4 Tips To Make Any Move Easier: Digital Nomad Style

Since 2017, I’ve moved more frequently than ever — about 10 times in just the last 7 years, and even before that, I moved quite a bit. I’ve lived in various places and cities across Europe: Austria (Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck), Germany (Munich, Wallgau), Greece (Kos), the UK (Brighton), the Netherlands (specifically North Holland, including Amsterdam), and I’ve lived in Thailand (Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai). Currently, I’m in the process of organizing my permanent stay in Australia. I initially started in Sydney/NSW, and currently, I am in Queensland on a small island.

My initial move required renting a small truck because I had a lot of belongings. The move wasn’t particularly challenging because I had a lot of friends helping me, I realized I had many unnecessary items that I never needed. When I moved into a furnished place in Vienna for the first time, I realized how much easier moving is, if you don’t have to move any furniture.

Much later, when I met my partner, we relocated from Vienna to Tyrol in Austria, still carrying a substantial amount of belongings, but no furniture. This trend continued when we moved from Austria to Amsterdam in The Netherlands. But subsequent moves became more frequent, and we became more efficient.

I must admit, I love the process of moving. I enjoy sorting through belongings and letting go of most of my material possessions.

I’ve realized that I don’t need much to live comfortably.

Here are my 4 Tips for efficiently Moving as a Digital Nomad:

1. Avoid moving with furniture. Sell what you have and consider second-hand furniture if renting furnished places isn’t an option. Numerous online platforms offer second-hand items at very affordable prices. Don’t worry about scratches or prior use; if it serves its purpose, it’s worth it.
2. Refrain from buying new things in general, not only furniture. Check out thrift shops or second-hand websites instead. Although it’s convenient to order from large retailers like Ikea, new items lose value as soon as they enter your home. It’s not worth it, and opting for second-hand is more environmentally friendly.
3. Prioritize what you truly need of your material possessions. For me, it’s my two laptops, phones, Chromebook for writing, essential clothing items, three pairs of shoes (sandals, sneakers, flip-flops), important documents including IDs and passport, and preferred supplements like Haritaki, activated charcoal, and various mushrooms (e.g., Lion’s Mane, Reishi, or Ashwagandha).
4. Create a sense of home. I bring along wall decorations that offer familiarity, no matter where I am. These include chakra decorations for the walls, pictures from our adventures, a small Buddha statue, a golden elephant from Chiang Mai, two orgone pyramids, printed or hand-drawn runes hung in different spots, and I like to draw some protection runes with white chalk on white walls (easy to remove). Additionally, I place crystals around the windows and always travel with sage and Palo Santo.

If you’re traveling with kids, as I do, you might consider bringing along some of their favorite toys. However, I encourage my children to let go of many items from previous locations to embrace new experiences. They’ve adapted well, even at ages 3 and 5. We bring their absolute favorite toys, tablets, and small robots. These items don’t take up much space and are convenient during longer journeys. We plan enough stops to allow them movement, and they enjoy various activities during travels, making car rides or flights smoother for everyone.

Today, I’m happy to tell you that we don’t need more than about 4 suitcases, some backpacks, and laptop bags to travel as a digital nomad family of 4.

The less we want to bring to our next location, the easier and more affordable the move is. Moving companies charge a lot of money to transport your stuff from A to B, and the farther apart the destinations, the more expensive it gets. You have to make your own calculation, but in my experience, moving with fewer belongings is always the smarter approach.

Being able to let go of materialistic things holds a strange power. You don’t just learn to let go of the item itself but also of all the emotions you’ve transferred onto it.

Letting go of materialistic things lightens your heart.

I think this is what I enjoy the most about moving: closing one chapter, moving forward, being present in the here and now, and focusing on what real value means in my life.

I am at home where my heart is. I could reduce even more.

All that I really need are my two kids and my partner.

As long as we are together, healthy, and able to enjoy life, there is nothing I could miss in my life, not even my phone or my Chromebook.

Namasté

Your Alina

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