For years, we dreamed about it. An epic road trip. A whole month on the road as a family — revisiting places we had loved, seeing sights we’d always talked about, and giving our kids memories that would last a lifetime.

For a while, I wasn’t sure it would ever happen. But as our daughter’s 18th birthday approached this past May, I knew our window was closing. If we didn’t make it happen soon, we might miss our chance. So, we planned. My husband saved his vacation days. I was blessed to work virtually. And in August, the four of us piled into our Toyota Highlander, packed to the brim, and hit the road for 31 days.

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Packing for a Month in a Car

If you want to test your ideas about minimalism, try living out of a car for a month.

We weren’t hauling a camper or trailer — everything had to fit in the Highlander and the hard-top turtle on the roof. That meant we had to be ruthless about what we brought. Clothes? Just four days’ worth each, and I did laundry every few days. Towels? Turkish towels (thin, quick-drying, and space-saving — highly recommend). Toiletries? Shampoo and conditioner bars instead of bottles.

Our essentials boiled down to:

• A few clothes and shoes.
• Towels and toiletries.
• Tent, blankets, pillows.
• Coolers with snacks and drinks.
• Electronics, cords, and a few road trip comforts.

That was it. And you know what? It was enough.

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Living With Less, Experiencing More

We spent nights in tents, cabins, and hotels — whatever fit the plan and the budget. We woke up to sunrises in national parks, laughed around campfires, and spent long hours on the road playing games, talking, or just soaking in the scenery.

And here’s what struck me most: we didn’t miss anything.

Not once did I wish I had packed more outfits or another gadget. The only thing I missed was my bed (let’s be real — hotel pillows can only do so much).

For 31 days, we lived on what could fit in our car. And those 31 days were filled with more joy, adventure, and connection than any amount of “stuff” at home ever gave us.

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Coming Home Changed

When we pulled back into our driveway at the end of August, it felt good to be home. But it also felt… heavy.

I couldn’t help but notice the closets, the shelves, the drawers — all the things we had lived without for a month. And I realized: if we could be that happy with so little on the road, then we probably don’t need most of what’s cluttering up our house.

That trip lit a fire under me. A deeper desire to let go of more, to spend less, to make space for what really matters. Travel. Memories. Time together.

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More Life, Less Stuff

The road trip taught me something simple but life-changing: happiness isn’t found in the stuff we own. It’s in the experiences we create, the places we see, and the people we love.

I don’t want to fill my days with cleaning, organizing, and eventually decluttering things I never needed in the first place. I want to fill them with laughter in the car, hikes in new places, and stories we’ll tell for years to come.

If a family of four can thrive for a month on what fits in a car, then surely we can learn to live with less at home. And that’s exactly what I’m determined to do.