We’re Packing Our Bags!

After three months we finally have updates for you (and ourselves!!). Renting our condo was no easy task but I’m glad to report that we have found a great family to look after our cozy pad while we head off to explore the world. We were getting very disheartened when it took us two whole months to rent our right-smack-downtown spot and even Little Monkey started worrying and asking “What’s wrong with our place? Why doesn’t anyone like it? I really like it!” She wasn’t alone, I too was starting to wonder and started seeing faults with our place but once we found the right people, I knew immediately that they were the ones. Luckily they thought so too! Many generous friends shared our listing and I know that at least 3000 people saw our listing so THANK YOU everyone for helping us with our mission! In end, it was good old craigslist that did the trick.

After two months of living in a show-ready house (scrambling to toss on something decent and simultaneously trying to load the dishwasher and running our handheld Dyson over the crushed cheerios every time we received an alert from the realtor ) I’m so ready to relax and enjoy our condo for the next week. Yes peeps… the papers were signed last night and we move out in a week’s time. Flights are yet to be booked but we’re getting mentally prepared to live out of our suitcases for the next 5 months. We did lose a month while waiting for the right renter to come along. Everything happens for a reason, right?

The minimalist lifestyle definitely suits me. I haven’t missed the junk or even the four large boxes of clothes I packed away. The only things I miss are the photos and wall hangings. As you may recall, I’ve told you how to choose the best luggage but we found ourselves in a new situation. Long term travels need an entirly different set of luggage. The space saver luggage set for our condo would not do at all. I realized that we’d each need a large suitcase if we were going to live out of them for 6 months but having lived with less than normal for the last two months, I’m challenging ourselves to spend the next week downsizing further so we can travel with just three suitcases. With one adult pushing a double stroller (yes we still need a stroller!) there’s only so much the other one can handle so three may be better than four.

Disclosure : This post is in partnership with Best Buy but, as always, opinions are TOTALLY ours. 

My previous source for suitcases did not have what I wanted and what do you know, I found the perfect set at Best Buy! YES!! I found the best luggage for our long term travels there! I don’t know why I was shocked because I did know that they carry baby gear so luggage isn’t too far off. The hubs was happy because he loves shopping there…any excuse to go in and rack up his Reward Zone points! Their Lowest Price Guarantee also ensures that we get the best price on all Best Buy products.

Best Buy has some great sales online and they also carry a fab range of products beyond electronics. We not only found the Samsonite luggage we were looking for but they were cheaper than the other spots we looked at. What I loved most was the fact that I was able to order them from the comfort of my couch. I DID NOT have to go into the mall and then lug it all back to our place. As much as I enjoy playing tourist in my own city, that is not my idea of a fun time. A friend recommended the Samsonite ones and it’s a brand I grew up with as my parents owned a couple of them when I was growing up. I know they are durable and could last 5 months on the road. The ones I picked up are a sparkly midnight blue and it’s super lightweight (so I can cram more stuff in!), tough, impact resistant (but does scratch easily), has 4 spinner wheels for easy navigation and best of all – has a TSA lock built in!

I know we’ve told you our fear of getting robbed in Spain so we also picked up some trackers to ensure that we don’t lose our bags. This way we can at least hunt them down. Most theft that happens there are petty ones so let’s just hope I never have to use the Bravo TrackR but  it’s fun following it once you’ve checked your baggage at the gate.

We’re thinking of starting in Malaga and just going with the flow for the most part. I wasn’t able to really plan things until we figured out the rent so the next week is going to be a mad dash to pack up our place and figure out our flights, the items we want to bring with us on our travels and of course lodging once we land! Fingers crossed…hope we can fit our lives into 3 super large bags!

What’s one item you think we should take with us?

UPDATE : When I wrote this post I didn’t realize that I’d find a crazy deal on Skyscanner an hour later…Flights are booked for early April to Malaga, Spain and we’re coming back at the end of August from Manchester, UK!