As we pack up our house, I'm starting to realize how much stuff can accumulate in a lifetime.  That is precisely what most of it is, just stuff.  We are downsizing to a home that has 80 liters of capacity.  We did comment several times on our tester trip in Central America how therapeutic it is knowing that everything you have can fit into a bag.  It really simplifies things.  The question of "What am I going to wear?" is reduced to, "What doesn't smell?"  The statement of "I want that." is hedged by "I don't want to carry it."  Our new stuff for the next year has changed primarily to experiences and photographs. 

Of course, we're really not that extreme.  We do like our things and will be getting them back.  Most likely we'll be accumulating more in the future.  Although, I feel we will have a whole new outlook on our possessions when we return.  I ran into this website for those of you that want to be inspired by a more extreme and artistic means of simplifying: allmylifeforsale.  This guy's website is now owned by the University of Iowa's Museum of Art. 

Back to our new home:  We love our Osprey packs, I would recommend them to anyone.  We have the Osprey Sojourn 28".  This pack has extendable handles and all-terrain wheels.  They easily handled everything from cobblestone streets, to the mile and a half boarder crossing into Nicaragua, to heaving them on the top of chicken buses.  This pack has a great suspension with very comfortable backpack straps and belt, although we rarely needed to carry them we just rolled them.  I give this pack an A+.