Considering traveling long-term? Here are some things to consider first. All of these are tiny annoyances in comparison to the awesome things that traveling has to offer. But for some, these could be deal breakers.
- Do you like your family a lot? I mean, a lot? Because they become your people, and your only people. There are no coworkers or lunches with friends. We used to have to try extra hard for family time. Every minute between getting home from work and putting the boys to bed was precious family time that we couldn't get enough of. Now we have to work to have alone time. We take turns working out or running errands alone. I used to dread running errands with passion because there were 101 things I would rather be doing with my kids, now I actually look forward to a few hours a way from home on my own.
- Are you particular about things like where you get your hair cut, where you go grocery shopping, and the mattress you sleep on? Being picky and particular about everything would get you quite frustrated if you travel a lot. Nothing is the same as at home, and you have to just roll with it.
- Speaking of being picky.... let's talk about kitchens. Every house comes equipped with different things. Some houses have every kitchen tool and appliance you could dream of, some houses (like the one I'm in now) are just the bare minimum. You have to be flexible and not stress about it. The only kitchen item we own is an Instant Pot because it's useful for so many things, so we decided it was worth hauling around the country with us. But other than that, we just work with what we have.
- Packing and unpacking every month will probably get old after a while. It only takes a few hours though. And honestly, I'd way rather pack and unpack my life once a month than do yard work or deep clean my house.
- Working out can be a challenge. Some places offer monthly memberships, but taking the time to sign up, cancel your contract, and try to avoid the fees becomes annoying. It's easier just to figure out how to make it work at home.... without weights or any big equipment. I'm getting pretty creative with the resistance band lately!
- You need to be very self-motivated. There are no time clocks or bosses looking over your shoulder. You still need to make a living, but it's hard when there's a river to play in right outside your front door. Working hard and giving our jobs our all still needs to be a top priority, and some days that can be hard to do.
- If you love shopping, you'll have to put that on hold for a while. There isn't room for knick knacks, fun clothes, and extra accessories. Each time I buy a new item of clothing, I have to throw one out. It's the only way to keep my clothes to a minimum. My kids have one large bin that all their toys fit into. We buy used ones at each new house and rotate them out. Personally, I hate shopping, especially for things to decorate my house. It always felt like a waste of money and time, but I wanted my house to look nice. Now I don't have to worry about any of that! But if it's something you love, you might begin to miss it.
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