The first step to leaving the U.S. is learning to let go of your possessions, embrace minimalism. I know this might be tough for the sentimental types, but remember—stuff is just stuff. You can always buy more. What you can’t replace is time, freedom, and the experiences waiting for you beyond your current life. That said, if you must keep something for sentimental value, make sure it’s also useful. Keeping your father’s favorite shirt makes far more sense than lugging around a first edition of East of Eden. You can wear a shirt, but a book? That’s just dead weight in your bag.
If you’re an avid reader, invest in a Kindle before you leave and download the Libby app. With a library e-card, you can check out free e-books from libraries across the U.S. without ever needing to buy them. Even from Cambodia, I still use multiple American libraries this way.
When you start planning your move, don’t stress over a specific departure date. Instead, start downsizing. Sell everything you don’t truly need. List items on eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp. If you have a friend with an established eBay store, see if they’ll let you list items under their account—things sell for more in a shop with a high seller rating. Start your prices high and drop them weekly if they don’t sell. Large items move better on Craigslist and OfferUp, while eBay is best for smaller, easy-to-ship products. Anything that won’t sell? First, try having some garage sales. Whatever is leftover, take it to a pawn shop. There is an eBay and an Offerup/craigslist sellers guide on this website.
And when I say sell everything, I mean everything. You don’t need to haul a lifetime of possessions to a new country. Almost everything is replaceable, and you’ll quickly realize you don’t need nearly as much as you thought.
Here’s all you truly need: a laptop, a phone, a hat, sunglasses, and at least seven different outfits. Sell and downsize until everything fits into a 22x14x9 carry-on suitcase and a backpack. No checked luggage means easier flights, less hassle, and a lighter, freer existence. Shedding all that extra weight—physically and mentally—is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. Stuff is an anchor, and you’d be shocked at how much of it means absolutely nothing to you once it’s gone.
When I left the U.S., I was a carpenter with a lifetime of tools to sell. eBay was my biggest moneymaker, but I also pulled in solid cash through Craigslist and even a couple of successful garage sales. For an entire year, my full-time job became selling everything I owned—while getting sober. That year taught me the power of detachment. I let go of substances, possessions, and even people. And in doing so, I grew more in those twelve months than I had in the previous decade.
As the Buddha said, “You only lose what you cling to.”
Some important things to bring with you:
- A good, refillable water bottle
- A kindle
- a Travel backpack. I recommend an anti-theft backpack like pac-safe
- an around-the-waste passport wallet with room for cash as well which you can keep hidden under your shirt,
- packable running shoes, (2 pairs in my case, because I was moving to Asia and I wear a size 12)
I’ve provided some links for the items which helped me shed myself of possessions, oh the irony.