Before moving abroad, she sold almost everything she owned; returning home with even less stuff than packed
Downsizing before Japan
When the writer and her partner planned their yearlong move to Japan, they had no apartment to return to, so they decided to pare down. She sold furniture, electronics and other belongings through Facebook Marketplace.
They packed a few sentimental possessions and left the boxes with family in Canada. The writer had previously kept a full closet, many books and shoes for nearly every occasion.
Living with fewer belongings
In Japan, she did not miss what she had left behind, even when she ran out of her usual hair products and had to find alternatives for her curls. Having less to carry felt like a relief.
As the months passed, she questioned whether she needed extra shampoo and stationery. She shipped three boxes of belongings back to Canada, and a fourth was planned, because she did not use most of what they contained.
A smaller return home
The writer still misses parts of her former lifestyle in Canada, including a kitchen stocked with cooking tools and appliances. She also sometimes misses coming home to a space filled with things she chose for herself.
Soon, she and her partner will return to Canada and face the 20 boxes they left there. She hardly remembers what is inside and plans to sort through them, saying she does not want most of the contents back.
Key points
- The writer sold most of her belongings before moving from Ottawa to Japan for a year.
- She shipped three boxes, with a fourth on the way, back to Canada because she did not need most of their contents.
- She misses a well-equipped kitchen and a home filled with personal belongings.
- She plans to purge much of the 20 boxes waiting for her in Canada.