(photos via my Instagram feed)
When Aaron and I got together, one of our dreams was to live in + experience as many different cities as possible. We had visions of living somewhere cool for six months, then heading back home to Austin for a year, then heading off to live somewhere else cool for three months, etc. It was going to be awesome.
But … as it usually does, life happened and our dream took a backseat to more practical stuff.
And the weeks turned into months turned into years.
One day in there, Aaron picked up the book The Compound Effect. The concept? Small change over time = big change.
That idea totally rocked us.
We started spending evenings on our apartment balcony, sipping red wine, getting caught up in conversations about what life could look like if we applied this small change over time idea.
All of a sudden, it seemed like our dreams were within reach again. We just had to change our approach.
We needed to start working towards it now … in small, unsexy ways. And we needed to stop expecting our dream to just pop into our life the way a photo just pops into our Instagram feed.
Ever opened Instagram, and suddenly someone’s dream just appears in front of your face? It’s usually on the most mundane day of my life that I see:
Oh by the way, we’re in Switzerland today!
It seems so effortless when it just pops up on Instagram like that — like they looked at each other over breakfast and said, “Let’s go!” and hopped on a plane that afternoon.
And even though I know better, I get all, Damn my boring life. Why am I so boring?
It’s easy to forget the work, the waiting, the planning, and the saving behind that Instagram photo.
No more though.
So … about two and a half years ago, we started creating our future life. We started planning. We started saving. We started transitioning to jobs that would allow us the freedom to move around.
It felt like it took forever.
But then about a year ago, we had made enough progress to pick our moving date. Finally some progress!
And now, it’s about to happen! We’ve signed our lease and made our travel plans:
We’re moving to Seattle for a six month adventure! We leave in about three weeks!
Our dream is finally here and we get to live it — because small change over time = big change.
I’m so excited to share this news with you, and I’m excited to share more details about our move here and on Instagram over the next few weeks. There’s lots more to come: what we’re taking with us, what we’re leaving behind, our road trip plan, and why we picked Seattle. Can’t wait!
Okay, now it’s your turn: Got any big dreams of your own on the horizon? I’d love to cheer for you if you’re still in the unsexy, slow-moving phase of it all. Just know, you’re getting there!
xo
Oh how exciting! Small changes definitely lead to big changes. Even if you just spend 15 minutes a day on a goal, you’ll get there eventually, and it will be way faster than if you held out for the “perfect” moment to get started. I can’t wait to see what this adventure brings for you guys. Congrats!
Love this. Small change = big change is actually exemplified in your capsule wardrobe decision. Within the scope of life, it was a small change (shopping every three months and limiting wardrobe access during that time to what was helpful & beautiful), but the ripple effect has truly impacted your whole life, hasn’t it? And, you’ve also be the catalyst for small changes (leading to big change!) in others through this blog. So that’s pretty cool, too. :)
Congratulations! I think you touched on something we can all identify with – looking at others’ photos and social media feeds and thinking their “exotic” lives just dropped in their laps without any work. Little changes do add up, and I’m happy for your new adventure!! Keep up the inspiring work on your blog – I look forward to every post.
Hi Caroline!
I’m sooo excited for you! Congrats on achieving the big dream you’ve had for a long time.
I also want to say that many of your posts this season are totally in line with things I’m thinking about or struggling with this spring, which is completely awesome ;) You even inspired my poetry night outfit for last night with your post yesterday. :)
My big dreams that I’m going to start/keep working on? I want to pay off my credit card balance in the next year, which will hopefully open up new doors of opportunity for me, go down to one job to allow for more time with my family and writing another chapbook of poetry/getting back into the community of poets. I’m still in the unsexy, beginning, just taking baby steps but it’ll be so worth it.
You go girl! I’m so excited for you. Love your blog and can’t wait to read more about your upcoming adventures!
Congrats! Love the idea of traveling for months at a time. I’m a native Seattleite, so I can tell you that you’re going to love it–summer is the best time of year to be in Seattle, it’s amazingly gorgeous! Do you mind me asking which neighborhood you’ll be in?
you will love it :)
Amazing! Truly it’s so wonderful that you guys are so aligned and both working towards making your dreams happen. Seattle is an awesome town and you picked a great time of the year to move there!
hooray for you caroline (and hubby), that’s awesome! i feel you on the small change = big change. I too have the dream to live many places around the world and last year quit my job and started my own company so i can work from anywhere i choose. There are days where it’s daunting and things seem to be moving sooo slowly but little by little i try to see the progress im making towards my goals. it’s boring and unsexy and sometimes decidedly un-fun but it’s my choice and my decisions and the feeling of taking complete control of your life is liberating.
so, cheers to you my dear and i maybe one day we’ll both find ourselves in the same city :)
elise
(also, side part is awesome and looks fab)
Welcome to the PNW! You’ll never regret it. This is so exciting! I’m not sure if your spring pieces will change, but I’m excited to see your capsule in light of our very specific weather.
