Hi JourneyWoman,

Welcome to Things She Loves! This is our place to share and recommend tried and true products and services that we love — no marketing gimmicks, just honest and candid recommendations from women, for women, to make solo travel easier. It has been a while since we last published Things She Loves, but if you'd like to look at our previous issues on packing, menopause, staying safe online or more, just click here!

This month, we're focusing on downsizing and decluttering. If you’ve felt the urge to simplify your life, but don’t know how to start, this is your call to action! Not only does downsizing clear out the things you don’t use anymore, but it can also help us emotionally shift into a new chapter of our lives. Imagine how much more freeing it can be to travel when you have less 'stuff' holding you back!

How to get started: Decluttering!

Downsizing starts with a single step — decluttering! Join our Decluttering community call on May 7, 2024, at 7:00 pm EST. Bring a junk drawer, a jewelry box, a makeup box or something that you want to start with. We'll chat with decluttering expert Allana Lytle from HowSimpleOrganizing.com, Go-to-Grandma Kathy Buckworth and JourneyWoman's Carolyn Ray, who downsized her home in six weeks in 2018. Sign up here!

"There comes a time in the lives of many women when we prioritize experiences over possessions. After raising our families and living rooted lives, the time comes when we can divest our stuff and make room for new adventures." —Erica Ehm, writing for JourneyWoman Read more here.

Tips to start your downsizing journey by Carolyn Ray

Step 1: Preparing for downsizing

When I decided to travel full-time in 2018, I had a jam-packed three-bedroom house I’d lived in for decades with my daughter. When it came time to start, we did it together, making decisions about where we would donate and what things she wanted to keep. Involving family in this process is important because it is an emotional journey. In the six-week period after I sold my house, we auctioned off all of our furniture, donated our clothes to non-profits and charities and swapped my car for a transit pass. It was a lot of change quickly but also fun to plan and research. Here's what I learned:
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1. The hardest thing to get rid of is paper – old documents, photographs, our kids’ artwork, even books. You will need to be ruthless. Keep or scan a few momentos but ditch or shred the rest. For books, invite friends to choose their favourites or look at second-hand stores. I had a library of hundreds of books so this was a hard one for me. I kept some of my all-time favourites – these are like old friends to me, they represent comfort.

2. For furniture, I invited my friends to come in and take what they wanted. Then, I used an auctioneer called MaxSold to help me clear out the belongings I would not be keeping and make a little money at the same time. Not everything was gone, however, but The Furniture Bank will take good quality furniture and issue a tax receipt in Canada. Value Village takes household items you cannot sell. 1-800-Got-Junk will take any leftover garbage that does not get sold or donated.

3. For clothing, while we may think of Goodwill or Value Village first, donate your belongings to a women’s shelter, small church or synagogue that’s supporting somebody who may be in need of your items. If you use Kijiji or Facebook marketplace, make sure you are prepared for the hundreds of requests to negotiate prices and have a set time, date and place for pickup. One of my most memorable donations was of old party dresses to the Corsage Project, which provides high school students with formal wear for prom.

4. For hard-to-give-away things, consider museums: I donated my great-grandfather’s piano to the Canadian Piano Museum, and sheet music to another museum. You never know until you ask Google what exists!

5. Wondering what I regret giving away? Nothing. Absolutely not one thing. Living a simpler life starts with appreciating what you have had, but also a newfound commitment to living with less.

Read more here: "From High Heels to Hiking Boots: How I Reinvented My Life to Travel Full Time" by Carolyn Ray

The dreaded storage locker

6. When you first downsize, you might need a storage locker. Look for deals and try to get the smallest one you can find. Putting things in storage makes you tend to forget it. Don’t fall into that trap. What feels like a little adds up over time. I started with a 10 x 20 but am now on my third storage locker, a 7x10, and now working on the next level down. Some of the better-known storage companies include StorageMart, Sparefoot, and Public Storage.

7. For storage, use stackable plastic see-through bins. Number each bin before you put it into storage and do an inventory with photographs.

8. Storage companies charge for insurance, roughly $20 a month, and it adds up. If you've moved to an apartment, as I did, make sure your condo or rental insurance includes the contents of your storage locker.

9. Buy a good lock with a key to keep your belongings safe. This is the one I have.

For more downsizing tips, read "How to Downsize for Travel" by Carolyn Ray

Downsizing into a smaller space

After I sold my house, I rented a furnished apartment, intending to stay for a few months. With the pandemic, I couldn’t travel, and paying rent became too expensive. I decided to buy a small one-bedroom, 500-square-foot condominium, thinking I might rent it out when I travelled. My next challenge became finding furniture that does double duty – practical but with storage space:

10. For the bedroom, I chose a Canadian Endy Bed since it only needs a frame. Casper is a similar company in the US. I use bed lifts to raise the bed up and create a storage space underneath. I store clothes in flat plastic bins with a lid under the bed. These are good for sweaters and bulky clothes that would take up too much room in your closet.

11. For the living room/dining room, I use a dining room table that doubles as a workspace. My coffee table has a lid that lifts for built-in storage inside. Lastly, my couch is slightly oversized and doubles as a single bed if my daughter wants to visit, rather than a fold-out couch, which would not have fit through the door and is very heavy.

12. I had a custom closet built from California Closet, both in my bedroom and my front hall. For storage, I use these flat jewelry bags that hang on the back of my closet door. They alleviate the need for bulky jewelry boxes and as you know, I love earrings! I use seasonal storage bags for the closet to keep my clothing organized. Invest in good ones with strong fabric and zippers that won't rip.

Creating healthy habits

Now that you’ve rid yourself of material possessions don’t let them build up again!

13. Refrain yourself from buying a lot of souvenirs when you travel, this is a surefire way to build up clutter again. I do buy hats, scarves and jewelry, but refrain from clothes. If you buy a new piece of clothing, give two pieces of clothing away.

14. Recycle clothes regularly. I do regular purges and even host "storage locker fashion shows' to get rid of things I don't use anymore. Why not make it fun!

15. Rent clothing when you can, such as for Arctic expeditions or fancy evenings. Check out Rent the Runway in the USA and Beyond the Runway in Canada.

16. Keep the clutter to a minimum and invest in a paper shredder – I don't have room for extra paper or files.

Planning for a nomadic life

As I've shared recently on our Solo Travel Wisdom group, I'm planning to sell my condo soon and be nomadic. There are lots of websites that focus on a nomadic life and one of full-time travel. Here are some tips I've gleaned from others who have done it.

Read more here: Get Inspired by Women Who Have Downsized to Travel ​

17. To receive mail anywhere, Ipostal is a digital mailbox service that lets you view and manage postal mail and packages from anywhere, starting at US $9.99 a month.

18. Use virtual phone numbers to replace SIM cards. These don’t need a physical phone line or SIM card. Instead, these numbers place and receive phone calls and SMS texts using the Internet. (Check hushed.com for more information).

19. Create a Wise account for easy currency exchanges while travelling to different countries.

20. Make sure you have long-term travel insurance. Compare rates on InsureMyTrip here use a tool like iVisa to make sure you have the proper documentation and visa needed for each country you visit.

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