goods victim that I am, I have seen oh so many things on the way that I might have just picked up and stuffed into my suitcase if a) I was not accompanied by my Mum who I knew would have disapproved of half of my impulse buys (you really always stay a child with your parents, don't you?) and b) did not have to self-discipline until our final stop in Sydney when I could take my second item of check-in luggage for the return trip out of my monster Rimowa suitcase. As we all know, being allowed to check in not one, but 2 pieces of luggage on Star Alliance flights is my favourite perk of enjoying Frequent Flyer status. I love it and at the same time am mildly disgusted by my inability to travel light. I really don't like travelling with cabin baggage only as I prefer not to have anything to put into an overhead locker at all, leaving the space to business men with their trolleys. Instead of limiting myself to carry-on luggage only, I have perfected another "technique" over the years. Let's call it "Wardrobe Decluttering Holiday Style". Half of the garments you see below have already been discarded between Bangkok and Brisbane. I collect frayed knickers and threadbare socks as well as "mehp" clothes I would have thrown into the textiles collection bins at home for months and it gives me great satisfaction to create space (for souvenirs) in my suitcase whenever I am on a longer vacation.

It is always the same: I get excited and start packing my suitcase pretty early. I pat myself on the shoulder for only taking the bare minimum. Then I worry I have packed to little in fact. Followed by realisation that it is probably way too much and I start taking out a few things. When on vacation, I will inevitably realise that I have taken too many pairs of shoes and, randomly, 3 lip balms with SPF, while I have forgotten my mini scissors or some other important item. I am clearly out of practice with business trips when I had everything down to perfection. 

I think I'll just resign myself to the fact once more that in this life I won't become a minimalist, but I will stick to my konmari packing method that allows me easy access to everything and does not require hanging and ironing of clothes. Better than nothing.
Whether I will ever understand how "just a few t-shirts" can add up to 20 kilos remains unlikely and the orange tag of shame will therefore be a permanent fixture: