Should I Pack or Store My Belongings When Traveling?
You’ve just been offered the opportunity of a lifetime. You get to travel for at least a year to some exotic land to live, to eat wonderful food and to experience new sights and sounds. Understandably, you probably wonder what to pack and what to store while you’re gone. If you’re facing this wonderful dilemma, then you’ll want to take a look at these three tips. They’ll help you decide what to bring with and what to leave at home, regardless of whether you’re on the road as a traveling nurse or a digital nomad.
Declutter First
So picture this. You have some things that you literally haven’t set eyes on in like five years. They are sealed up in boxes. They could be old papers, unworn clothing, whatever. You can either pay to store these things that you haven’t seen nor probably even thought of specifically in the last five years. Or you can throw them out or give them away. If you know that you’re going to be traveling for a year or more, why continue to keep items like this when you already clearly don’t miss them? Get rid of them. You’ll pay less for storage in Las Vegas, and you’ll never have to deal with them again once you return home.
Where Are You Going?
Knowing what to put into storage and knowing what to bring with you on the road will depend on your destination. The on-the-road requirements are probably different for a digital nomad than they are for a traveling nurse. While there may some overlap between these different types of travelers – both may need computers, for examples, – there are probably a lot of differences, too. While a nurse may need to bring along documents, like medical credentials, the digital nomad may not require these types of items. It’s best to do some research about the accommodations you’ll have in your new “home” before you send stuff to storage. That way, you won’t pack away stuff you’ll need when you travel.
Long-Term Storage Vs. Renting Out Your Place
It can be tempting to forget about storage and just rent out your home or apartment. While this is definitely an option, there are also some drawbacks to this plan. For one thing, you still need to hide away your personal items before the renters come. While it’s unpalatable to think about people stealing your stuff, it can happen. For another thing, if you rent out your home/ apartment fully furnished, you run the risk of having ruined furniture when you get back home.
If you do decide to hang onto your abode, only rent out the “shell.” Put your stuff in storage for safekeeping and just rent out your four walls. If you go with this plan, do keep in mind that it may be a good idea to also hire a property manager to help you collect rent and to make sure that your home stays in good repair.