I am excited for you both! I look forward to hearing how you settle in to the west coast. Here is where I need some help and am a bit stuck….how did you identify the “big dream” to move towards? Any resources you can share on how to sort out what is really important?
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations—that’s amazing!
I’ve been following your blog for a few weeks now but I’m not much of a commenter. Just wanted to say I really appreciate this “behind the scenes” look at the work you’re putting into achieving your goals. It’s really inspiring!
Things I love about your blog….too many to name in comments. But what I am truly amazed by is that on this very morning, as my family and I are seeking other adventures, this was your blog post. I read it every day but…wow. Thank you for a little bit of inspiration and hope :-). Also, YOUR instagram feed looks effortless!
I’m so excited that you’re moving to Seattle!! It’s my hometown – pretty much the most amazing place to live, in my opinion. ;) Can’t wait to read along and see what you think of it!
Hi Caroline,
Holly from South Australia here.
That sounds like fun! Im still in the single parent 2 kids phase but I totally get you. I have big plans too but I have started out small and I will get to the big one day. I look forward to the next step for the two of you. Holly
This sounds so very exciting! I love that you aren’t letting life just happen to you, but rather you are happening to life. (Does that make sense?) Way to follow your dreams and pursue your passions.
I’m excited to follow along and be inspired.
Sarah
sarahesh.com
I’ve been reading your blog for some time now, and it has become one of the two blogs I check in on everyday (the other one is ‘Posie gets cozy’). I’m 28, very singel and norwegian, living in Norway. Your post today touched something very important to me – to be able to roam the world. I have spent nearly 8 years finishing a 5 year psychology degree, simply because I cannot stay in one place for too long. Some of my journeys have required planning, like living in India for 6 months or traveling to mongolia, and some have just happened, literarily over night. And those are the travel experiences I feel like sharing, because I know for a fact that it is possible to “just go”. A couple of years ago I was fed up with my job and my life, and feeling I needed a break I went online that very night and booked tickets to thailand. This was a monday and I booked tickets for thursday (I agree I was slightly spontaneous). I had a friend living in Bangkok and I emailed her telling her “I’m coming over, ready or not, and if I cant stay with you I’ll find a hostel!”, thankfully she said I could stay with her.. (I was able to quit my job just like that because I, luckily I guess, hadn’t signed the contract yet, no contract = no obligations. My boss was furious, and I mean furious.. and he didnt pay me for the month I worked just before I left… buuut, I guess after 6 months, close to xmas, he understood my decision and I got my money).
Last year I decided over night I wanted to go to Alaska, I knew a couple who was living there and they’d always said I could come up there any time, so I took their word for it, called them, discussed boarding briefly, applied for visa – and within three weeks I was in Alaska. I stayed for three months.
I’ve also backpacked through europe after being dumped by a boyfriend.. After two-three bottles of wine I decided my life was not worth living, and that I was best served with spending all my savings on a last great trip before ending my miserable single life in a ditch somewhere (very dramatic aye?). Anyways, I got on a plane to croatia, and while I’m sitting on a beach somewhere drowning my sorrows, one of my best friends caught on to my plans and flew (!) down there to be with me. And we decided that a lengthy interrail trip was better than suicide, funny enough. So we took the train through germany, france and all the way up to Edinburgh, great britain, before flying home (we ran out out money).
I agree that there are three main reasons I’ve been able to do this. 1) I’m not in a stable job while studying, so I dont risk getting fired. 2) I have a bit of savings, not a whole lot, but a little to get by (and whenever I return from travels I make sure my priority is to replace the money I ‘borrowed’ from myself), and 3) I’m single and I dont mind to live as cheaply as possible on journeys. I eat a lot of oatmeal and pasta, I hardly never buy souvenirs and I sleep in crappy hostels (holding on to valuables for dear life).
