All 51 Things I Own
One of the most popular posts ever here on Exile Lifestyle was All 72 Things I Own, wherein I took a photo of each and every object I owned in the world and was shocked to find that I had only 72 items.
Well that was back in November when I was living in Buenos Aires – a lifetime ago! – and seeing as how this is the 100th post here on Exile Lifestyle, I thought it would be a good time to revisit this concept and see how much I own now.
I had a vague notion that I wanted to be down to 50 items by the time I moved to New Zealand, and it looks like I met that goal. In fact, until today I was at 47 things…not too shabby!
But this morning a magical thing happened: 4 t-shirts arrived in the mail. T-shirts that I designed for Exile Lifestyle, my audience and myself. Yay! Oh wait. Guess I should have only ordered 3 shirts. Drat.
It’s okay, though. Because you know what? Rules were meant to be broken (especially rules created by you for a competition against yourself as part of a project also created by you).
I’ll continue to reduce as I stop using things (I imagine some of the other shirts I own will be on the cutting block soon), but at this moment I’ve got 51 and that’s just fine with me.
Below is a list of what you’re looking at in the photos above (in the same order). Click on any of the photos to be taken to it’s Flickr page where there is a more detailed description (including brands where applicable) and larger photo.
*It should be noted that I count some things together (the glasses and their case, for example) and I haven’t photographed the small tangle of cables I have to power the objects on the list. I also don’t include anything that is consumable (food, toilet paper, etc) or anything that I’m currently renting (my apartment in Christchurch, the furniture in it).
My 51 Things
- Button-down shirt
- Polo
- Long-sleeved shirt
- V-neck t-shirt
- V-neck t-shirt
- Graphic t-shirt
- Graphic t-shirt
- Graphic t-shirt
- Graphic t-shirt
- T-shirt
- T-shirt
- Jeans
- Jeans
- Pants
- Jacket
- Jacket
- Hoodie
- 3 pairs of boxers/boxer briefs
- 4 pairs of socks
- Shoes
- Flip flops (jandals!)
- Belt
- Workout shoes
- 2 workout shirts
- Workout shorts/ swim trunks
- Messenger bag
- Carry-on bag
- Sunglasses
- Wallet/contents/passport
- Notebook and sketchbook
- Pens and pencils
- Digital camera and case
- Tripod
- Phone and SIM cads
- Universal Adapter
- Laptop
- Laptop case
- 2 external hard drives
- iPod/armband/headphones
- Trimmer and shaver
- Glasses and case
- Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
Just wondering, can you do a new list of all the things you own? It's been quite a while since the last one. One thing I'd like to ask is that you do it similar to the '72 things..' article. I found that easier to sort through and think about compared to this one (mostly due to the lonely pathetic low resolution picture). Oh, and if possible, a bit of a commentary on their role in your lifestyle would be helpful.
This is inspirational. A few years ago I read a newspaper article about a man who reduced all his possessions to only 51, and since then I've been trying to keep my possessions down to a minimum, keeping 51 as my ultimate goal. I still have plenty more than that, and now with moving coming up I'm scrambling to get things reduced as much as I can... yet somehow my clothing is still in massive amounts and little knick knacks and sentimentals are overwhelming. Plus I live in Canada, so I need to account for all the cold weather and extra accessories that go along with it. But thank you for this, seeing someone with far less possessions, enough to fit in two bags, is helping me reach my goal to only 51 as well.... Cheers.
Awesome - But I'm going to better this! I'm going to attempt to live with even fewer items! Bag, Travel towel, Macbook air, 3 bamboo t-shirts, 1 merino wool longsleeve baselayer, 2 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of boxer shorts, 3 pairs of bamboo socks, passport+wallet. Toiletries (toothbrush etc) are consumables.
Can't even imagine getting down to this little. I wonder how it feels. Freeing I bet.
WOW THIS IS AMAZING!!! You are a true minimalist! I recently wrote an article about how planning a RTW trip has made me a minimalist. I thought I made alot of cuts. It looks like I still have alot more to get rid of & I will!!!
My post if you are interested:
http://tinyurl.com/35gtth3
I saw something similar a year or two back as part of Jay Shafer's Tiny House Living. Someone posted his 101 items, which actually included furtniture, books etc; be interesting to see what yours included!
i am so tempted to buy you a deck of cards. 52?
stay adventurous, Craig
Hi, a knife is not an option here. :)
Don't have a car? Plate, fork, knife, microwave? ID card? Wallet?
I absolutely love the photo collage of all your things! Beautifully done, very artsy, and a fantastic way to visually see your stuff. Makes me want to photograph all my stuff (currently at 81 things)! Keep up the great work, Colin!
I finally did this and published my list here http://newhabit.org/?p=289. Thanks for the inspiration to getting this done!
I finally did this and published my list here http://newhabit.org/?p=289. Thanks for the inspiration to getting this done!
Hi Colin - wow what a website. And you know you've shown how minimal can be anything but austere, a life of denial without humour, often the response of people when you mention minimalism. I love your 51 items - the colour is fantastic. I realised that in stripping down, I had way too much black in my wardrobe and now its being replaced with colour. and yes I have bought the t-shirt - Exile Lifestyle in Pomegranate. I can't wait - so easy to order even to the UK, and organic! I've been inspired my minimalism for 35 years and am finally putting everything into practice, at 45, with 3 kids and separated its not easy its so rewarding. I'm doing my best to blog my bit which is about wellness at but I wish I'd had the courage and sense to do this 20 years ago. You are a great inspiration and I look forward to reading much more. Mark
Hi Colin - wow what a website. And you know you've shown how minimal can be anything but austere, a life of denial without humour, often the response of people when you mention minimalism. I love your 51 items - the colour is fantastic. I realised that in stripping down, I had way too much black in my wardrobe and now its being replaced with colour. and yes I have bought the t-shirt - Exile Lifestyle in Pomegranate. I can't wait - so easy to order even to the UK, and organic! I've been inspired my minimalism for 35 years and am finally putting everything into practice, at 45, with 3 kids and separated its not easy its so rewarding. I'm doing my best to blog my bit which is about wellness at but I wish I'd had the courage and sense to do this 20 years ago. You are a great inspiration and I look forward to reading much more. Mark
This is very cool, and inspiring. As a minimalist father of 3, I may not be able to entirely contain the clutter contained in my house, but I have whittled my own personal footprint of possessions down to far less than what I owned over a decade ago. I work in technology and have taken full advantage of e-books to replace physical books, MP3s to replace CDs, digital scanning to save all important docs/mementos as .PDF or .JPG files, and other examples. As a homeowner I may not be able to eliminate everything not 100% immediately necessary (e.g. extra sump pump in case the one I have in the basement fails, which would be disastrous) and as a book lover I do have some difficulties getting rid of books I can't get digitally and MAY want to read someday. However, in all other matters I whittle down to the bone, even bringing in extra pens and pencils to work to put out for public use if I find I have too many at home.
Thanks for sharing these details and I am envious of your ability to fit your life into a couple of items of luggage.
This is very cool, and inspiring. As a minimalist father of 3, I may not be able to entirely contain the clutter contained in my house, but I have whittled my own personal footprint of possessions down to far less than what I owned over a decade ago. I work in technology and have taken full advantage of e-books to replace physical books, MP3s to replace CDs, digital scanning to save all important docs/mementos as .PDF or .JPG files, and other examples. As a homeowner I may not be able to eliminate everything not 100% immediately necessary (e.g. extra sump pump in case the one I have in the basement fails, which would be disastrous) and as a book lover I do have some difficulties getting rid of books I can't get digitally and MAY want to read someday. However, in all other matters I whittle down to the bone, even bringing in extra pens and pencils to work to put out for public use if I find I have too many at home.
Thanks for sharing these details and I am envious of your ability to fit your life into a couple of items of luggage.
I recently (July, 2009) simplified my life down to 30 things and traveled throughout Latin America. As of this writing, I have 25.
Maybe I should post an entry on the 25 things I own.
P.S. Love that one of your things is a MacBook. :)
I recently (July, 2009) simplified my life down to 30 things and traveled throughout Latin America. As of this writing, I have 25.
Maybe I should post an entry on the 25 things I own.
P.S. Love that one of your things is a MacBook. :)
I notice there are no blankets, pillows, sheets, sleeping bag, etc. Where do you sleep? No dishes either, do you eat out all the time?
I notice there are no blankets, pillows, sheets, sleeping bag, etc. Where do you sleep? No dishes either, do you eat out all the time?
I aspire!
I aspire!
Hi Colin,
I'm intruiged... you chose to surrender the netbook? And that fab, brown leather satchel?
Respect is due to the ruthlessness of your minimalism!
V
Hi Colin,
I'm intruiged... you chose to surrender the netbook? And that fab, brown leather satchel?
Respect is due to the ruthlessness of your minimalism!
V
I don't see why you should have to count toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. All of these things are consumables just like hair product and soap. Therefore I declare that Colin owns 50 things!
I don't see why you should have to count toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. All of these things are consumables just like hair product and soap. Therefore I declare that Colin owns 50 things!
I'm thinking about ways to minimize and one question came to mind for some unknown reason: No dishes or utensils? What do you eat off of and with? Or do you eat at restaurants or friends' all the time?
I'm thinking about ways to minimize and one question came to mind for some unknown reason: No dishes or utensils? What do you eat off of and with? Or do you eat at restaurants or friends' all the time?
Love the even more narrow list of possessions. I've been going through all my stuff (originally inspired by the 72 items blog post), and racked upwards of $600 in cash from selling on eBay or Craigslist.
Love the even more narrow list of possessions. I've been going through all my stuff (originally inspired by the 72 items blog post), and racked upwards of $600 in cash from selling on eBay or Craigslist.
Hey you could get new glasses from zenni optical for like $20 and have it shipped to wherever you are.
What do you put all of this stuff in when you move? A big piece of luggage? Or the 2 bags in your list? All of that clothing would take up a lot of space.
Hey you could get new glasses from zenni optical for like $20 and have it shipped to wherever you are.
What do you put all of this stuff in when you move? A big piece of luggage? Or the 2 bags in your list? All of that clothing would take up a lot of space.
what about brain baggage?-om tat sat-enjoy
what about brain baggage?-om tat sat-enjoy
Why don't you just auction off one of the extra tshirts.
Excellent, but no deodorant or aftershave at all???? I find that hard to believe ;)
Any tips for people with kids, how do we remove clutter?
Why don't you just auction off one of the extra tshirts.
Excellent, but no deodorant or aftershave at all???? I find that hard to believe ;)
Any tips for people with kids, how do we remove clutter?
Where are all your toys? Don't you play any sport? What about skiis, snowboard, surfboard, tennis racket, water skis, skido etc etc. Or are those items just the ones you travel with?
Where are all your toys? Don't you play any sport? What about skiis, snowboard, surfboard, tennis racket, water skis, skido etc etc. Or are those items just the ones you travel with?
I'm impressed and jealous! I can't practically compress my wardrobe so drastically at this stage in my life (college - can't afford to do small batches of laundry too often), but I plan to inventory/purge my belongings when I return home for the summer.
Was there anything sentimental, though, that you had trouble parting with? I have a favorite animal, you see, so over the years people have given me lots of precious figurines and crafts in its image. I pack them away thinking, "One day I'll have a house to decorate with these things," but in truth I just feel bad tossing/selling them.
I'm impressed and jealous! I can't practically compress my wardrobe so drastically at this stage in my life (college - can't afford to do small batches of laundry too often), but I plan to inventory/purge my belongings when I return home for the summer.
Was there anything sentimental, though, that you had trouble parting with? I have a favorite animal, you see, so over the years people have given me lots of precious figurines and crafts in its image. I pack them away thinking, "One day I'll have a house to decorate with these things," but in truth I just feel bad tossing/selling them.
Way to go, Colin! You now officially have me beat. I have actually added a few items to my arsenal over the past few weeks, but I see it as a temporary setback. You continue to be an inspiration. Thanks a bunch! :-)
Way to go, Colin! You now officially have me beat. I have actually added a few items to my arsenal over the past few weeks, but I see it as a temporary setback. You continue to be an inspiration. Thanks a bunch! :-)
wow that is actually very impressive.... Im trying to think what I have that makes my stuff so much more than yours...
What about your books?
I have a...
Kindle
Sleeping bag (which I've never used)
Silk Sleeping sheet (which is awesome)
A Rain Jacket
A Suit!
Black Shoes & Waterproof Snow/Treking Shoes
(Shoe count = 5. thongs, vibrams and black slip-ons - I left 10 pairs at home - im a shoe whore :P)
I guess thats about enough to blow out my luggage. There are some pretty big things there...
And I have way less t-shirts :P
Ive been thinking what to cut down. I'm thinking about getting rid of my sleeping bag, but I paid $150 for it and cant bring myself to do it...
wow that is actually very impressive.... Im trying to think what I have that makes my stuff so much more than yours...
What about your books?
I have a...
Kindle
Sleeping bag (which I've never used)
Silk Sleeping sheet (which is awesome)
A Rain Jacket
A Suit!
Black Shoes & Waterproof Snow/Treking Shoes
(Shoe count = 5. thongs, vibrams and black slip-ons - I left 10 pairs at home - im a shoe whore :P)
I guess thats about enough to blow out my luggage. There are some pretty big things there...
And I have way less t-shirts :P
Ive been thinking what to cut down. I'm thinking about getting rid of my sleeping bag, but I paid $150 for it and cant bring myself to do it...
Love the t-shirts/designs/descriptions. Thanks for sharing what you've pared your belongings down to! I thought that it was crazy to live with 72, but you've proven that you can make it work with fewer :)
lol, the Patagonia is NOT kiwi pants! More like stereotypical TOURIST, cargo pants is one of the key indicators you can use to identify a tourist from miles and miles away
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Nice! Well done, Colin! You’ll be down to nothing but the ultra awesome self-designed shirt on your back in no time! (hot.)
Nice! Well done, Colin! You’ll be down to nothing but the ultra awesome self-designed shirt on your back in no time! (hot.)
I find this impressive, crazy, and highly amusing. Thanks for sharing and putting things in perspective.
I find this impressive, crazy, and highly amusing. Thanks for sharing and putting things in perspective.
That’s an incredible achievement. You really have managed to get rid of all the clutter. Every time I’m packing for travelling, I take less and less with me, but there’s _always_ something I don’t even take out of the bag.
I have to check your designs in skreened. To anyone else, I can sincerely recommend skreened shirts in general (regardless whether it’s Colin, me, or someone else providing the design). Definitely a good choice for a thin wardrobe :)
That’s an incredible achievement. You really have managed to get rid of all the clutter. Every time I’m packing for travelling, I take less and less with me, but there’s _always_ something I don’t even take out of the bag.
I have to check your designs in skreened. To anyone else, I can sincerely recommend skreened shirts in general (regardless whether it’s Colin, me, or someone else providing the design). Definitely a good choice for a thin wardrobe :)
Impressive, Colin. When I move apartments this summer, I’ll be staying in a room about half the size of my current bedroom. Looking forward to de-cluttering my life!
Impressive, Colin. When I move apartments this summer, I’ll be staying in a room about half the size of my current bedroom. Looking forward to de-cluttering my life!
That’s amazing. Blimey, I’ve got 93 pairs of shoes and that doesn’t include riding boots, trainers, slippers, sandals or flats. I must own… a million… no… a billion things! I’ve got years and years worth of VOGUEs… stupid mobile chargers I don’t need any more… twenty jackets, 400 pens and pencils, books upon books upon books, 30 pairs of knitting needles… a sackful of makeup… Spider-man dolls, 52 Barbies, four calendars… I am feeling dizzy already… Bah humbug, I should do what you do and downsize to only… 50 things. I’ll start with the shoes. I’ll downsize to only 50 pairs. But where are your tweezers? How do you keep your eyebrows so tidy? Do you thread with the dental floss?
Hi Colin, I see you trimmed down from 72 to 51. I haven’t started my trip yet, haven’t had to carry all my stuff. Perhaps that’s the reason I am starting with 84: http://travelingshorts.com/post/432802975/all-the-items-i-am-taking
great pics!
That’s amazing. Blimey, I’ve got 93 pairs of shoes and that doesn’t include riding boots, trainers, slippers, sandals or flats. I must own… a million… no… a billion things! I’ve got years and years worth of VOGUEs… stupid mobile chargers I don’t need any more… twenty jackets, 400 pens and pencils, books upon books upon books, 30 pairs of knitting needles… a sackful of makeup… Spider-man dolls, 52 Barbies, four calendars… I am feeling dizzy already… Bah humbug, I should do what you do and downsize to only… 50 things. I’ll start with the shoes. I’ll downsize to only 50 pairs. But where are your tweezers? How do you keep your eyebrows so tidy? Do you thread with the dental floss?
Hi Colin, I see you trimmed down from 72 to 51. I haven’t started my trip yet, haven’t had to carry all my stuff. Perhaps that’s the reason I am starting with 84: http://travelingshorts.com/post/432802975/all-the-items-i-am-taking
great pics!
zaci1 says: Inspiring =]
zaci1 says: Inspiring =]
@Kristin: Thanks chick! Haha, hopefully I’ll have some pants or something in there, too, but I AM open to new experiences…pantsless travel sounds like something Matt would do.
@Brian: Thanks Brian! It was fun for me to put together, too.
@Timo: Yeah, I keep finding the same thing. When I moved to Buenos Aires and found I had 72 items I was shocked mostly because I knew I hadn’t taken a double-handful of my possessions out of the bag the whole time I was there, and didn’t plan on it either. Made the whole 50 items thing seem a lot more realistic :) As for Skreened, I couldn’t agree more. American Apparel tees have always been my favorite for their quality, feel and fit, and the print job on these suckers is just amazing. The quality is just off the charts (and they’ve got great corporate ethics…check out their website to find out more about that).
@Early Retirement Extreme: Nope! Really hard to travel with that kind of thing these days, and I find that if I need a utensil, I can usually find one pretty easily (whether by eating at a place that gives plastic ones or just by buying one for a few cents at a market). Also, I’m currently renting a furnished apartment and those usually come with flatware and utensils.
@Alan: Thanks brother! Looking forward to hearing about the process!
@Steph: Haha, believe it or not I know that feeling well. My ex and I had a pretty sizable walk-in closet at our townhouse in LA, and it was packed to the brim. I had a whole lot of clothes because of the kind of business I was in and the kinds of people I was hanging out with. I find that as I travel, however, I see the same people less-frequently, so it’s not as necessary to own so many variations of everything. Also: LA is so gilded that you have to dress a certain way or be left out…not so most other places, so long as you’ve got confidence and personality (these things aren’t really necessary in LA, so long as you’ve got cash or fame).
@Bruno: Yeah, it gets a lot easier once you get on the road…until you split, though, you won’t know what you really need and what you just THINK you’ll need. 84 is damnably impressive by itself, though! Love the way you set up that post. Hopefully people will click the link and be inspired!
@zaci1: Thanks!
@Kristin: Thanks chick! Haha, hopefully I’ll have some pants or something in there, too, but I AM open to new experiences…pantsless travel sounds like something Matt would do.
@Brian: Thanks Brian! It was fun for me to put together, too.
@Timo: Yeah, I keep finding the same thing. When I moved to Buenos Aires and found I had 72 items I was shocked mostly because I knew I hadn’t taken a double-handful of my possessions out of the bag the whole time I was there, and didn’t plan on it either. Made the whole 50 items thing seem a lot more realistic :) As for Skreened, I couldn’t agree more. American Apparel tees have always been my favorite for their quality, feel and fit, and the print job on these suckers is just amazing. The quality is just off the charts (and they’ve got great corporate ethics…check out their website to find out more about that).
@Early Retirement Extreme: Nope! Really hard to travel with that kind of thing these days, and I find that if I need a utensil, I can usually find one pretty easily (whether by eating at a place that gives plastic ones or just by buying one for a few cents at a market). Also, I’m currently renting a furnished apartment and those usually come with flatware and utensils.
@Alan: Thanks brother! Looking forward to hearing about the process!
@Steph: Haha, believe it or not I know that feeling well. My ex and I had a pretty sizable walk-in closet at our townhouse in LA, and it was packed to the brim. I had a whole lot of clothes because of the kind of business I was in and the kinds of people I was hanging out with. I find that as I travel, however, I see the same people less-frequently, so it’s not as necessary to own so many variations of everything. Also: LA is so gilded that you have to dress a certain way or be left out…not so most other places, so long as you’ve got confidence and personality (these things aren’t really necessary in LA, so long as you’ve got cash or fame).
@Bruno: Yeah, it gets a lot easier once you get on the road…until you split, though, you won’t know what you really need and what you just THINK you’ll need. 84 is damnably impressive by itself, though! Love the way you set up that post. Hopefully people will click the link and be inspired!
@zaci1: Thanks!
Colin – this is awesome! I love the idea of taking a photo of everything. At my last count I had 73 items, but that was before the big move to Portland. I need to recount and I might take photos too. So fun! :)
Colin – this is awesome! I love the idea of taking a photo of everything. At my last count I had 73 items, but that was before the big move to Portland. I need to recount and I might take photos too. So fun! :)
Colin this is my favorite post of yours, well I liked the last one as well, since it makes me question how I will eventually do it (probably 4 years out at the moment…) but yeah. Some comments.
Still no Kindle? Personally I’m waiting for 3.0 since they just acquired a touch technology company so maybe thats your excuse as well…
No wine aerator?
Eating much veal yet?
Also, when did you make that video you posted and what camera did you use? It was really good. (content and clarity of picture.)
-Andrew
Colin this is my favorite post of yours, well I liked the last one as well, since it makes me question how I will eventually do it (probably 4 years out at the moment…) but yeah. Some comments.
Still no Kindle? Personally I’m waiting for 3.0 since they just acquired a touch technology company so maybe thats your excuse as well…
No wine aerator?
Eating much veal yet?
Also, when did you make that video you posted and what camera did you use? It was really good. (content and clarity of picture.)
-Andrew
Just thinking about getting my “stuff” down to just 51 things hurts my head! When renting a furnished apartment, do you have your own set of requirements for furnishings that fit in with your lifestyle? Or are you easy to please in this regard?
Just thinking about getting my “stuff” down to just 51 things hurts my head! When renting a furnished apartment, do you have your own set of requirements for furnishings that fit in with your lifestyle? Or are you easy to please in this regard?
@Tammy: Do it! And met me know when you do! I’ll link back to you.
@Andrew: No Kindle. I’d LOVE to have the excuse to get one, but I have the Kindle software on my iPod Touch at the moment, which is how I read most of my eBooks these days. I ditched the wine aerator while I was in the States, and though I would have loved to keep it, I’m experimenting with going as minimal as possible, and I couldn’t justify it. No veal yet, though I hear they eat a lot of it here! I made that video a week or so ago, and I used my digital camera (it shoots really solid HD video). Thanks for the kind words! I’ll be posting a new video every week, so send me a question if you’d like me to answer it, video-style!
@Tresna: I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to furniture, but I do give priority to places that are furnished in a really modern way, nice colors and angles, etc. I like the look of Swiss design: minimal, you know?
@Tammy: Do it! And met me know when you do! I’ll link back to you.
@Andrew: No Kindle. I’d LOVE to have the excuse to get one, but I have the Kindle software on my iPod Touch at the moment, which is how I read most of my eBooks these days. I ditched the wine aerator while I was in the States, and though I would have loved to keep it, I’m experimenting with going as minimal as possible, and I couldn’t justify it. No veal yet, though I hear they eat a lot of it here! I made that video a week or so ago, and I used my digital camera (it shoots really solid HD video). Thanks for the kind words! I’ll be posting a new video every week, so send me a question if you’d like me to answer it, video-style!
@Tresna: I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to furniture, but I do give priority to places that are furnished in a really modern way, nice colors and angles, etc. I like the look of Swiss design: minimal, you know?
I love these kinds of posts. It must be cool when someone is like, “I like your shirt!” and you can say, “Thanks, I designed it.” I’d like to get myself down to 80 items, not including household things (furniture, dishes, etc.). It will be challenging, but well worth it.
I love these kinds of posts. It must be cool when someone is like, “I like your shirt!” and you can say, “Thanks, I designed it.” I’d like to get myself down to 80 items, not including household things (furniture, dishes, etc.). It will be challenging, but well worth it.
I am just at the beginning stages of researching a possible RTW starting in November. This is soo helpful to see as I will possibly be in the same boat soon.
And also, just very interesting from a sociological standpoint!!
I am just at the beginning stages of researching a possible RTW starting in November. This is soo helpful to see as I will possibly be in the same boat soon.
And also, just very interesting from a sociological standpoint!!
This is great. I’m working on getting below 100 right now and will definitely be photographing what remains just to keep myself honest. Great job!
This is great. I’m working on getting below 100 right now and will definitely be photographing what remains just to keep myself honest. Great job!
Laura says: Hi Colin,
I’m new here, enjoy reading, and have a question…
For years I lived with very few things on my person. I could pack it all into a car and was very mobile. But at my parents house, I still had lots of things. Books, photographs, Christmas ornaments I had collected since I was a kid. Do you have a horde of things at a parent or friends house? Or is this really it? (No deodorant?)
Best,
Laura
Laura says: Hi Colin,
I’m new here, enjoy reading, and have a question…
For years I lived with very few things on my person. I could pack it all into a car and was very mobile. But at my parents house, I still had lots of things. Books, photographs, Christmas ornaments I had collected since I was a kid. Do you have a horde of things at a parent or friends house? Or is this really it? (No deodorant?)
Best,
Laura
@Nate: Haha, yeah, that is kind of satisfying. Minimizing ‘stuff’ is definitely a challenge, but I believe in you!
@Kirsten: Glad you got some inspiration from it, Kirsten! Good luck on the RTW and thanks for noticing my sociological motives :)
@Jamie Varon: All 3? Yes! Thank YOU!
@Karo: Do it! Be sure to post a link here when you’ve got the photos up!
@Laura: Nope, I don’t hoard. I got rid of everything that I’m not carrying with me before I left LA via selling/giving away and a Shred Party. And yeah, this is it, but things that are disposable (like deodorant) are left off. So there are a few toiletry items (like soap and hair product and contact lenses) that are left out, but only a few.
@Nate: Haha, yeah, that is kind of satisfying. Minimizing ‘stuff’ is definitely a challenge, but I believe in you!
@Kirsten: Glad you got some inspiration from it, Kirsten! Good luck on the RTW and thanks for noticing my sociological motives :)
@Jamie Varon: All 3? Yes! Thank YOU!
@Karo: Do it! Be sure to post a link here when you’ve got the photos up!
@Laura: Nope, I don’t hoard. I got rid of everything that I’m not carrying with me before I left LA via selling/giving away and a Shred Party. And yeah, this is it, but things that are disposable (like deodorant) are left off. So there are a few toiletry items (like soap and hair product and contact lenses) that are left out, but only a few.
I think counting socks and underwear as only two separate items is cheating – I am telling teacher.
I think counting socks and underwear as only two separate items is cheating – I am telling teacher.
Ok–I was getting worried until I scanned the toothbrush! I give you my blessings ;)
lol, the Patagonia is NOT kiwi pants! More like stereotypical TOURIST, cargo pants is one of the key indicators you can use to identify a tourist from miles and miles away
lol, the Patagonia is NOT kiwi pants! More like stereotypical TOURIST, cargo pants is one of the key indicators you can use to identify a tourist from miles and miles away
Mneiae says: Love the t-shirts/designs/descriptions. Thanks for sharing what you’ve pared your belongings down to! I thought that it was crazy to live with 72, but you’ve proven that you can make it work with fewer :)
Mneiae says: Love the t-shirts/designs/descriptions. Thanks for sharing what you’ve pared your belongings down to! I thought that it was crazy to live with 72, but you’ve proven that you can make it work with fewer :)
wow that is actually very impressive…. Im trying to think what I have that makes my stuff so much more than yours…
What about your books?
I have a…
Kindle
Sleeping bag (which I’ve never used)
Silk Sleeping sheet (which is awesome)
A Rain Jacket
A Suit!
Black Shoes & Waterproof Snow/Treking Shoes
(Shoe count = 5. thongs, vibrams and black slip-ons – I left 10 pairs at home – im a shoe whore :P)
I guess thats about enough to blow out my luggage. There are some pretty big things there…
And I have way less t-shirts :P
Ive been thinking what to cut down. I’m thinking about getting rid of my sleeping bag, but I paid $150 for it and cant bring myself to do it…
wow that is actually very impressive…. Im trying to think what I have that makes my stuff so much more than yours…
What about your books?
I have a…
Kindle
Sleeping bag (which I’ve never used)
Silk Sleeping sheet (which is awesome)
A Rain Jacket
A Suit!
