Going away for a while? Do these 5 things first

You’re about to go away for an extended period of time, and we hope you’re looking forward to it! Are you taking a gap year after graduation? A couple of months abroad between jobs? A sabbatical? Whatever the reason, you shouldn’t have to worry about your stuff at home while you’re busy making memories on your big adventure.

Here are 5 things you should consider before taking off on a long vacation:

1. Rent or sublet your home: Why make rent or mortgage payments when you aren’t using the space? Give someone else a temporary place to live, and they’ll support your cost of living while you’re away. As a bonus, your tenants will keep water flowing through your pipes and keep the lights on when they’re home, all of which keeps your place secure and well-loved.

2. Leave your stuff in storage: Instead of paying for a space you aren’t using, your money could be spent on your trip. If you’re a tenant who’s going away for at least a few months and you don’t want to deal with a subletter, give up your lease and find a new home when you’re ready to come back. In the meantime, you can easily put your belongings into storage. An offsite facility like Maple Leaf will be clean, dry, and have multiple security measures to keep your stuff safe. You can’t put a price on peace of mind.

3. Earn money while traveling: If you don’t need your whole trip to be a vacation, have it ‘pay for itself’ and work on the side. You can get access to a good internet connection in most cities around the world (or buy a portable wifi router). While it’s easiest to freelance remotely as a writer, designer, developer or another digital profession, you can also look for small online jobs as a user tester or a company namer.

4. Make two copies of everything in your wallet: Even if you’re a careful traveler, things can get lost or stolen. Leave a photocopy of your license and credit cards somewhere safe at home or in off-site storage. Scan your passport and leave one copy at home. Bring another one with you, hidden anywhere but the bag that holds your real passport. This way, if your passport is lost or stolen, you have a copy to show the local embassy.

5. Pay your bills before you leave: Why worry about your usual expenses while you’re away from home? Whether it’s one or five, if you can pay upcoming bills before you go, you’ll have fewer deadlines to think about while you’re on the beach or climbing a mountain.

You should be extra relaxed while exploring new places, meeting new people, and enjoying your time away. Tie up loose ends before you go, and come back to a clean slate.