This became a long post.. but what I’m saying is – everybody can travel! If you sacrifice some comforts. I usually buy a Lonely Planet guide on the airport/train station, and that’s all the planning I do (except for vaccinations and visa). You’ll meet people and figure out your next move on the go :) Oh, and just to add the required cliché phrase: I always return home broke in money, but rich in experiences!
Yep, feeling the same! I am living in a semi-derelict but absolutely sociable and hilarious building, where I pay little rent, in one of the most exciting capitals in the world, and I shaped my life to live freelance. So every now and then, I just go… I have visited more than 50 countries and I am going to stop counting because it is not at all about the number, it is about the experience and the memories you shape while travelling. Just… nothing compares for me!
Wow! I plan on doing something similar if my job allows it. Congrats on your adventure finally beginning. :)
Woah!!!! Fun!!! Excited for you guys and cant WAIT to hear more!! <3 We are in that unsexy saving phase but are still blessed to make small adventures in the mean time :) aka NYC tomorrow for the weekend WOOHOO! Is your hubs able to move there with his job or is he starting something totally new?? :)
My husband and I did something quite similar. We looked at our lives and realized we weren’t living it the way we wanted to. We had good jobs, owned a home and were newly weds, but we just weren’t ready for that life yet. So we sold a lot of our belongings, put the rest in storage and moved to Seoul, South Korea on a one year teaching contract. We’re so in love with our lives right now, we’re signing on for another year! I am so excited to hear more about your upcoming move!
Yay! Good for you! I’m from Seattle. You’ll love it!! In fact, we have a little lake house out on the Olympic Penninsula available on the weekends. It’s a little piece of heaven. Only an hour from Seattle in the ferry to Bremerton. Let me know if you’re interested!!
Wow! Good for y’all. Isn’t it scary picking up and moving all of a sudden? My husband and I just did that and moved to a farm in Western North Carolina… best decision we’e ever made!
I know you need your next guest blogger to model all the beauties of farm clothes :)
Good for you! My husband and I are the same way. He’s a construction engineer and we’ve been lucky that we’ve been able to move and experience several different parts of the country, usually for 6-12 months at a time. Sometimes it gets overwhelming with the packing and the unpacking, and always adjusting to new changes, and we know we won’t be able to “settle” down for a while, but we know what we are getting in experiences is worth it all. Life isn’t meant to be lived in one place! Good luck in Seattle! Its actually on our wish list of cities to live in :)
http://www.morningappleblog.com
That’s so exciting! You will love the PNW. The first time I visited, I couldn’t believe that it was 75 degrees (and zero humidity) in July, with not a cloud in the sky. Your hair will always look great and you’ll love it :) Congrats!
That’s so exciting! I’ve never been to Seattle, but have always wanted to. My fiancé and I will be spending 3 months in Chicago, starting at the beginning of May, so we’re on the countdown, too :)
how cool!! I love hearing about people working to make their dreams a reality!!
Congrats! My family is planning to move to Seattle in about a year :) We lived abroad for eight years, and actually my family is still in Beijing while I’m back in the States for college. I think it’d be nice to stay in one place for awhile. Anyways, can’t wait to see the adventures in store for you! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
Congratulations! I’m excited for you!
That’s really really really neat! What does your husband do to be able to move freely?
SO exciting! Love that concept. Congratulations and wishing you guys all the best with this next adventure!
welcome! (When you get here) We live in Seattle and Love it. Oh the food. Different from TX but oh so good.
Congrats! I love this post and can’t wait to hear more about your adventure. I really want to do a longer backpacking trip around Southeast Asia with my hubby. But like you said, life gets in the way and it doesn’t seem like there’s ever a good time to travel like that. But! If it’s something I really want, I can totally be doing little things now to make it possible someday. Thanks for the reminder/inspiration.
I’ve only been a reader for 5 or 6 months, but have enjoyed your posts so much and have been slowing paring down my own closet. It’s funny how as readers, we feel like we get to know our bloggers and feel like friends even though we’ve never met. So on that note, I am so excited for you! Congratulations. It is such a big accomplishment. We readers in the Pacific Northwest will also be really excited to see how your wardrobe changes this winter for colder temperatures and lots of rain. Good luck!
This is so inspiring! I try to use this mentality to reach career and fitness goals, but I really want to start planning for travel this way too. My mantra is “success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Can’t remember who said it, but it really speaks to me!
I think you’ll love Seattle. I live in Portland (originally an east coaster) and have fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest. Welcome!