Black Shoes & Waterproof Snow/Treking Shoes
(Shoe count = 5. thongs, vibrams and black slip-ons – I left 10 pairs at home – im a shoe whore :P)
I guess thats about enough to blow out my luggage. There are some pretty big things there…
And I have way less t-shirts :P
Ive been thinking what to cut down. I’m thinking about getting rid of my sleeping bag, but I paid $150 for it and cant bring myself to do it…
Way to go, Colin! You now officially have me beat. I have actually added a few items to my arsenal over the past few weeks, but I see it as a temporary setback. You continue to be an inspiration. Thanks a bunch! :-)
Way to go, Colin! You now officially have me beat. I have actually added a few items to my arsenal over the past few weeks, but I see it as a temporary setback. You continue to be an inspiration. Thanks a bunch! :-)
I’m impressed and jealous! I can’t practically compress my wardrobe so drastically at this stage in my life (college – can’t afford to do small batches of laundry too often), but I plan to inventory/purge my belongings when I return home for the summer.
Was there anything sentimental, though, that you had trouble parting with? I have a favorite animal, you see, so over the years people have given me lots of precious figurines and crafts in its image. I pack them away thinking, “One day I’ll have a house to decorate with these things,” but in truth I just feel bad tossing/selling them.
I’m impressed and jealous! I can’t practically compress my wardrobe so drastically at this stage in my life (college – can’t afford to do small batches of laundry too often), but I plan to inventory/purge my belongings when I return home for the summer.
Was there anything sentimental, though, that you had trouble parting with? I have a favorite animal, you see, so over the years people have given me lots of precious figurines and crafts in its image. I pack them away thinking, “One day I’ll have a house to decorate with these things,” but in truth I just feel bad tossing/selling them.
[...] All 51 Things I Own [...]
jan says: Where are all your toys? Don’t you play any sport? What about skiis, snowboard, surfboard, tennis racket, water skis, skido etc etc. Or are those items just the ones you travel with?
jan says: Where are all your toys? Don’t you play any sport? What about skiis, snowboard, surfboard, tennis racket, water skis, skido etc etc. Or are those items just the ones you travel with?
Excellent, but no deodorant or aftershave at all???? I find that hard to believe ;)
Any tips for people with kids, how do we remove clutter?
Excellent, but no deodorant or aftershave at all???? I find that hard to believe ;)
Any tips for people with kids, how do we remove clutter?
shorty says: what about brain baggage?-om tat sat-enjoy
shorty says: what about brain baggage?-om tat sat-enjoy
elai says: What do you put all of this stuff in when you move? A big piece of luggage? Or the 2 bags in your list? All of that clothing would take up a lot of space.
elai says: What do you put all of this stuff in when you move? A big piece of luggage? Or the 2 bags in your list? All of that clothing would take up a lot of space.
elai says: Hey you could get new glasses from zenni optical for like $20 and have it shipped to wherever you are.
elai says: Hey you could get new glasses from zenni optical for like $20 and have it shipped to wherever you are.
Love the even more narrow list of possessions. I’ve been going through all my stuff (originally inspired by the 72 items blog post), and racked upwards of $600 in cash from selling on eBay or Craigslist.
Love the even more narrow list of possessions. I’ve been going through all my stuff (originally inspired by the 72 items blog post), and racked upwards of $600 in cash from selling on eBay or Craigslist.
[...] tend to be a little obsessive about projects, so when I read Collin’s post about taking photos of his stuff I decided to copy him. I love photography, so this little project was actually a good [...]
[...] Colin Wright – All 51 Things I Own [...]
Scott says: I’m thinking about ways to minimize and one question came to mind for some unknown reason: No dishes or utensils? What do you eat off of and with? Or do you eat at restaurants or friends’ all the time?
Scott says: I’m thinking about ways to minimize and one question came to mind for some unknown reason: No dishes or utensils? What do you eat off of and with? Or do you eat at restaurants or friends’ all the time?
I don’t see why you should have to count toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. All of these things are consumables just like hair product and soap. Therefore I declare that Colin owns 50 things!
I don’t see why you should have to count toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. All of these things are consumables just like hair product and soap. Therefore I declare that Colin owns 50 things!
Hi Colin,
I’m intruiged… you chose to surrender the netbook? And that fab, brown leather satchel?
Respect is due to the ruthlessness of your minimalism!
V
Hi Colin,
I’m intruiged… you chose to surrender the netbook? And that fab, brown leather satchel?
Respect is due to the ruthlessness of your minimalism!
V
[...] the next few months to reduce the clutter. There’s no way in Hell I will get down to owning 51 things like Colin Wright anytime soon, but at least I will be a step closer to my ideal [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own – Colin Wright [...]
Trevor says: I aspire!
Trevor says: I aspire!
[...] me want to re do my stuff all over again. It all started when I read Colin’s entry about the 51 things he owns,(which I did the holy shit, only 50 things that is crazy) from there is moved to new blogs that I [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
prufock says: I notice there are no blankets, pillows, sheets, sleeping bag, etc. Where do you sleep? No dishes either, do you eat out all the time?
prufock says: I notice there are no blankets, pillows, sheets, sleeping bag, etc. Where do you sleep? No dishes either, do you eat out all the time?
[...] work in astrology and creative projects on the web. My goal is to simplify my possessions down to 51 things. If my new adventuring friend Colin can do it, so can [...]
I recently (July, 2009) simplified my life down to 30 things and traveled throughout Latin America. As of this writing, I have 25.
Maybe I should post an entry on the 25 things I own.
P.S. Love that one of your things is a MacBook. :)
I recently (July, 2009) simplified my life down to 30 things and traveled throughout Latin America. As of this writing, I have 25.
Maybe I should post an entry on the 25 things I own.
P.S. Love that one of your things is a MacBook. :)
Scott says: This is very cool, and inspiring. As a minimalist father of 3, I may not be able to entirely contain the clutter contained in my house, but I have whittled my own personal footprint of possessions down to far less than what I owned over a decade ago. I work in technology and have taken full advantage of e-books to replace physical books, MP3s to replace CDs, digital scanning to save all important docs/mementos as .PDF or .JPG files, and other examples. As a homeowner I may not be able to eliminate everything not 100% immediately necessary (e.g. extra sump pump in case the one I have in the basement fails, which would be disastrous) and as a book lover I do have some difficulties getting rid of books I can’t get digitally and MAY want to read someday. However, in all other matters I whittle down to the bone, even bringing in extra pens and pencils to work to put out for public use if I find I have too many at home.
Thanks for sharing these details and I am envious of your ability to fit your life into a couple of items of luggage.
Scott says: This is very cool, and inspiring. As a minimalist father of 3, I may not be able to entirely contain the clutter contained in my house, but I have whittled my own personal footprint of possessions down to far less than what I owned over a decade ago. I work in technology and have taken full advantage of e-books to replace physical books, MP3s to replace CDs, digital scanning to save all important docs/mementos as .PDF or .JPG files, and other examples. As a homeowner I may not be able to eliminate everything not 100% immediately necessary (e.g. extra sump pump in case the one I have in the basement fails, which would be disastrous) and as a book lover I do have some difficulties getting rid of books I can’t get digitally and MAY want to read someday. However, in all other matters I whittle down to the bone, even bringing in extra pens and pencils to work to put out for public use if I find I have too many at home.
Thanks for sharing these details and I am envious of your ability to fit your life into a couple of items of luggage.
[...] Colin Wright, Exile Lifestyle [...]
