What West Africa Taught Me About Minimalism

In my last post, I shared that my overseas trips have taught me that all I really need to survive will fit in my backpack. But it's not what I took with me that really taught me the most.. it's what I brought back.

When I left, my backpack was stuffed with clothing, a few accessories, toiletries, American snacks, my journal and my camera.

When I came back, my heart was full of joy, rest, and breathing room - if that even makes any sense. In January, my husband got to go to the same area I visited last fall. He experienced the same thing. We dream of going back together and even living there long term. Sometimes, it feels like a God-calling-thing, but my struggle is to know if it is really just God calling me to live on the bare essentials of life. To experience the freedom from stuff that the people of West Africa don't even know they know.

1. In West Africa, you can cook an entire meal with just one dish.

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... then everyone can eat with just one bowl (okay, two - one for men and one for women)

What's in My Minimalish Closet

WARNING - this post over-utilizes parenthesis. 

Grammar junkies should proceed with caution!

I read a lot of minimalist blogs, books, and other various articles. It seems listing ones clothing is a popular trend, so I'm hoping onboard.

You can tell a lot about a person's life by the clothing in their closet - church clothes? executive suits? lots of exercise wear? lumberjack flannels? etc, etc... Last year, I took two intercontinental trips - one to South America and one to West Africa. I learned that everything I really need to survive will fit in my backpack. Aside from overseas trips though, I do normally keep a few more items in my closet. I've gone through phases of cleaning it out and then adding a few items back in, but in general, this is what I keep: