Are you planning on leaving your normal life behind to explore more of the world?
Whether you’re retired, taking a career break or looking for a big adventure before settling down, going travelling long-term can be a daunting prospect. One of the first major decisions you will need to make is what to do with your home.
If you are a homeowner, then you may decide to sell your property to fund your trip. Alternatively, you may prefer to rent out your home while you are away so you still have somewhere to live when you return.
If you are renting, then you will probably need to give notice to your landlord and move out or make arrangements for someone else to live in the property while you are away.
Your next big task will be to work out what to do with all your stuff. Whatever kind of trip you are planning, you will probably want to travel light. And even if you have a generous baggage allowance, you won’t want to take a whole lifetime’s possessions on your adventure with you.
So, what should you do?
While you might be tempted to get rid of everything you own and make a completely fresh start, think carefully before going down this road. Some of your treasures are irreplaceable and it is more cost-effective to store the things you have than have to buy everything you need from scratch when you return home. Andrew Porter Ltd’s Self Store allows you to keep your items safe and secure for as long as you need to, giving just a week’s notice to give up your unit. Controlled access and 24-hour CCTV will give you peace of mind that your belongings are in safe hands while you see the world.
Going on a long trip is a great opportunity to get rid of things you no longer need in your life. Before putting your belongings into storage, sort through your stuff and work out what you want to keep and what you can live without. Try to focus on keeping items which you think are useful as well as things which bring you joy or which have sentimental value. If you have something which is broken or an item you are keeping just in case it comes in useful in the future, say goodbye to it now. And don’t keep any clothing which you haven’t worn in the last two years. Divide the things you are getting rid of into three piles – things to try to sell to raise money for your trip, items to donate to charity shops or give away to friends and stuff which needs to be thrown away. Start the process as soon as you can to give yourself a chance to go through everything properly before your departure date.
If you are storing items like mattresses, fabric sofas, rugs and bedding then it is a good idea to have them properly cleaned before putting them into storage. Once they are clean and dry, wrap them in plastic before putting them into your storage unit. Make sure breakable items are well protected in bubble wrap or something similar. Invest in some good quality boxes which can be stacked on top of each other to help you maximise the space inside your storage unit. Remember to clearly label each box so you know where everything is, which will save you a lot of time when you are getting your items out of storage after your travels.