Hi Colin – wow what a website. And you know you’ve shown how minimal can be anything but austere, a life of denial without humour, often the response of people when you mention minimalism. I love your 51 items – the colour is fantastic. I realised that in stripping down, I had way too much black in my wardrobe and now its being replaced with colour. and yes I have bought the t-shirt – Exile Lifestyle in Pomegranate. I can’t wait – so easy to order even to the UK, and organic! I’ve been inspired my minimalism for 35 years and am finally putting everything into practice, at 45, with 3 kids and separated its not easy its so rewarding. I’m doing my best to blog my bit which is about wellness at but I wish I’d had the courage and sense to do this 20 years ago. You are a great inspiration and I look forward to reading much more. Mark
Hi Colin – wow what a website. And you know you’ve shown how minimal can be anything but austere, a life of denial without humour, often the response of people when you mention minimalism. I love your 51 items – the colour is fantastic. I realised that in stripping down, I had way too much black in my wardrobe and now its being replaced with colour. and yes I have bought the t-shirt – Exile Lifestyle in Pomegranate. I can’t wait – so easy to order even to the UK, and organic! I’ve been inspired my minimalism for 35 years and am finally putting everything into practice, at 45, with 3 kids and separated its not easy its so rewarding. I’m doing my best to blog my bit which is about wellness at but I wish I’d had the courage and sense to do this 20 years ago. You are a great inspiration and I look forward to reading much more. Mark
[...] new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!I have been reading various posts about owning fifty things. I have been interested because the whole idea of minimalism appeals to [...]
[...] on mnmlist.com I decided I had to act. There are other people doing this like Colin Wright at exilelifestyle, Everett Bogue at farbeyondthestars, Tammy Stroebel at RowdyKittens, Sunny at Simplicity by Sunny [...]
I finally did this and published my list here http://newhabit.org/?p=289. Thanks for the inspiration to getting this done!
I finally did this and published my list here http://newhabit.org/?p=289. Thanks for the inspiration to getting this done!
[...] this post for a while now. When I first saw Leo Babauta with his list, I was intrigued. Then I saw Colin, Everett and Karol, too. That got me thinking about how many possessions I currently [...]
[...] items. and I love to read other people’s lists. (here are two from far beyond the stars and exile lifestyle [...]
[...] and rise above consumerism, an endeavor that has been echoed by Leo Babauta, Everett Bogue and Colin Wright. Around that time I started my own analysis of the stuff in my life, which seemed like a fun [...]
I absolutely love the photo collage of all your things! Beautifully done, very artsy, and a fantastic way to visually see your stuff. Makes me want to photograph all my stuff (currently at 81 things)! Keep up the great work, Colin!
[...] know if i could ever give up as much as Colin has over at Exile Lifestyle and have such a small wardrobe, but i think a good purge every once in a while is a satisfying experience. Â Most recently, i was [...]
[...] This post was inspired from an article by my friend Colin Wright at Exile Lifestyle. [...]
Qsd says: Don’t have a car? Plate, fork, knife, microwave? ID card? Wallet?
CroMagnon says: Hi, a knife is not an option here. :)
HelenJFisher says: I saw something similar a year or two back as part of Jay Shafer’s Tiny House Living. Someone posted his 101 items, which actually included furtniture, books etc; be interesting to see what yours included!
[...] but est simple. Faire le ménage dans sa vie et ne garder que 100 objets pour vivre au quotidien. Collin Wright n’a, quant à lui, gardé que 51 objets -Le résumé de ces deux expériences se trouve là , [...]
[...] Colin Wright: All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] items. and I love to read other people’s lists. (here are two from far beyond the stars and exile lifestyle [...]
[...] very source of my frustration. I’ve read so many articles on minimalism and watched people narrow their possessions down to only a few key pieces of necessity and frankly I was in shock & awe. Could I ever do [...]
WOW THIS IS AMAZING!!! You are a true minimalist! I recently wrote an article about how planning a RTW trip has made me a minimalist. I thought I made alot of cuts. It looks like I still have alot more to get rid of & I will!!!
My post if you are interested:
http://tinyurl.com/35gtth3
[...] post, Minimalism Explained, is stripped to just several high-quality necessities (paralleling the mere 51 items he owns). It’s descriptive enough to get you revved up about refining your priorities, yet short enough [...]
[...] love owning very few things. I’m especially interested in reading the epic descriptions of other people who live and travel this way. I am always game for discussing item choice and packing [...]
[...] Colin’s 51 things [...]
[...] consommation. Il n’est pas le seul à se lancer ce genre de défis : Colin Wright a même pris ses possessions en photo. Everett Bogue dresse aussi sur son blog Far Beyond the Stars, sa propre liste et a [...]
[...] on mnmlist.com I decided I had to act. There are other people doing this like Colin Wright at exilelifestyle, Everett Bogue at farbeyondthestars, Tammy Stroebel at RowdyKittens, Sunny at Simplicity by [...]
[...] living with only 100 things is sufficient. In fact, while living with only 100 things might seem common today, I feel safe in saying that these bloggers are the minimalist [...]
[...] apartment to selling everything, having a break-up party with his girlfriend, and now only owning 51 items. He moves to a new country chosen by his readers every 4 [...]
[...] Colin’s 51 things [...]
[...] yourself by, myself as well as other minimalist bloggers out there (Leo Babauta, Everett Bogue, Colin Wright, Francine Jay, and Tammy Strobel are just some prime examples) typically do not count shared items [...]
[...] his list down to 145 items but has made significant progress since he first started. Others, like Colin Wright of Exile Lifestyle and Leo Babautu of ZebHabits.net, have taken it to the extreme and created new [...]
[...] (Photo: sindesign) / CC BY-SA 2.0 Colin over at Exile Lifestyle has a great visual list of his possessions. Colin first published his list of 72 items and then was able to get it down to 51! [...]
[...] extreme, among these brave soul’s are Everett Bogue and his 57 things, Colin Wright and his 51 things, Leo Babauta and his 50 things, Tammy Strobel and her 72 things, Nina Yau and her very impressive [...]
[...] 4 months, based on his reader’s votes! Also, he delivers a lot of good insight about life. His travel-gear picture post inspired me to do the same with my stuff. Also, check out his flash packing site for great reviews [...]
[...] is that philosophy and having run across the blog post All 51 Things I Own over at Colin Wright’s blog Exile Lifestyle that inspired me to really put myself to the test [...]
[...] task and yet he’s running a design firm, multiple creative online services and doing it with less than 100 things. He is definitely an inspiration to myself and others wanting to minimize their [...]
[...] Challenge. Â I’ll be dedicating an entire blogpost to this soon, so stay tuned. Â (Also check out this guy on the [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
[...] For an example of a prolific minimalist traveler and what he packs, check out 51 things at Exile Lifestyle. [...]
[...] Extreme. You could call this the Colin Wright, Ev Bogue, and Carwin Young approach towards minimalism. This is both the easiest and most [...]
[...] – Everett Bogue http://evbogue.com/things/ « All 51 things I own » – Colin Wright http://exilelifestyle.com/51/ « 50 things » – Leo Babauta http://mnmlist.com/50-things/ « Everything I Own: My 288 [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] tempting as it may be, don’t count your number of possessions yet. No trying to be Colin Wright right off the bat. First of all, because precisely how many things you own is really not that [...]
[...] saja yang dilakukan seorang Minimalist? Nih contoh ekstrem-nya, seorang yang hanya memiliki 51 items dalam hidupnya. Tunggu dulu, jangan langsung mengambil kesimpulan bahwa seorang Minimalist itu [...]
