I enjoy traveling and I enjoy my work. Now I can combine both, I can live like a local in various countries while working. But and that is new – I do not have a home base anymore. No place to leave precious knick-knacks, books, records and all the other stuff that you deem necessary. Not to speak about the overflowing closet with clothes I never wear or have not worn for months or years.
Having made the decision to work & travel for the next few months (or even longer) there is a point where you have to assess your belongings and make a decision – simplify your life. Believe it or not, for me this was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life so far. To look at every little thing of your possessions and decide to “keep or toss”. For me it was mostly toss or donate. And I cannot recommend this highly enough. It takes so much weight of you – literally and psychologically. First of all, the realization that one tends to collect unnecessary stuff that just takes up space and collects dust and second, the knowledge that what you actually need in life is very little.
My “little” sums up to overall six cardboard boxes safely stored away at my godchild’s place (I might need it one day – or maybe not), a suitcase packed with some of my favorite clothing, toiletries and personal items and a backpack which contains my remote office.
To be completely honest: I also kept my beloved motorcycle – I just could not give it away. And more importantly, I found some loving temporary home for my two cats.
That by the way was the hardest part of becoming a Digital Nomad or Remote Worker traveling globally. These two monkeys are part of my life for more than a decade and so far, they joined me on my trips. But now that they are seniors, strenuous travel to another continent and a change of place every four weeks is just not fair on them or their wellbeing. Therefore, I’m grateful beyond words that my godchild Sabrina and Franziska, a good friend of mine, are taking on the duty as adoptive mums for my two boys until I’m reunited with them and all of us find a place, we’d like to stay a bit longer.
