The idea of living on the road is a dream for many people. The adventure, the freedom, the beautiful sites and places you get to see – it is not hard to see why this lifestyle appeals to so many of us. 

But it isn’t easy. You need to be highly organised and you need to have a survival strategy. Not to mention you will have to say goodbye to your most treasured possessions. For a little while at least. 

If living on the road is the life for you, here is our guide on how to best prepare and have the best experience possible. 

Plan where you are going

This may sound super obvious but you need to have a detailed plan of where you are travelling to and the time frame in which you plan to do it. 

Yes, you will want the freedom to explore when you arrive, but it will be a great asset to know routes and prices of basics such as food and accommodation, if you need it. 

And how you are going to get there

Are you going by car and then staying in hostels? Are you bringing a caravan? Or a tent? Or are you building your new on-road home like Michaela and Carlan have built Harold the House Truck? 

If you are going away for a few months, then driving or using public transport and staying in hostels will be a perfect option.

If you are planning on a complete lifestyle change and making a permanent shift to nomadic, on the road living, a campervan or a caravan would be a great investment. Michaela and Carlan are converting a Ford Transit van into their perfect new home. Doing it this way takes time, patience and a lot of learning but it is a highly rewarding way to start your new life. For inspiration, head to their Instagram. 

Think about your budget

No matter how well you plan, things can crop up out of nowhere so make sure you have known your budget. 

Know what you will need for food, for petrol, for accommodation (if you are using it) but also budget for anything going wrong such as needing to have something repaired on your vehicle. 

Decide what to do with your current home

This brings us nicely to our next point – what are you going to do with your current home? If you are renting, this will not be as big of a decision.

If however you own your own home, what are you going to do with it? Do you plan on renting it out? If so, you will need to have tenants in place to move in before you leave, allowing you to deal with any issues that might arise. After you have gone, you will need to have someone in charge of the home so the new tenants know who to contact with any issues. 

If you are making the big leap and selling your home, then you will need to have this done before leaving. This will add a great deal to your travelling budget but selling a house takes time so you must have patience and try to stave off disappointment if this does not happen as quickly as you would like. 

Declutter and find storage

If you are selling your home, you will need to have a declutter and find items which you could give to charity, sell or throw away. But if you are truly set on permanently living on the road, you will have to be quite brutal with this process but chances are you will have personal belongings that you do not want to part with. 

Alternatively, you might only be going away for a few months. If so, then you will want to hold on to your furniture and the majority of your belongings. 

Self storage is a great option for storing your belongings as it gives you as much space as you need and you will have peace of mind that your belongings are safe. 

Working from the road? Think about what will you need to do this

If you plan to live on the road for longer than a few months, you will need to think about how you are going to make money. 

The old-school way would be to set up camp somewhere and work somewhere for a few months. Helping out on a farm, working in a cafe or pub, or working in retail. 

If you already have a job which allows you to work from home on your trusty laptop, you will need to figure out how to gain access to a WI-FI connection. If you work freelance as a writer, this could be a necessity once a week when you need to send work out. However, if you are employed by someone then this will be a daily necessity.

Many people who have chosen to take up on the road life, find that creating content for Instagram and YouTube can be a good way to make money. A great example of this is Laura and Aaron from @parkingonthewildside. This will take time though and, again, you will need access to an internet connection.  

Pack light 

No matter how long you are on the road for, make sure you pack light, only packing the essentials.

You will need the obvious like clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste and a portable power bank etc which will all fit in a backpack. 

Other essential items will be dependent on how you are travelling but if you are heading out in a camper van, consider items such as a comfortable mattress, a solar shower, a WI-FI 4G router and a first aid kit.

We hope you have found our guide helpful. Enjoy your next adventure!