[...] and I’m far from there, even a year later. I stay inspired by bloggers like Man Vs. Debt and Exile Lifestyle who can fit everything they own into one single blog post. I’m not there yet: there are boxes [...]
Can’t even imagine getting down to this little. Â I wonder how it feels. Freeing I bet.
[...] I didn’t attack this first because it’s 1000 miles away from me, but if your deep storage is more accessible than that, I recommend going in full force before you try to get rid of things that you actually use – or at least see – every day. After things have been boxed up for a while – I hadn’t seen mine since I put them into boxes in August 2005 – you know that you don’t need them to function, and they even start to lose some of the sentimental value. I had 13 boxes of stuff at my parents’ house, and I was easily able to get rid of nine of those, donating the bulk of it to a thrift store that supports the local ASPCA. The remaining four boxes comprise childhood books, memorabilia such as photo albums and yearbooks, and some decorative items that I see myself using again. (I respect minimalists, and I also recognize that I’m not quite ready to pare my possessions down to 51 items.) [...]
Awesome – But I’m going to better this! I’m going to attempt to live with even fewer items! Bag, Travel towel, Macbook air, 3 bamboo t-shirts, 1 merino wool longsleeve baselayer, 2 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of boxer shorts, 3 pairs of bamboo socks, passport+wallet. Toiletries (toothbrush etc) are consumables.
[...] (and no responsibility for a family). It’s incredibly liberating to not be tied down by “stuff” and to move and go where you please, when you [...]
[...] doesn’t mean you need to be living out of a backpack, although some people do, it’s just a way to help discover what it truly important to [...]
[...] As an experiment, I’m working toward seeing how much less I can live with, making the shift toward frequent traveling more attainable.  The eventual long term goal is traveling for months at a time owning just a backpack, and a precious few items in a couple storage boxes stowed elsewhere.  I am inspired by others posting about the 100 things they own, 100 things they DON’T own , or even the 50 things owned and 51 things owned. [...]
[...] he enjoys and a family he loves and a house and a car in Vermont. Conversely, Colin Wright owns 51 things and travels all over the world, Everett Bogue writes a blog and lives in San Francisco (and a [...]
[...] to do so and inspired us to take our journey into minimalism. He also posted his subsequent 51 Things and 55 Things articles on his [...]
[...] Want and need less. [...]
[...] say 100 is the magic number. Colin Wright got it down to 51. Leo Babauta reached the 50 mark. Ev Bogue doesn’t put a number on it anymore, but he’s in the [...]
[...] (and no responsibility for a family). It’s incredibly liberating to not be tied down by “stuff” and to move and go where you please, when you [...]
Robyn says: This is inspirational. A few years ago I read a newspaper article about a man who reduced all his possessions to only 51, and since then I’ve been trying to keep my possessions down to a minimum, keeping 51 as my ultimate goal. I still have plenty more than that, and now with moving coming up I’m scrambling to get things reduced as much as I can… yet somehow my clothing is still in massive amounts and little knick knacks and sentimentals are overwhelming. Plus I live in Canada, so I need to account for all the cold weather and extra accessories that go along with it. But thank you for this, seeing someone with far less possessions, enough to fit in two bags, is helping me reach my goal to only 51 as well…. Cheers.
[...] This man was from New York City, where you need to dress up in layers. I also came across this article, about a man living in New Zealand, so winter layers aren’t as necessary as where I’m [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own | Exile Lifestyle Pens and pencils Digital camera and case Notebook and sketchbook Tripod Wallet/contents/passport Phone and SIM cads [...]
[...] I first started coming across blogs and articles about people who were reducing, donating, selling and trashing everything but the stuff they really USE I found it [...]
[...] Things – Andrew Hyde 43 Things – mnmlist 51 Things – Colin Wright 63 Things – Minimalist4Life 74 Things – Simplicity by Sunny 75 Things – Ravi [...]
[...] have taken this challenge to the extreme, among these brave souls are Colin Wright and his 51 things, Leo Babauta and his 50 things, Tammy Strobel and her 72 things, Nina Yau and her very impressive [...]
[...] has ever done this. I got inspired by a few other guys (where are the girls??). Check out Andrew, Colin, Niall, Leo and [...]
[...] we own » – Adam, Courtney & Milligan Baker « Things I own » – Everett Bogue « All 51 things I own » – Colin Wright « 50 things » – Leo Babauta « Everything I Own : My 288 Things » – [...]
[...] He sold off everything he owned that wouldn’t fit into a carry-on bag and has now whittled his entire world possessions down to just over 50 things. [...]
Vik says: Just wondering, can you do a new list of all the things you own? It’s been quite a while since the last one. One thing I’d like to ask is that you do it similar to the ’72 things..’ article. I found that easier to sort through and think about compared to this one (mostly due to the lonely pathetic low resolution picture). Oh, and if possible, a bit of a commentary on their role in your lifestyle would be helpful.
[...] this incredible post from one of my favorite writers called “All 51 things I own” http://exilelifestyle.com/51/. So i’m going to do the same thing before I [...]
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[...] All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] tend to be a little obsessive about projects, so when I read Collin’s post about taking photos of his stuff I decided to copy him. I love photography, so this little project was actually a good [...]
[...] Colin Wright – All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] the next few months to reduce the clutter. There’s no way in Hell I will get down to owning 51 things like Colin Wright anytime soon, but at least I will be a step closer to my ideal [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own – Colin Wright [...]
[...] me want to re do my stuff all over again. It all started when I read Colin’s entry about the 51 things he owns,(which I did the holy shit, only 50 things that is crazy) from there is moved to new blogs that I [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
[...] work in astrology and creative projects on the web. My goal is to simplify my possessions down to 51 things. If my new adventuring friend Colin can do it, so can [...]
[...] Colin Wright, Exile Lifestyle [...]
[...] new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!I have been reading various posts about owning fifty things. I have been interested because the whole idea of minimalism appeals to [...]
[...] on mnmlist.com I decided I had to act. There are other people doing this like Colin Wright at exilelifestyle, Everett Bogue at farbeyondthestars, Tammy Stroebel at RowdyKittens, Sunny at Simplicity by Sunny [...]
[...] this post for a while now. When I first saw Leo Babauta with his list, I was intrigued. Then I saw Colin, Everett and Karol, too. That got me thinking about how many possessions I currently [...]
[...] items. and I love to read other people’s lists. (here are two from far beyond the stars and exile lifestyle [...]
[...] and rise above consumerism, an endeavor that has been echoed by Leo Babauta, Everett Bogue and Colin Wright. Around that time I started my own analysis of the stuff in my life, which seemed like a fun [...]
[...] know if i could ever give up as much as Colin has over at Exile Lifestyle and have such a small wardrobe, but i think a good purge every once in a while is a satisfying experience. Â Most recently, i was [...]
[...] This post was inspired from an article by my friend Colin Wright at Exile Lifestyle. [...]
[...] but est simple. Faire le ménage dans sa vie et ne garder que 100 objets pour vivre au quotidien. Collin Wright n’a, quant à lui, gardé que 51 objets -Le résumé de ces deux expériences se trouve là , [...]
[...] Colin Wright: All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] items. and I love to read other people’s lists. (here are two from far beyond the stars and exile lifestyle [...]
[...] very source of my frustration. I’ve read so many articles on minimalism and watched people narrow their possessions down to only a few key pieces of necessity and frankly I was in shock & awe. Could I ever do [...]
