Why We Decided to Sell Everything and Hit the Road

Ever felt like your life was on autopilot—going through the motions, but still searching for something more?

That’s exactly where we found ourselves before making the bold decision to sell everything we own and embrace a life of full-time travel. In this post, I’ll dive into the personal reasons behind our choice, share Jordan’s perspective, and explain why we believe this is the best move for our little family.

Kirsty’s Story

Over the past few years, my teaching career has become increasingly challenging for me. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love working with children and helping them on their educational journey—it’s such a rewarding career. But the demands of the job began to take a toll on me. I found myself constantly stressed, on edge, and battling anxiety. The passion I once had started to fade under the weight of it all. When voluntary redundancies were offered last year, I was already off work due to mental health reasons. After a lot of thought and discussion, I made the difficult decision to take it.

This wasn’t an easy choice—teaching had become such a big part of my identity. Letting go of that wasn’t something I took lightly. Over the years, I’d dabbled in exploring ways to make money online, but I never committed to one thing. So, when I took the redundancy, I was stepping away from our household’s main source of income without a clear plan or a solid idea of what to do next. And to be honest, I’m still figuring it out. But this journey we’re about to embark on feels like the perfect opportunity to finally explore new paths and find out what truly fulfils me.

Of course, with the main source of income gone and our redundancy money dwindling, financial struggles quickly caught up with us. This past year has been incredibly tough for me mentally—quitting a stable job and trying to figure out what I truly want for my family left me feeling stuck. To help ease the financial pressure, I recently started working casually at my friend’s café. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the stresses of teaching, but I knew it wasn’t a long-term solution—it just helped keep the bills at bay.

Throughout most of our marriage, Jordan and I have been fairly financially stable, but it always felt like there was something eating up our money. Whether it was renovating two houses, expanding our family, or tackling endless home projects, we were constantly chasing our tails. It left us with little extra for the things that truly mattered, like treating ourselves to family holidays. We were tired of the endless cycle of work and renovations, with nothing left over for making lasting memories.

For years, I’d been watching and following along with other families who had already made this life-changing decision to live a nomadic lifestyle. I often dreamed of doing the same, but never in a million years did I think we’d actually take the leap ourselves. Yet, here we are! Despite this year being one of the hardest for me, it’s also been one of the most transformative. I’ve made enormous strides in my mental healing and spiritual journey, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m finally making a breakthrough.

Then came the big decision. I proposed the idea of selling everything and hitting the road to Jordan—who, to be honest, wasn’t too keen at first. But I couldn’t help thinking, why are we living life like this? There has to be more to it! Why are we sitting on the equity in our home instead of releasing it and creating unforgettable memories as a family while the boys are still young? We both knew we wanted change, but continuing with the same lifestyle made achieving that change feel impossible. It was time to break free from the norm and embrace a new adventure.

Jordan’s Story

At first, Jordan was a big NO when it came to selling everything and hitting the road full-time. He loved the idea of this lifestyle, but only on a part-time basis—something we knew wasn’t financially possible right now. Jordan was deeply attached to our home—a beautiful bungalow we had painstakingly renovated over the years. Tucked away in a private spot in our hometown, we genuinely believed it was our dream home.

We explored every option to make our travel dreams a reality while holding onto the house, but nothing seemed to fit the complete change we craved for our family. Although Jordan enjoys his job, the idea of taking a year off began to grow on him (our original plan was to travel for a year and then return, but that’s evolved recently). The thought of breaking free from the 9-5 grind and embracing a life of more freedom became more appealing by the day.

Jordan was also eager to spend more quality time with the boys. His job kept him away from them during the week, and by the weekend, he was too exhausted to fully engage. It was a vicious cycle we just couldn’t break. Financial pressures played a huge role in his change of heart as well. Living paycheck to paycheck, with the added stress of being the sole breadwinner for a while, was taking its toll. The possibility of becoming financially free and clearing the debts we’d accumulated over the past year started to look more and more attractive.

