Making it work

Finding Our Dual-Home Rhythm: Packing Light ;-), Embracing Simplicity, and Unexpected Lessons

We naively envisioned ourselves as minimalist dual-home travelers. A quick hop in the car, a few essentials tossed in the trunk... how wrong we were! Despite our best intentions, a magical force seemed to fill every inch of our vehicle on each trip.

• Travel as Transformation (And Cargo Tetris): Packing wasn't just about clothes. It became a bizarre puzzle of squeezing in a newly-purchased lamp, the kids' ever-expanding toy collection, and perhaps some "essentials" from our favorite Munich grocery store.

• The Art of "Just Enough" (Or Not Quite): We tried to maintain a streamlined system, but with kids in the equation, the meaning of "just enough" constantly expanded. Think: two full-sized expandable fences to keep our toddler from running into the street in Gargnano Sometimes, it turns out, safety trumps minimalism!

• Our Secret Weapon: The Early Bird Departure I discovered the benefits of a pre-dawn departure: 3:30 AM wake-up, the car meticulously packed the night before. With the kids asleep, the drive was smoother, my wife got extra rest, and we'd arrive at the lake around 8:30 AM. Stepping out of the car, into the warmth and that distinctly Mediterranean air, always felt like a victory.

• The Minimalist in Me: In a funny twist, I became the minimalist traveler. With most of my wardrobe essentials already at the lake (running shoes, sandals, the trusty light jacket), my packing boils down to a toothbrush and my laptop. It's a testament to how settled we feel in Gargnano.

• Essentials vs. Ever-Evolving "Extras": We discovered our definition of necessities shifts between locations. A bulky winter jacket is useless at the lake, but those sandcastle building tools are suddenly non-negotiable.

• Unexpected Benefits (Amidst the Chaos): Despite the overflowing car, we've learned to roll with the punches. It's become a family joke, a reminder that even the best laid plans in our dual-home life get hilariously derailed, and that's part of the fun!

 In the next Part, we'll share the emotional ups and downs of creating a home away from home in Italy, from tackling renovation hurdles to the warmth of finding "our people" in Gargnano.