travel

Over Skype, I ask, “Do you think of yourself as a technomad or a minimalist, in terms of the way you live?” Professional photographer Collin Hughes, who has worked with everyone from Nike to Wired, laughs and then responds, “Most definitely,” as he turns his laptop’s camera from his face towards four small duffle bags in a pile on the floor. “This is everything I own right now besides what’s in MakeSpace,” he says from off camera.

Any New Yorker will tell you that one of the hardest parts of living in New York City is leaving New York City. Spending three months in Spain is a distant dream for most of us, because traditionally, a trip like that would entail abandoning your lease, moving all of your stuff to a storage facility, and finding a new job when you get back to the States. After you’ve spent a month hunting on Craigslist for the perfect apartment, the last thing you want to do is give it up.

Chris Lavergne is the Founder and Publisher of Thought Catalog. The website posts hundreds of articles a day from emerging and established writers. It publishes everything from fun “listicles” to experimental fiction to news and opinion. Since launching in February 2010, Thought Catalog has grown exponentially and now has over 30 million monthly readers. Chris—who’s direct, professional, and practically nonexistent on social media—gave us a glimpse into his life by sharing his MakeSpace bin’s contents.