I keep saying I’m going to write about what we’re experiencing right now. That I’m going to get it captured in photos and videos; posted to this blog of mine and voila! We’re sharing our stories. Well…what’s that old saying…oh yeah – easier said than done. Here I am, a week after moving from Denver, Colorado and in the midst of our traveling lifestyle, with several tips to finally share. Lucky for you, it’s now even better with hindsight. Here’s what I have to offer so far and from first-hand experience!
- Get rid of as much as possible (that’s usually even more than what you first think is possible, so start the giving-away and selling of items early!)
If you have a garage sale, which is a good idea, do it earlier rather than later and price stuff creatively. For example, a friend of mine who moved to London from Denver some years ago did a thing where you could fill a bag and that whole bag cost you $10. So something along those lines. And advertise the heck out of it!- Arrange to stay at a nice place for your last couple of nights before setting out. Maybe it’s with friends, but wherever you choose, have it be as close as possible to the place that’s been home and make sure it’s a tranquil and beautiful place that will provide calm and peace for you during your final days of transition into traveling. This also greatly helps to step back and not feel so overwhelmed by little things you may have to tie up at your old place.
- Don’t store stuff at other people’s houses. Even if they offer or they’re family, politely decline and opt for a storage unit instead. But only if you really have to – that’s where number 1, getting rid of as much as possible, comes in super handy and important.
- Don’t schedule things that need to get done or plans with other people during your last two days. Leave those open for any unexpected things that may arise and to relax and prepare yourself with rest and family/partner time before your departure.
- Do practice runs of your packing! I know it sounds like a pain and extra work, but you will be so happy you did. Not only will it help you in determining things you may still need to get rid of, but you can weigh your bag to ensure you don’t pay for overweight charges at the ticket counter if you’re boarding a plane for your exit.
- During your last couple of weeks, get intentional about activities and things in your current area that you want to do again or for the first time before you go. For me and Eric, this entailed a nice handful of restaurants since we love food and dining out at fun places. We incorporated time with friends to accomplish two desires within one experience and it helped and was so enjoyable.
- Set up a virtual mail system to change your address to. It’s awesome and well worth it! The two best choices I have found are Earth Class Mail (which I used in 2012 and liked) and Mailbox Forwarding.
- Get a Skype phone number and Skype calling credit. It’s really affordable and helps for making calls when you need to, personally and professionally.
- For your luggage, especially if you work for yourself and will be doing business on the road like us, prioritize good gear. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but budget for the quality stuff and purchase it in advance so you can look for deals to get it on sale. We’re so glad that we have my nice leather briefcase (it’s lasted me many travels and many years and is still going strong) and that we use Apple products and that Eric got an awesome Pelican backpack. He even found it $100 cheaper online months in advance.
If you have a garage sale, which is a good idea, do it earlier rather than later and price stuff creatively. For example, a friend of mine who moved to London from Denver some years ago did a thing where you could fill a bag and that whole bag cost you $10. So something along those lines. And advertise the heck out of it!
Well, that’s it for now, but please keep following along. With more time we’re only growing in our wealth of knowledge. If you have questions for us and think our input can be of help in any lifestyle and traveling that you’re looking to create in your life, please reach out and ask us. We’re here to share the joy and fun learning of traveling and the traveling lifestyle.
To get caught up on our story and how we’re living a traveling lifestyle as a couple and with our business, just click here to read more!