My husband and I live a semi-nomadic lifestyle when it comes to traveling. I haven't lived in one place more than 2 years for over 11 years now. I've gone to New Zealand, Korea, Canada, 11 different states, and even spent some time in Australia. One of the things I have learned is clutter has a way of catching up with me even when I think I am just going to keep it to two suit cases this time. With this in mind we have been packing this week... and it's been hectic.

My husband thinks he can get everything he needs into one bag, thereby offering me the use of the our 3rd bag instead of myself only getting two. I find myself wanting more than this. Part of this is our musical instruments (Saxophone for him, Violin for me), and our computers. I want so badly to bring these things but they take up a lot of space as well. So when I think I am packed I have to go back through my stuff again and ask if I really need all the clothes I am taking, or if I need as many books as I packed for 1 year in Japan.

Either way, I have been de-cluttering for the better part of a week and I've gotten rid of 3 boxes of clothes, found 3 boxes of books to donate to places, thrown out a whole Web City trash can of stuff, and have an entire room of furniture waiting to be sold. Overall it's a little stressful, but I love the feeling of condensing all of my stuff. I love the feeling I get when most of my life fits into two bags and I maybe have some room for things I buy as well. Maybe this time will be the time I keep everything in order and don't have to purge when we are leaving Japan? Somehow I doubt it... but I am trying to learn to be satisfied with everything I have.

In other news I got my visa, the Japan visas are the prettiest visas I have ever seen! Even if my picture is horrible, I look like a scared bird. >.< 27 days to go until Japan! Hope to see you all in my travels. :)

~The Gakusei J