Letting Go to Live Free: What No One Tells You About Life on the Road

Written by Josephine Caruana - So Much 2 See. September 2024.

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to live debt-free, embrace a minimalist lifestyle, and hit the open road to explore new places every day?

The idea of trading a traditional three-bedroom home for a tiny house on wheels, like a caravan or RV, sounds thrilling to many. But behind the Instagram-worthy sunsets and scenic drives, there’s an emotional and practical journey that rarely gets talked about. If you're wondering whether you could make such a dramatic lifestyle change, let me tell you—five years ago, we asked ourselves the same question, and our answer was YES. Here’s our story.

From Suburbia to the Open Road: Our Decision to Downsize

It was the beginning of 2019 when we first started to seriously consider leaving our long-time home. After over 30 years of living in a spacious house where we raised five wonderful children, it was just the two of us left. The house suddenly felt too big, too quiet, and filled with things that no longer served a purpose in our lives. We had accumulated so much over the years—furniture, keepsakes, and all sorts of odds and ends. We were at a turning point, and we knew it was time to simplify.

We made the bold decision to sell our family home, embracing the idea of a new life with fewer possessions and more freedom. The initial plan was straightforward: sell, donate, or discard most of our belongings, keep the essentials in a storage unit, and purchase a small motorhome to explore the country. We thought we’d eventually settle down again in a smaller house in the countryside. But life had other plans for us.

The Emotional Challenge of Letting Go

The physical act of downsizing was tough, but what we didn’t anticipate was the emotional weight that would come with it. There are countless YouTube videos and blogs that talk about "the things they don’t tell you about living full-time in a van," but rarely do they discuss the psychological aspect of letting go of a lifetime’s worth of memories and possessions.

Going through our belongings was a walk down memory lane—both joyful and bittersweet. There were photo albums capturing family holidays, children’s artwork from school, and countless gifts exchanged over the years. Each item had a story. It was overwhelming to decide what to keep, what to give away, and what to let go of. Some things, like old furniture and clothes, were easy to part with. But then there were the sentimental items that tugged at our hearts—gifts from our children, souvenirs from our travels, and objects that brought back memories of milestones in our family life.

I remember standing in front of my bookshelf, filled with baking and cake-decorating books that I had collected over 20 to 30 years or more. Baking was more than a hobby for me; it was a way to connect with friends and family, a way to express love. Parting with those books felt like giving away a piece of myself. My husband had his own emotional attachments—his woodworking tools and machinery, especially his beloved wood lathe, represented years of creativity and projects that shaped our home and our lives. Letting go of those tools was like saying goodbye to a lifelong passion.

The hardest part was the realization that our children couldn’t keep these things for us either. As much as they wanted to help by holding on to some items as memories, it wasn’t practical. They were building their own lives, and we couldn’t burden them with our past.

The Unexpected Freedom of the Open Road

In July 2019, we were ready to take our first major step. With our belongings stored away and our new motorhome packed, we set off to Queensland to pick up a car dolly to tow our little Fiat 500 behind the motorhome. The initial excitement of being on the road was invigorating—the sense of freedom, the new experiences, and the endless horizons filled us with a joy we hadn’t felt in years.

But as the months went by, something unexpected began to happen. Our initial plan of settling down again in a small countryside home started to seem less appealing. The longer we stayed on the road, the more we fell in love with the lifestyle. We had the freedom to wake up to a new view every morning, meet new people from all walks of life, and embrace a more relaxed, unstructured way of living. The road became our home, and it felt more right than any place we’d ever lived.

By the end of that year, our plans to buy a new home faded away. We realized that life on the road was far more rewarding than we had ever imagined. We were free from the stress of maintaining a large home and the burden of possessions that had once defined us. We were learning to live with less and love more.

The Final Step: Emptying the Storage Unit

Fast forward to January 2024, and we’re still going strong in our motorhome. But there was one last thing we needed to do to fully commit to this lifestyle: empty our storage unit. This was, surprisingly, one of the hardest decisions we had to make. You see, when we first set out, we kept many items thinking, "Just in case we buy a new home, we’ll need these." But the more we travelled, the more we realized that we didn’t need any of it.

Emptying the storage unit was a deeper level of letting go. It meant saying goodbye to the possibility of returning to a conventional lifestyle and fully embracing the unknown. It also meant confronting the emotional attachments to what remained. There were things like my camera equipment from my home studio setup—a passion I had cultivated over many years. There were also sentimental items, like the handmade gifts from our children, that felt almost impossible to part with. We had to ask ourselves, "What truly matters?" and, more importantly, "What serves us now in this new chapter?"

The Hidden Costs of a Nomadic Life

This is the side of full-time RV living that no one talks about. It’s not just about selling your house, buying a van, or adjusting to a smaller space. It’s also about dealing with the emotional weight of saying goodbye to the life you once knew, the things that brought you comfort, and even the hobbies that defined you.

For us, it was a journey of finding clarity. We had to learn to differentiate between what was valuable because of the memories attached and what was holding us back from moving forward. It’s about facing the emotional hurdles head-on, understanding that while the memories will always be there, the physical objects don’t have to be.

Tips for Those Considering Full-Time RV Living

If you’re considering taking the plunge into full-time RV living, here are a few tips based on our experience:

1. Prepare for an Emotional Journey: Downsizing isn’t just a practical step; it’s an emotional one. Be prepared for the feelings that come up when parting with belongings that have sentimental value. Give yourself time and space to process these emotions.

2. Evaluate What Truly Matters: Before you start downsizing, ask yourself what items are truly necessary for your new lifestyle. Will it serve a purpose on the road? If not, it might be time to let it go.

3. Start with the Big Stuff: Begin by getting rid of large items like furniture, appliances, and bulky equipment. This will give you a sense of progress and make the smaller items easier to manage.

4. Digitize Where Possible: Consider digitizing items that hold memories, such as photos, documents, and even some books. This way, you can take them with you without taking up physical space.

5. Be Patient with Yourself and Each Other: If you’re embarking on this journey with a partner, understand that each person will process the transition differently. Be patient, communicate openly, and support each other through the challenges.

6. Embrace the Unknown: Letting go of a conventional lifestyle is both liberating and daunting. Trust in the process and stay open to the unexpected joys and lessons that life on the road can bring.

Conclusion: A Journey Worth Taking

Our decision to downsize and live full-time on the road was more than just a lifestyle change—it was a transformative journey of self-discovery, emotional growth, and newfound freedom. While it’s not always easy to let go of the past, we’ve learned that the reward is in the life we’re living now—one that’s filled with adventure, simplicity, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

If you’re considering this lifestyle, remember that it’s not just about the destination but the journey itself. Embrace the highs and lows, let go of what no longer serves you, and open yourself to the endless possibilities that come with living free.

Have you experienced the emotional journey of downsizing or living on the road? Share your story in the comments below! Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more tips and stories about full-time RV living

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