Last Updated
For us, this kind of a life makes sense. In fact, I think we have both been unconsciously rearranging our realities so that we would be set up to dive INTO a freedom based lifestyle. But we never pulled the trigger until NOW.
In January of this year we spent the month in one of our favourite spots on the globe, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Right before we left we came up with a crazy idea of:
Selling everything to travel the world!
Because who doesn’t day dream of that, right? I mean, when I used to be in finance in the car industry I would sit in my office and literally day dream between clients about what I would do if my ass didn’t have to be stuck to that chair. I would imagine the different beaches I would lay on, the different languages I would learn, picking out new coffee shops in ancient cities to work in with my laptop…. I think we have all been there.
But then life comes in and SMACKS you on the head and says: “Hey! Wanderlust! Get back to work! You have a mortgage to pay, a car payment, those student loans still haven’t been repaid, your roof needs new shingles, and your credit card is maxed out… again! Quit living in fantasy land and start getting responsible!”
Now here is where I have to intervene. This is where you as a reader MAY not agree with me, and that is okay, as we all need our own dreams and opinions. This is the spot where I beg to differ with the little voice that tells us to ‘grow up and be responsible’. In my most humble opinion, there is NOTHING responsible about being up to your eyeballs in debt. There is nothing responsible about paying into a mortgage for 35 years and being swallowed whole by the interest. Nor do I find it particularly wise to keep money at 20% on credit cards, defer payments, consume more than I make, buy a ton of absolute CRAP I don’t need, and try to make up a pretty little facade of a pretty little high interest life. Living for a 1 week vacation that ends up being paid for with credit. THAT makes me want to shave my head and go live in the jungle with wild animals. (but thank goodness there is another way!) Also who says life HAS to be cut and dry, by the rules? We know that time flies with the blink of an eye and we are willing to give up some routine and creature comforts in order to LIVE this beautiful LIFE to the fullest! To suck the juice out of every day in every way!!!
For Trevor and I, the way we want to live is without boundaries. Without interest. Without debts. Without weight of material items we don’t need or use. Honest moment: The more we started to settle (which is easy to do when building a business), the more we found ourselves accumulating things we didn’t need. And not just material things, accumulating DEBT. Debt in credit card bills, mortgage, payments here, payments there, spending money we didn’t have…. and we are DONE with the banks interest scams!!! 
✖️✖️
Are we minimilists? At first we didn’t think so, as we imagined they were people who liked empty rooms and wearing the same 3 shirts, but then we learned more about it. Minimalism looks differently for everyone and it’s only universal ‘law’ is essentially “Living Without Excess”. I have found myself downsizing a lot these years from a 3500 sq ft house and 2 luxury vehicles, down to a condo, and now down to… well…. NO HOUSE! Because we sold it. We just sold our home in Kelowna while we were down in Mexico!
We are not just stopping there either. We are selling almost everything with the exception of what can fit in our truck and inside a tiny cabin on the lake. We are selling everything to travel the world!
Welcome to our debt free & location independence journey!
Life. There are no rules, but somehow we started following ones written decades ago. They said get a house, get a job with a pension and health benefits, stay there, pay off your mortgage, retire.
For US- that ‘retirement’ plan made us feel trapped, controlled and completely helpless. It might be for some, but it’s not for us. The Canadian housing market (like many others) is incredibly inflated, and I have experience in seeing this first hand. I have hung up my Realtor hat and license after a successful career with it and I have bought and sold many homes. We are not buying another home. Ever. Which sounds absolutely bonkers to some reading this, and sounds absolutely wonderful to others.
🤗
“But wait, aren’t you guys scared!? You won’t have the equity of a property you own, and no ‘home’! Where will you go? What will you do?”
Our answer: everywhere and everything. 
✨✨
Instead of putting money into interest payments on credit cards, mortgages, payments, etc, we will put an equal amount into savings. The huge benefit of this is half of the money doesn’t get chewed up by the bank (unlike a mortgage) and it’s 100% ours. Someone once said the true measure of wealth is not owing any money, and I truly believe that. We will still have our ‘retirement’ plan, but it’s going to look a lot different than the average North American’s plan.
To be in our 30’s and not owing a cent of debt to anyone in any form is an exceptionally FREEING concept. One we will be fulfilling in the next 4 weeks.
Our new pledge- to live nowhere longer than 3 months at a time. To be fluid, free, not tied down. To have zero debts and keep it that way. To never pay another dime in interest. To bring what we need and to unburden ourselves from everything else. To stop loading ‘things’ into our life that have no value to us. 
💕
It’s all going. The plates, the bowls, the couch, the TV, the towels, the linens, the knick knacks, the lamps.
The house.
The mortgage.
The debt and the shackles.
The world is our home now. We will visit, rent, sample, and best of all EXPERIENCE. Experience everything we can! Take in different cities, types of housing, ways of living…
Because guess what…..
Life is ONE turn. One shot. One chance.
It’s too fast to be cemented down by interest, mortgages, debt, and ‘stuff’. 
👌
We want to LIVE it with passion and excitement every single day.
So here we are. We just got back ‘home’ to Kelowna and we have 30 days to sell/donate 95% of our belongings. We are keeping 1 box each of personal/family keepsakes, a few suitcases of clothing, and that is really about it!
Where will we live in March? In 3 months after that? 3 Years after that?
Who knows!!! That’s the best part!!! 
✌️
😍
Find out more about:
- WHAT INSPIRED this sudden change in our lives
- HOW WE DOWNSIZED 90% (part one)
- Why MINIMALISTS are able to travel more
UPDATE JUNE 2019:
Since writing this article we have been on the road 2.5 years! We’ve traveled to 35 different cities and been everywhere from Asia to the Middle East. I’m happy to say…it’s even BETTER than we ever thought. Embracing minimalism and becoming full time travellers has been the best thing we’ve ever done in our lives! It only makes us wish we had done it sooner.
Holly Dietrich
Monday 2nd of August 2021
I have an aching in my soul to do exactly what you're doing and live with no boundaries. My happiest and most peaceful self is when I'm traveling and learning and experiencing other places and cultures. I will strive more diligently to create the life I want and stop existing in a place where I don't fit and can't breathe.
You are my new Heroes. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for showing me that it's not such a far fetched silly dream to want to be happy and free!
May your days be filled with wonder and awe.
Holly Dietrich Loma, CO
frayedpassport
Sunday 30th of August 2020
So glad I stumbled upon you two kindred spirits. I did something similar back in 2008 and never looked back. See you out there somewhere!
Riley Kupka
Monday 17th of July 2023
@frayedpassport, Love this! Where are now? Wish you the best!
DUFL Review - Is It Really Worth The Cost? - Travel Off Path
Wednesday 16th of May 2018
[…] 2017 I sold my house and 90% of my things to travel full time. This means, I don't have a closet at home, I don't even have a real permanent home at all! There […]