Heading off travelling is exciting, but you will need somewhere to store your belongings. Our long term storage Letchworth is here to help. 

Many more people are heading off on “adult gap years”. A feeling of needing to seize each moment that has been left over from the pandemic and the lockdowns it brought, have led to people being more open to taking extended periods of time away from their lives and jobs. 

Others want to but struggle with the idea of leaving everything behind. This is not surprising as the security that comes with having your own home and a job brings a good feeling. But, it is also strange that so many of us don’t think twice about heading off on a gap year, straight out of school, when we are younger, more naive and less skilled at managing our money or taking care of ourselves!

Within this article, we will offer you some advice on how to embark on your “adult gap year” and let you know how our long term storage Letchworth will help. 

Adult Gap Year Or Sabbatical? 

The trend of taking some time away from work and heading off for a year or more has playfully become known as an “adult gap year”.

Technically, if you are no longer in school and are planning on returning to work, what you are having is a sabbatical. 

A sabbatical is an extended break from work, which allows employees to pursue other interests. They are typically used for a specific purpose outside of work, such as travel, study or volunteer work. During this period, employees remain part of their organisation, but are exempt from regular duties and can either be paid or unpaid.

Truly, a sabbatical and a gap year are very similar in that they are about personal growth, learning new things and, of course, having some time to relax and have fun. 

If you do want to take a sabbatical and then return to work, you will need to speak with your employers. Employers have the right to refuse sabbatical leave but they are more likely to accept an unpaid sabbatical as it will save on salary whilst you are away. 

Planning For Your Travels 

There is a lot that needs to be planned before you head off on your travels. Within this section, we will look at how to best plan for your travels. 

Look Into Your Employers Sabbatical Leave Policies

If you do want to take a sabbatical and then return to work, you will need to speak with your employers. Employers have the right to refuse sabbatical leave but they are more likely to accept an unpaid sabbatical as it will save on salary whilst you are away. 

Many companies have a length of time you have to have worked at the company before you are eligible for sabbatical leave. For example, at Brewdog, you have to have worked for them for 5 years. 

Solo Travels Or Going With A Travel Companion? 

Next, you need to think about whether you are wanting to head off your travels alone or with a travel companion. Whether you are thinking about asking a friend, your partner or bringing your entire family, travelling with others will require more planning so you need to think about this. 

If you want to travel with your family and have children, you will need to think about their schooling.  

Set A Budget

Once you know whether our sabbatical is paid or unpaid and who you are travelling with, you can begin to set your budget. 

Along with thinking about your travel expenses, you need to consider any expenses you will still have at home. Will you still be paying a mortgage or rent? Will you hire a house sitter? Do you have pets that need looking after? 

An option is to sell your house/tell your landlord you are leaving and they need a new tenant but you will need to decide what to do with your belongings. Our long term storage Letchworth will be a big help. 

Utilise Long term Storage Letchworth 

This brings us nicely to how long term storage Letchworth will help. Continuing to pay rent or a mortgage on a house that you are not going to be living in for a year which just adds extra expense that you could really do without, particularly if your sabbatical is unpaid. 

If you are willing to sell/stop renting your home, you could store all of your belongings in our long term storage Letchworth whilst you are away. Within our storage units, your belongings will be kept safe so you can enjoy your travels. Local estate agents, like Country Properties, will be able to help you with a sale. 

If you love your home and have a mortgage to pay, the other option is to rent it out whilst you are away. You will need to find someone to look after your tenant whilst you are away. It will still be a good idea to place some of your belongings in long term storage Letchworth as you don’t want your tenant going through your personal effects.

Set Goals For Your Travels 

Once you know who you are travelling with and your budget, you can now set goals for your year away. 

Yes, you will want to get some rest and relaxation but you also want to make the most of your year away from work and your daily responsibilities. Think about whether there is somewhere you really want to go or a skill you want to learn. 

Going Travelling? Long Term Storage Letchworth Will Help

If you are heading off on your travels, whether you are calling it an adult gap year or a sabbatical, there are some things you need to think about and plan. 

Firstly, you need to check what your employer’s policy is when it comes to a sabbatical, whether you will be paid or unpaid and if you need to have worked there for a certain period of time before you can have a sabbatical. This will help you to plan the rest of your travels. 

Next, you need to think about whether you want to travel alone or with a travel companion. And then you need to think about your budget, thinking about home expenses alongside travel expenses. Utilising long term storage Letchworth will be a big help as you can store your belongings within one of our storage units so you don’t have to continue renting a house or you can sell your home. 

Finally, once you know who you are traveling with and your budget, you can begin setting goals for your year, thinking about what you want to see, do and learn. 

We hope you have found this article helpful. If you would like to know more about our long term storage Letchworth, please give us a call on: 01462 674 666 or click here.