Ernest Hemingway once said, “When you stop doing things for fun you might as well be dead.” A little over-dramatic, sure, but the man has a point. We know you. Adventure feeds your soul, giving you purpose and drive. We thrive on the spirit of possibility. And nothing is more adventurous than long-term travel. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking your own round-the-world (RTW) trip, there’s no better time to do it than now.

So stop dreaming and start planning. We’ll help you figure out the logistics and provide reliable storage for your stuff while you’re out seeing the world. At StorQuest, we are the champions of a more awesome life.

Take a leave of absence from work

Most people think you have to quit your job to travel, but that’s not always true. A lot of employers are willing to let you take extended time off if you ask far enough in advance. Here are a few tips to help you ask your boss for a leave of absence to travel:

• Schedule a meeting to sit down with your supervisor and inform them ahead of time of your intentions. This isn’t going to be a quick five-minute conversation.
• Come prepared to present the reasons you want to travel abroad and leverage your decision as a benefit to the company, like learning a new skill or coming back refreshed.
• Discuss compensation with a focus on insurance benefits. Let them know you understand this is an unpaid leave, but ask about your health and life insurance coverage.
• Offer to help find and train your replacement. Earning goodwill now will help you in the future.

Remember, your employer may offer to dismiss you and rehire you upon return. So don’t get discouraged if that is the route they choose. After all, you still have an awesome trip ahead of you!

Sublet or AirBnB your place

The next hurdle to clear is figuring out what to do with your place while you’re gone. If you rent, subletting may be an option. The first step to subletting your rental for travel is to find out whether or not you can. Check your rental agreement and reach out to your landlord. Once you’ve gotten their approval, it is your responsibility to find a suitable subtenant. Here is a guide to setting up a sublease agreement. Make room. Then make it happen.

Homeowners, you also have options. Consider listing your place on AirBnB or VRBO. Not only will it help you stay on the road longer, it can also serve as an additional source of income when you come home. Just be sure to check out local laws to make sure what you’re doing is legal. For example, New York imposes restrictions on short-term rentals with homeowners subject to hefty fines for violating the law.

Long-term travel planning resources

Alright, now that the two hardest parts are over, let’s move on to something more fun – planning your trip! Check out a few of our favorite travel planning resources:

• Visit BootsnAll, an indie travel-planning website. Not only are there a number of helpful destination guides, they’ll also help you build your itinerary with a handy RTW trip planner.
• Want to find cheap flight deals? Follow these Twitter handles: @airfarewatchdog, @jetbluecheeps, @theflightdeal, @secretflying, and @lastminute.com
• Learn more about “travel hacking” from The Points Guy.
• Get inspired with travel guides and trip planning advice from Nomadic Matt, one of the internet’s most reliable travel bloggers.
• World Nomads offers excellent trip insurance and 24-hour customer service. Most credit card companies also offer trip insurance. Give yours a call today to see if you qualify. 

Lease a storage unit

If you plan to terminate your rental agreement or lease out your home while travelling, you’re going to need somewhere to store your stuff. StorQuest Self Storage is here to help! Our month-to-month self storage units are perfect for RTW travel. Whether you need to store all of your furniture or just a few important items, we have a unit to meet your needs. Check out our locations page to find out more about travel storage near you.

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your RTW trip today! We’ll be here waiting for you when you come home.