[...] post, Minimalism Explained, is stripped to just several high-quality necessities (paralleling the mere 51 items he owns). It’s descriptive enough to get you revved up about refining your priorities, yet short enough [...]
[...] love owning very few things. I’m especially interested in reading the epic descriptions of other people who live and travel this way. I am always game for discussing item choice and packing [...]
[...] Colin’s 51 things [...]
[...] consommation. Il n’est pas le seul à se lancer ce genre de défis : Colin Wright a même pris ses possessions en photo. Everett Bogue dresse aussi sur son blog Far Beyond the Stars, sa propre liste et a [...]
[...] on mnmlist.com I decided I had to act. There are other people doing this like Colin Wright at exilelifestyle, Everett Bogue at farbeyondthestars, Tammy Stroebel at RowdyKittens, Sunny at Simplicity by [...]
[...] living with only 100 things is sufficient. In fact, while living with only 100 things might seem common today, I feel safe in saying that these bloggers are the minimalist [...]
[...] apartment to selling everything, having a break-up party with his girlfriend, and now only owning 51 items. He moves to a new country chosen by his readers every 4 [...]
[...] Colin’s 51 things [...]
[...] yourself by, myself as well as other minimalist bloggers out there (Leo Babauta, Everett Bogue, Colin Wright, Francine Jay, and Tammy Strobel are just some prime examples) typically do not count shared items [...]
[...] his list down to 145 items but has made significant progress since he first started. Others, like Colin Wright of Exile Lifestyle and Leo Babautu of ZebHabits.net, have taken it to the extreme and created new [...]
[...] (Photo: sindesign) / CC BY-SA 2.0 Colin over at Exile Lifestyle has a great visual list of his possessions. Colin first published his list of 72 items and then was able to get it down to 51! [...]
[...] extreme, among these brave soul’s are Everett Bogue and his 57 things, Colin Wright and his 51 things, Leo Babauta and his 50 things, Tammy Strobel and her 72 things, Nina Yau and her very impressive [...]
[...] 4 months, based on his reader’s votes! Also, he delivers a lot of good insight about life. His travel-gear picture post inspired me to do the same with my stuff. Also, check out his flash packing site for great reviews [...]
[...] is that philosophy and having run across the blog post All 51 Things I Own over at Colin Wright’s blog Exile Lifestyle that inspired me to really put myself to the test [...]
[...] task and yet he’s running a design firm, multiple creative online services and doing it with less than 100 things. He is definitely an inspiration to myself and others wanting to minimize their [...]
[...] Challenge. Â I’ll be dedicating an entire blogpost to this soon, so stay tuned. Â (Also check out this guy on the [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
[...] Since leaving the United States last year, he’s been through dozens of countries: Buenos Aires, Peru, Australia and now New Zealand. Meanwhile, he reduced his physical possessions to just 51 things. [...]
[...] For an example of a prolific minimalist traveler and what he packs, check out 51 things at Exile Lifestyle. [...]
[...] Extreme. You could call this the Colin Wright, Ev Bogue, and Carwin Young approach towards minimalism. This is both the easiest and most [...]
[...] – Everett Bogue http://evbogue.com/things/ « All 51 things I own » – Colin Wright http://exilelifestyle.com/51/ « 50 things » – Leo Babauta http://mnmlist.com/50-things/ « Everything I Own: My 288 [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own [...]
[...] tempting as it may be, don’t count your number of possessions yet. No trying to be Colin Wright right off the bat. First of all, because precisely how many things you own is really not that [...]
[...] saja yang dilakukan seorang Minimalist? Nih contoh ekstrem-nya, seorang yang hanya memiliki 51 items dalam hidupnya. Tunggu dulu, jangan langsung mengambil kesimpulan bahwa seorang Minimalist itu [...]
[...] and I’m far from there, even a year later. I stay inspired by bloggers like Man Vs. Debt and Exile Lifestyle who can fit everything they own into one single blog post. I’m not there yet: there are boxes [...]
[...] I didn’t attack this first because it’s 1000 miles away from me, but if your deep storage is more accessible than that, I recommend going in full force before you try to get rid of things that you actually use – or at least see – every day. After things have been boxed up for a while – I hadn’t seen mine since I put them into boxes in August 2005 – you know that you don’t need them to function, and they even start to lose some of the sentimental value. I had 13 boxes of stuff at my parents’ house, and I was easily able to get rid of nine of those, donating the bulk of it to a thrift store that supports the local ASPCA. The remaining four boxes comprise childhood books, memorabilia such as photo albums and yearbooks, and some decorative items that I see myself using again. (I respect minimalists, and I also recognize that I’m not quite ready to pare my possessions down to 51 items.) [...]
[...] (and no responsibility for a family). It’s incredibly liberating to not be tied down by “stuff” and to move and go where you please, when you [...]
[...] doesn’t mean you need to be living out of a backpack, although some people do, it’s just a way to help discover what it truly important to [...]
[...] As an experiment, I’m working toward seeing how much less I can live with, making the shift toward frequent traveling more attainable.  The eventual long term goal is traveling for months at a time owning just a backpack, and a precious few items in a couple storage boxes stowed elsewhere.  I am inspired by others posting about the 100 things they own, 100 things they DON’T own , or even the 50 things owned and 51 things owned. [...]
[...] he enjoys and a family he loves and a house and a car in Vermont. Conversely, Colin Wright owns 51 things and travels all over the world, Everett Bogue writes a blog and lives in San Francisco (and a [...]
[...] to do so and inspired us to take our journey into minimalism. He also posted his subsequent 51 Things and 55 Things articles on his [...]
[...] Want and need less. [...]
[...] say 100 is the magic number. Colin Wright got it down to 51. Leo Babauta reached the 50 mark. Ev Bogue doesn’t put a number on it anymore, but he’s in the [...]
[...] (and no responsibility for a family). It’s incredibly liberating to not be tied down by “stuff” and to move and go where you please, when you [...]
[...] This man was from New York City, where you need to dress up in layers. I also came across this article, about a man living in New Zealand, so winter layers aren’t as necessary as where I’m [...]
[...] All 51 Things I Own | Exile Lifestyle Pens and pencils Digital camera and case Notebook and sketchbook Tripod Wallet/contents/passport Phone and SIM cads [...]
[...] I first started coming across blogs and articles about people who were reducing, donating, selling and trashing everything but the stuff they really USE I found it [...]
[...] Things – Andrew Hyde 43 Things – mnmlist 51 Things – Colin Wright 63 Things – Minimalist4Life 74 Things – Simplicity by Sunny 75 Things – Ravi [...]
[...] have taken this challenge to the extreme, among these brave souls are Colin Wright and his 51 things, Leo Babauta and his 50 things, Tammy Strobel and her 72 things, Nina Yau and her very impressive [...]
[...] has ever done this. I got inspired by a few other guys (where are the girls??). Check out Andrew, Colin, Niall, Leo and [...]
[...] we own » – Adam, Courtney & Milligan Baker « Things I own » – Everett Bogue « All 51 things I own » – Colin Wright « 50 things » – Leo Babauta « Everything I Own : My 288 Things » – [...]
[...] He sold off everything he owned that wouldn’t fit into a carry-on bag and has now whittled his entire world possessions down to just over 50 things. [...]
[...] this incredible post from one of my favorite writers called “All 51 things I own” http://exilelifestyle.com/51/. So i’m going to do the same thing before I [...]