Hello! writing from Germany. Oh my goodness! This blog post couldn’t have come at a better time. I am almost done reading James Clear’s book, “Transform your Habits”. He talks about what you have done/are doing. Doing things consistently regardless of how small or banal it seems. Like, if you want to have a fit body, forget about getting the six pack in six weeks. Be the person who exercises regularly- even if it means doing five push ups as your workout. Love your blog always look forward to your outfits. Good luck and as they say in Germany, viel Spass!!
How exciting! Congrats!!! Look forward to new posts in a new city! What made you pick Seattle? Are you driving there? If you are have an amazing road trip. They are the absolute BEST!
Yay, that’s my home! You’ll love it here:) It’s so beautiful. Congratulations on making your dreams realities, guys!
Oh, how wonderful for you! I would love to visit Seattle on one of our family vacations, but my husband is not interested. :( It’s nice that the two of you are on the same page. I guess that I’ll have to wait until my son graduates from high school in three years and go on my own. I’ll make it a lesson in independence and how to travel on my own.
I am so excited for y’all!! I love how you say small changes lead to big changes. Sometimes when you just see this large, menacing goal is can be overwhelming and seem impossible. But when you look at small changes that can lead to a larger change then it doesn’t seem so far-fetched. I will definitely have to check that book out!
Love this post! You’re so right about comparing your life to Instagram and feeling unsatisfied when seeing others attempt their dreams. I love that you turned it into a positive experience, and I can’t wait to see where your adventure leads you!
That’s great news! I can’t wait to check out the capsule wardrobe with the raincoat in it! But seriously, welcome to the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is so cool, and so is Vancouver and Portland – really just a hop, skip and a jump away. Great that you are getting to live your dream, congrats.
I am in the middle of a few adventures in the making. I am preparing to get married on May 24th, preparing for a promotion where I take over a classroom and become an actual lead teacher? And I am planning my honeymoon to belize, our very first vacation together. :)
Eeeek- congrats!! So excited for y’all! Can’t wait to follow along on your adventures!
good for you! that’s awesome!!
Way to go on sticking with a goal! It’s a lot harder than it looks! My dream that is definitely in the non sexy stage is becoming a full time photographer but still keep my passion for photography alive and not let the business side take over.
I look forward to reading your blog each morning and I feel like if we were in the same city, that we would be friends! :) So, maybe one day, you will make it to my city! Probably not, but a girl can wish! Have fun!
Wow! Congratulations, Caroline. This is such a fantastic adventure for you, and such a great reminder for all of us who read your blog. Thanks for sharing! I really appreciate it! Cheers, Shea
PS. I actually grew up in Seattle (way back when). I hope you’ll share some of your adventures & house & city scenes with us so we can enjoy the excitement with you.
i lived in Seattle for 22 years–raised my family there. What a great community and beautiful city. So many great restaurants too.
You may have to modify your capsule wardrobe a bit…..
It will be wonderful.
What a cool dream! I’ve never thought of living someplace for just a few months. So happy that you’re plans are panning out! Best of luck.
Wow. Sounds like a great adventure. Congrats on reaching your goal!!!! I have been watching Grey’s Anatomry on Netflix with my daughter (starting with season 1)… and have the itch to travel to Seattle too. :)
I’ve lived in Seattle for fourteen years and the summers are amazing here. You are picking the best months to be here!
Oh my goodness, that’s amazing! I’ve never thought to look at things like that, but you may have just found my new life motto. Good luck ya’ll!!
http://www.lonestarlauren.com
So excited for you Caroline, what a great adventure! It is exactly this type of thinking that has put my husband and I in Austin, we just made one year :)
Cool! I’m interested to see how you like the change in weather from Texas. We loved our trip to Seattle last May, but I think the weather there might kill me slowly if I was there full time. Seems silly since I am a Michigander, but I am a hot weather fan and Michigan does get hot (eventually) whereas I am not sure Seattle ever does…
I LOVE this!!!!! My husband and I always talk about new ideas, moving to new cities, trying new things. But Life always has a way of well, getting in the way. I love your thought process “small change over time = big change”. That is an incredible statement. We’ve been considering Charleston, SC for a while, but I never even CONSIDERED only a 6 month commitment. That really makes it seem so do-able! Thanks for this incredible idea, and I’m so excited for you and your husband on your journey to experience your dreams!
