A Few Suitcases and a New Definition of Enough

By Staff Writer Claudia

What moving to Ecovilla San Mateo taught us about minimalism

Most of us who moved to Ecovilla San Mateo had to part with a great deal of our worldly possessions. Things we had collected, cared for, and carried from one home to another suddenly had to compete for space in five suitcases.

We thought they were important. Then we had to decide which ones were important enough to bring.

After arriving, the list gets even shorter. Your best walking shoes. A couple of pairs of shorts and some tank tops. Maybe a hat. A good frying pan and a pot.

Oh, and don’t forget your toothbrush.

There is something wonderfully clarifying about discovering how little you need to get through a good day.

Minimalism, by the suitcase

The principle of minimalism is simple: give your time, space, and attention to what matters, and let go of possessions that add more burden than value. What counts as enough will look different in every household.

An international move makes that principle very practical. Every object has a weight, a cost, and a destination. You begin asking questions you may never have asked while standing in front of a spacious closet: Do I use this? Will I use it there? Am I packing it because I love it, or because I already own it?

Here at ESM, our days may look quite different from the lives we left behind. Clothes suited to an office can give way to clothes suited to walking uphill, sitting outside, and getting caught in the rain. The kitchen gadget that once seemed essential may lose its appeal beside a favorite pan that does several jobs.

The move gives us a chance to choose our belongings again.

But what should you actually pack?

This is a personal question, and “bring less” only gets us so far. We know we can buy things after arriving. The uncertainty is whether we can find the particular things we prefer, at a price we are comfortable paying. Is that familiar product expensive here because of import costs? Is our usual brand available? Will a local alternative work just as well?

Our experience has been that some specialty personal-care products cost more or take more effort to find. That does not mean everything is expensive, or that products sold here are of lower quality. Sometimes we are simply looking for a particular formula, fit, or feel.

Before giving something suitcase space, try these questions:

How does it help? Do I use this regularly? Prioritizes the things that support your actual routines.

Is the exact brand, fit, or formula important to me? Identifies items worth checking for locally before moving.

What would replacing it here cost? Gives you something concrete to compare with baggage fees and weight.

Will it suit my new home and daily life? Keeps you from packing for a life you are leaving behind.

Can I legally bring it into Costa Rica? Matters especially for food, plants, supplements, and medicines.

A favorite pair of shoes can earn its space. So can a reliable cooking pot.

A box of things you might use someday deserves a second look.

Our three-trip approach

During the six months before our permanent move, we made three trips from the United States to ESM. Each time, we left a large duffel bag in storage.

Those three bags gradually became our starter household. We packed the basics an Airbnb or hotel might provide, along with the things we enjoy using regularly: sheets, towels, pillows, a few small throw blankets, three complete sets of clothing, a bathing suit, and flip-flops.

We also brought our preferred personal-care products, including fluoride-free toothpaste and sulfate-free shampoo. Those were personal preferences we wanted to keep while everything else was changing.

Our bags included vitamins, supplements, and cooking herbs and spices we already owned. Many were open, and we hoped to use them rather than discard them during the move. That was our experience and should not be taken as confirmation that every opened food or supplement is allowed through customs.

If you are making visits before moving, bringing a little at a time can help. Now that people live here full-time, someone you know may be willing to store a bag or box between visits. Ask first, agree on how long it will stay, and label it clearly. Choose a dry place and be thoughtful about leaving anything that can leak, spoil, or attract pests.

Keep a simple inventory, too. It is surprisingly easy to forget which bag already contains the towels.

Before it goes in the bag

Some items are prohibited and others require product-specific clearance. This is a starting point for checking your packing list, rather than an exhaustive list of entry rules.

Pork and pork-derived products: Prohibited in passenger baggage, including ham, bacon, pork salami, sausage, lard, and canned or cooked pork products. Sealed packaging does not remove the prohibition. 

Fresh fruits, vegetables, plants, cuttings, bulbs, and seeds: Check with the Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) before packing. Requirements depend on the item and country of origin; regulated material brought without required procedures may be retained or destroyed. 

Growing media; some wood and plant-fiber souvenirs: Check with SFE first. Treatment, material, and origin can affect entry requirements. This includes materials such as peat and coconut fiber. 

Dried herbs, spices, and other plant-based foods: Verify the specific product with SFE. Do not assume whole seeds, dried leaves, and processed powders have identical requirements, or that an opened container is automatically acceptable. 

Other animal-origin foods, such as meat, dairy, or eggs: Check with SENASA before packing. The pork prohibition does not establish permission for other animal products.

Medicines, vitamins, and supplements: Check the exact product and quantity with Customs and, where relevant, the Ministry of Health. Personal-use medicines appear in baggage rules, but that is not blanket clearance for every supplement or controlled medicine. Keep labels and any prescription documentation. 

Shampoo, toothpaste, and ordinary toiletries: Personal-use hygiene items appear in baggage rules in quantities appropriate to the traveler. Airline liquid and baggage rules are a separate check. 

Declare regulated items as required. “It is for personal use” does not replace agricultural or health requirements.

Leave room for your new life

A few familiar things can make a new house feel like home. Your favorite pillow. A pan you know how to cook with. The shampoo you like. Something small that holds a memory.

Give those things their space. But leave room to discover what you enjoy here, too: a locally made piece for your home, a different ingredient, or the realization that you are perfectly happy with fewer choices in your closet.

Five suitcases can feel like an impossible limit when you are packing a lifetime. Once you arrive, they can become an invitation to ask a different question:

What do I want to make room for now?