When you travel for a week’s vacation, you don’t need to think about much apart from packing your suitcase and heading off to the airport. However, if you plan to travel long-term, you will need to spend more time organising your life and belongings.
Whether you are taking a gap year, a career break, or have decided to live the digital nomad life, planning your trip can be overwhelming. Here are some top tips to help you better prepare for your long-term adventure.
Photo by Nataliya Vaikevich
#1 Create a plan
It is important to at least outline where you plan to go and how long you plan to go for. This plan can then be easily turned into a to-do list that will help you buy the right equipment and insurance policies, pack the right belongings and bring enough clothes. It will also tell you how much money you need to budget.
Photo by Vlada Karpovich
#2 Pack the essentials
It is not feasible to carry everything you have at home on your back when you travel long-term. If you are going to be staying in one place for a long time, then you may choose to ship some of your items to the destination. If you plan to move around while you travel, then you will need to condense your packing list down and only take the essential items.
Photo by Kaolina Grabowska
#3 Prepare your home
It’s not always possible to pay for your home and keep your belongings while you travel long-term. It is a good idea to cancel your rental property agreement, or sublet it until you get home. If you own your home, then you may wish to rent it out while you are away.
If you choose to move out, then you will need to organise your belongings. You can sell the items that you don’t want and put the money towards your travels. Alternatively, you can donate your items to charity, or put them in storage. Storage is one of the most popular options, as you can collect them on your return. Below is a helpful graphic that shows you how to best prepare your items for storage.
Infographic Designed by Jim’s Self Storage
Have you travelled long-term? What are your tips for long-term travel?