This hit home for me. My husband and I love to travel and our plan was to “travel our heritage” before we start a family. Well that changed when we had a little “uh-oh” about a year ago. We now have a beautiful baby boy, but our trip to Scotland and London was put on hold for one more year. We FINALLY booked the trip last week! We will be traveling to Scotland and London for 10 days in September and we could not be happier! We are back on track to following our dream! It will have taken us 3 years to make this journey, we know that it will be worth it. :)
Congratulations to you and your hubby for following your dreams! Don’t let anything hold you back! Well….unless you have an “uh-oh” like we did. ;)
That’s so funny. I was just giggling from my Pacific NW porch over you wearing shorts in April. The older I get (I’m 33) I’m seeing that that principle is so true. That’s how I ended up backpacking through Peru, Argentina and Uruguay for 8 weeks with my husband, 8-year-old and 5-year-old. It was hard, really hard, but I have no regrets. We’d been saving for 7 years for Europe and when we had to take the trip in December and January instead of in April and May, we quickly decided we needed to visit Machu Picchu instead of Versailles. :)
Enjoy! Seattle is fantastic. Just don’t mistake downtown for the real city. I’m curious: why Seattle?
So excited for you! We moved to Seattle a few months ago and I love the PNW. I am originally from Portland and it feels good to be “home” after being away for 15+ years! Now we will be on the same season/weather schedule for your capsule wardrobes! Woohoo!
Hi Caroline,
My husband and I have been discussing this idea for a long time. We will check out that book! We remind each other all the time, ” it’s not all or nothing!”
I’m sure you’ve heard this: it rains a lot in Seattle. I live in Vancouver, B.C. just 3 hours north and also a cool place. I can’t wait to see how you dress for the rain. This is a major fashion (and hair) issue for us pacific nothwesterners. You will find us in yoga pants and technical rain jackets:(
Nadine
Seattle is the best! My husband and I spontaneously moved there for a year and fell in love! If you need restaurant recommendations I’d be happy to send some!
You MUST eat at Portage Bay Cafe for breakfast!
Wow! So cool and inspiring- at mid life I am saying yes to more adventure!
Thank you for posting this, I want to implement this into my life stat! Because you are so right, it does seem like some folks are always jetsetting and I don’t know how they are doing it. The planning process never gets on instagram ;)
Wow, good for you!
I’m so curious to hear more about the small changes, hard work and logistics of how y’all will manage this. It’s something my husband and I have talked a lot about, and it’s encouraging to see someone else living it!
How exciting, Caroline!! Enjoy Seattle– I know you will! Blessings!
Oh you’ll love Seattle…it’s SO beautiful here! Though I am interested to know if you’re planning on changing some of your capsule wardrobe….as in it doesn’t tend to be tank top/shorts weather till almost July, sometimes closer to August.
been following your blog for a while now, it’s the first site i check in the morning and i look forward to it every day! my capsule wardrobe has made my life so much easier, learning what works every season. thank you for that. also… thank you for inspiring me with your post today! just bought the book! good luck and safe travels! ~holly
Oh my gosh! I’m so excited for you! I actually just moved to Seattle.. Today! Or rather last night when my flight arrived late :) My boyfriend and I came out here last Spring and fell in love. We talked about it for the past year, and then while visiting friends in Seattle again two weeks ago, we both interviewed for jobs. His starts in June and mine, well, was set start 2 weeks from when we returned to our (former) home of Portland, Maine. So now here I am! I’ve loved reading your blog and how insightful you are about the life you choose to lead. I’ve been thinking about it a lot during this uprooting of life process; it’s important to be intentional, trust your gut, and remember to trust yourself, especially when thinks (aka moving!) gets oh-so-overwhelming. I hope we run into each other, I’ll be sure to introduce myself!
Congrats, Caroline! I made the leap to Seattle about two years ago and it’s been the best decision ever. My husband and I are working on this same concept and growing a new business that will hopefully allow more travel and flexibility in our lives. Cheers to you. Wishing you many great adventures.
so inspiring!! just sent this link to all my friends! :)
Nothing more to say other than CONGRATS on seeing through a dream. How wonderful that is. I hope it’s everything you hope it to be.
Wow! That’s so exciting! My husband and I moved from the muggy South (Louisiana) to Seattle 3 years ago. Seattle is amazing, but I had to get a whole new wardrobe. The weather took some getting used to, but the lack of humidity and mosquitos/bugs in general is so worth it! I really look forward to seeing how you style your clothes for this weather! Also, lucky you, you are coming when it’s about to get good! ; )
I love this! Thank you for shedding light on the reality of others seemingly “sexy” adventures :). We have 3 children and live a comfortable life on one income but it has come by us making a lot of sacrifices. When we had our 1st child we decided to live on one income and pay off dept. we’ve foregone fancy vacations for affordable ones and in just 6 years we’ve found ourselves in a place where we’re both supporting my husbands career outside of the home and raising our 3 children. From the outside it looks easy I’m sure but there’s lots of behind the scenes work that goes into it. Living simply and spending money on experiences instead of things is the key to happiness! Way to go! Enjoy your adventure and thanks for sharing!
I love hearing stories about people living life in a way that makes them the happiest instead of doing what is most expected, and usually, most boring. About a year and a half ago, I quit my job as a Chartered Accountant and moved to Paris to study pastry which has always been a dream of mine. My boyfriend came with me and has been able to work remotely. The experience has been and continues to be amazing and something that I will never regret. Best of luck on your new journey! :)
I just found your blog today. It’s gorgeous!
Congratulations on your move.
A couple of years ago, my husband and I started saving our small change (quarters and smaller) “for our retirement”. Even though we don’t actually plan to fully retire ever, it’s nice to have something set aside for later. I’m amazed at how quickly those little bits add up, without our even noticing!
So exciting!! You guys will love Seattle!! I am a PNW native and love everything about living here! Glad you will be here during the summer, its pretty amazing!
Oh how very exciting!! Living somewhere different is on my list of goals as well. Looking forward to hearing all about how you will make this transition. Best of luck on all of your new adventures!
Thank you for the reminder to “never compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.” It’s so easy to do through Social Media because oftentimes we don’t get the whole story. I so admire how you are your hubby worked toward this goal and slowly, patiently and surely made it happen. What an inspiration!
Cheers to you guys! This is very exciting, and I’ll be praying for a safe and smooth transition.
My husband (newlyweds!) is a travel nurse, so we move every 3 months to a different city all over the country. It’s cool to explore new places, and it definitely strengthens our relationship since we often just have a couple of acquaintances at first and need to really depend on each other’s friendship. A big challenge for us is finding fully furnished apartments because we just take what clothes, linens, toiletries, and a very few kitchen supplies with us wherever we go. So far I’ve had the best luck with Airbnb, but it can get a bit pricey.
We are coming up to a new transition though – I’m about to complete my graduate degree, which was allowing me to travel and not work because I was writing my thesis and getting my stipend from my fellowship. Now I’m trying to figure out, with a lot of faith in God, what the next step is for me and a remote/mobile career that still uses my strengths and passions.
Life is an adventure, and all we can do is pray for God’s guidance. Best wishes on your next chapter!
Congratulations! Hsppy for you.
I have been quietly reading your blog got many months now, and today’s post is totally speaking to me right now. Thank you! You are inspiring and real and relatable, and I think you’re awesome.
CaroIine, I am a quiet follower, but I feel this news merits my first comment… Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your adventure! You are inspirational in so many ways.
Seattle is lovely in the summer time. We live in Spokane but frequently make visits to the western side of the state. If you ever make it eastward, I definitely recommend Glacier National Park. It’s quite a drive from Seattle, but so beautiful!
Amtrak has a direct Seattle-Glacier NP train! It would make for a lovely short vacation.
Crazy you should say that… Amtrak to Glacier is on my bucketlist for this summer! I love riding the train, especially when I’ve got a good book to keep me company. :)
Caroline, if you’ve never traveled by train, I wholeheartedly recommend it! If Glacier is too far, Portland or Vancouver, Canada would also make for super fun trips. You could easily travel by foot in either city and enjoy yourselves immensely! :)
I was surprised to see how many comments have remarked about the food in Seattle… But then I wasn’t surprised at all. We’ve enjoyed some of our most favorite meals in Seattle. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in that regard, especially if you like ethnic food!
Oh my gosh, Caroline, your post completely resonated with me. The fact I’m posting just goes to show how moved I am by your finding a way to make your dream come true. My husband and I have had some difficult losses this past year and its really forced us to examine our life and think about what we really want. Both of us, similar to you, have talked about living a life where we can move around to different places. In fact Seattle is high on my list. I’ve even gone as far as to look at listings there. But right now it’s all talk…I’m going to check out the book you referenced. Thank you for this post. Sometimes I feel like our dream seems too unconventional and not doable but clearly you’ve made it happens and I find that so inspiring!
