What do I do with all my belongings while I’m traveling?
By Aaron J. Moore, RN, MSN, columnist
Q: What do travel nurses do with all of the belongings they can't take with them? Storage? Sell/give things away? I have a house full of furniture, books, dishes, etc., and I'm not sure what to do with all of it. Help! – C.C.
A: This is a common question among travelers, and the answer can change depending on who you ask. I personally don’t like to take a lot of stuff with me when I go anywhere; I’m what most would call a minimalist. But, whether you like to travel with a large amount of your stuff or not, you’ll still need to store some of it, so let me give you a few hints about how to do this and not drain your bank account.
First off, talk to your recruiter and make sure you know exactly what will be in your housing unit when you get there. If you are using company-provided housing, it is usually furnished including some household appliances and necessities, and may include amenities like a pool and tennis courts. Your recruiter will also able to answer other questions about housing and moving options.
Second, go through your stuff and decide what you really want to keep long-term and what you can part with. No matter where you decide to store your stuff, it’s always simpler and cheaper if you have less of it. I make it a point to go through my stuff every assignment and see if I used everything or not. If I didn’t use something, to Goodwill it went.
Then, the next thing I would recommend is to “phone a friend.” I’ve found that a lot of travelers ask friends or family to store their stuff for them. I personally like this idea. When I traveled I loaned out my TV and electronic stuff to family to use while I was gone. I gave away most of my furniture to Goodwill and then saved the pieces I really liked. As long as you’re not imposing on someone, this may be the cheapest option to store your stuff.
Your next option is to look into local storage places. There are several different storage options, including traditional self-storage facilities with a range of unit sizes and rate plans, as well as portable containers that come to you and are then taken away by truck to a long-term storage facility. I would do an internet search and look for locally-owned storage companies. I have found that the local facilities offer special deals that can often beat the large-chain storage facilities. The larger companies do have advantages, though, so don’t rule them out. Most will pack and unpack for you and some will even move a storage container (like PODS) across the country for you if you decide to move.
A few things to watch for, no matter where you store your belongings:
1. The care of your stuff. If you have things you truly care about, wrap them carefully before boxing and storing, stack boxes and containers carefully, and, if possible, use a pallet to keep your things off the floor (in case the guy in the next unit has something that leaks). And, don’t pack things that might leak. An outer wrapping of plastic provides added protection for your furniture and other items, as well.
2. The storage climate. Check if the storage area or facility is temperature-controlled. Some places are not, and your belongings may be exposed to the elements, which can cause severe damage to many items.
3. The cost of storage, including hidden fees. Ask about fees before you sign on the dotted line. Some places charge for each time you would like to get into your stuff. And rental agreements may impose fines for early termination or changes, so just make sure you do your research before finalizing where to store your goods.
As far as taking stuff with you, again, I would opt for the minimalist approach. My wife and I traveled in a small SUV, and allowed each other a large bin for our personal stuff. Then we had one bin that carried all our other things.
I can tell you now, though, that if this is your first assignment, you’re probably packing too much!
In the four years I traveled I noticed my bin kept getting emptier and emptier with each assignment. However, if you just can’t part with your stuff but you need don’t want to tow a trailer or pay huge amounts for shipping, I would recommend a roof top carrier for your car or truck. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to use, and will fit on most types of cars without adding a roof rack.
Another trick many travelers use is separating clothes by season. For example, if you’re going to Phoenix for three months, leave your winter clothes with a friend and only take the summer stuff. Then, if your next assignment happens to be in Colorado, you can call that friend and have him or her ship your winter clothes to your new address.
Remember that you can always buy the cheaper items at your assignment location, so look into packing the more expensive items first before filling up your space with plates and a blender. Most kitchen items take up a lot of space and don’t really pack to well for a long road trip; plus these things can be picked up used or on-the-cheap once you get to your destination. I recommend thrift stores like Goodwill for stuff like this. Then when you’re done, just re-donate the items (and don’t forget to keep track of the donation for your taxes)--or you can always try to sell them on Craigslist or another site that offers online classified ads.
So just remember: (1) check with your recruiter about which items are provided in your new location; (2) chuck, sell or donate what you don’t need to keep; (3) think like a minimalist when it comes to deciding what to bring with you; (4) pack up the stuff you want to keep but won’t need on assignment; and (5) store those things away safely, after researching your options.
Then, live the dream (LTD) of travel nursing!
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