The Moment We Knew Something HAD to Change

We’ve been conditioned to think that the 9-5 grind and buying a home are markers of success—and honestly, we bought into that belief. We had solid careers, got on the property ladder early, and started a family. From the outside, it looked like we had it all. Yet, despite the outward signs of success, something still felt off.

Overall, we were happy, but the repetitive weekly routine was starting to wear us down. Every day felt like a repeat of the last, and we found ourselves living for the weekends, only to be hit by the Sunday blues when it was time to return to work. While we spent time with our kids, it wasn’t the quality, present-time we knew we wanted. The pressures of daily life were taking a toll on us.

I’ve spent years immersed in travel blogs, van life videos, and stories of nomadic families, and that’s where the idea first took root. We even bought a van and began converting it back in 2018 before our first child arrived, hoping to embrace this lifestyle on weekends. But, as life often does, it kept getting in the way, and the van project remained unfinished. The stress of our routines was affecting our family dynamics, and we started to feel like we were merely existing rather than truly living.

After countless conversations and weighing the pros and cons, it became clear that the positives far outweighed the negatives. We knew it was time for a change, and our decision to go all in on this adventure felt right for us as a family.

Overcoming Fears and Doubts

Naturally, with our big decision came a wave of fears and doubts. We wondered: Will we really enjoy this new lifestyle? How will we cope with living in a small space with our kids? What if our money runs out? Can we successfully earn an income online? How will our children adjust to leaving their routines and extended family behind? And the big one—can we actually make this work?

We explored all these questions and more, and soon realised that life is always filled with uncertainties, whether you’re living a traditional lifestyle or chasing a dream. We came to understand that if we didn’t take this leap, we’d likely carry some regrets about not giving it a shot.

We decided that life will always have its bumps and obstacles, so why not experience those challenges while traveling and exploring together? We’re excited to embrace the journey, even with its unpredictability. While we’ll plan for various situations, we see this as part of the adventure—the thrill of figuring things out as we go.

The Excitement of Starting Fresh

Although getting our house ready for sale is taking longer than we anticipated, our excitement for this adventure is building every day. We’re itching to start, and the anticipation is almost palpable. The idea of exploring new opportunities, embracing endless possibilities, and diving into this new chapter for our family fills us with enthusiasm.

We can’t wait to continue our personal growth, strengthen our bond with our amazing kids, and immerse ourselves in different cultures. Showing our boys that the world is much bigger than our little corner of it is something we’re particularly excited about. We have a list of countries we’re eager to visit and explore.

We’re also looking forward to delving into the world of digital work with renewed seriousness, honing new skills, and enjoying the freedom that comes with this lifestyle. Stepping out of our comfort zone and trying something completely different is thrilling. This journey represents not just a change of scenery but a fresh perspective on life.

What’s Next? Preparing for Our Journey

As I write this, our house has just hit the market—eek! We’ve finally wrapped up the last few renovations and decided to call it quits (we could keep tweaking forever, but we’re ready to hand the project over to someone else). We’ve sold most of our belongings, and once the house sells, we’ll finish up selling the remaining items we still need.

Our next steps? We’re crossing our fingers for a quick sale! Once the house is sold, we’ll purchase our motorhome and start mapping out our initial route. We plan to spend a few weeks getting a taste of the van life in the UK before heading over to Europe. Our plans are flexible, but we’re keeping a close eye on the Schengen 90/180 days rule to ensure we navigate it smoothly.

We’ve decided to embrace this adventure fully by vlogging our new lifestyle on our YouTube channel. We hope this will be a great way to document our journey for ourselves and inspire others considering this lifestyle. In addition to vlogging, we’ll be blogging weekly about everything from our preparations and budgeting to travel tips and favorite destinations we discover along the way.

Come Along With Us!

We’d love for you to join us on this exciting adventure! If you’re inspired by our journey or have questions about our transition to van life, make sure to subscribe to our blog for weekly updates. Follow us on our social media channels to get real-time glimpses into our travels and behind-the-scenes moments. We’re eager to hear from you, so drop us a comment or question below—let’s start a conversation! Your support means the world to us as we navigate this new chapter, and we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride. Don’t miss out on any of our adventures—stay tuned and follow along!