I really, really admire that you are doing this! Also, I’m from Seattle (I’ve lived in NYC for the past 14 years). Seattle is an absolutely wonderful city. I really love it there. We visited Austin a couple of years ago – wow, what a cool city! Congrats on your new adventure!
That’s so exciting! I’ve been lurking on your blog for a while, and you’ve been my inspiration for my capsule closet. I’m going to be in Seattle too for a three month internship – let us know what fun places you find!
Yay! We moved to Seattle a few years ago. I’ve really loved exploring. It’s one of those cities that people that grow up there are always surprised by the things us newbies come up with to do an explore. I suggest kayaking at Aqua Verde Mexican restaurant your first few days here!
Also a lot of great hikes on my blog I suggest finding your way to the mountains as much as possible! They feed my soul!
Damn girl, you just keep getting cooler. Every once in awhile I think “I’ve got a handle on this blog, I basically know what’s coming, I could probably stop checking it” and then ka-POW! you do something like this and I know I need to keep you on my radar.
I’ve got a travel dream too! I want to move my family to Australia or New Zealand for a year. We’ve got the savings and nothing holding us in Canada, but I have Lyme disease, and I would like to be in better health before we go so I don’t have a relapse while I’m so far away from my doctors. After 16 years of Lyme, I’m happy to say that I’m nearly there! Maybe 2016 or 2017 we’ll be free to take the plunge.
That sounds amazing! Seattle is a place I’ve always wanted to visit! Congrats on your next adventure :)
I also live in Washington & I can’t WAIT to see how your capsule changes with NW climate. It rains here. A LOT. Sometimes it’s cold, but usually not TOO cold. HOORAY!!!
Beautiful post! I am so excited for your continued adventure. :)
This is so exciting!! Congrats! You’ve worked hard, and you so deserve it! Seattle is amazing. I am totally envious, and now even more inspired to go make my dreams a reality. This and your capsule wardrobes are the main basis of my inspiration for my style blog!
Congrats Caroline and Aaron! This is going to be such an amazing experience!
Wow, that is so awesome! I’m so happy for you and Aaron that you get to go on this cool adventure together! Are you still keeping your old apartment in Austin, or finding a new one when you come back?! I have always wanted to visit Seattle, please post lots of pictures and updates on the fun things you are doing! And, do you think your Texas capsule will still work for Washington weather?! It will be interesting to see how you play with it or if you have to substitute any pieces!
Congratulations! And you are totally right. The result of a big change is definitely through small changes that we must accomplish in order to get to the bigger goal.
I am a native Seattleite, but I’m living in New Mexico. I visit rather often. Everyone in that area should meet up sometime.
How fun! I think this is a great way to live. My husband and I do this; we’ve been very lucky work from home and thus, we can live wherever we want. There are sacrifices (most of our stuff is in a storage unit in Iowa, sniff sniff! — but you know what? I really don’t even miss our stuff. I’ve kind of every forgotten what’s mine. We rent furnished places and after the first few days of ‘Whoa! How weird are these people’s plates?!” you just kind of get over it). But the benefits totally outweigh the sacrifices. Since 2013 we’ve lived in Berlin for 7 months, Iowa, Austin, and at the end of the summer we’re moving to Richmond, VA. All because we want to! And we’ve done month-long stints in Canada and Mexico and several multi-week driving trips. Not having a normal job is the tops. We’re expecting our first baby now, so it will be interesting to see how our arrangements change, but for now, we’re still living the mobile life.
If you’re interested in talking about a life of motion, I’m in Austin too. Would love to chat. Your blog is lovely and you seem like a great person. :-)
How fun!! I was JUST in Seattle last week for a work conference. It is so beautiful! Amazing food, distinct neighborhoods, and I’m one of those strange people who love cool, foggy, rainy weather.
I know what you mean about everyday life getting in the way of things…I studied abroad at Cambridge in 2008 – and haven’t made it back since. My husband has never been to Europe. We’re finally planning a trip this fall, of course work is making it difficult to nail down an actual date. But we’ve also talked about moving overseas for a year, you know working on a sheep farm in Scotland or something. We don’t have kids yet, why not right?
That’s fantastic! Awesome! I am so happy for you guys. Caroline, your blog is been my inspiration, first thing I do in the morning when logging on my computer. Thanks for sharing this and I can’t wait to read more details about your move over the next weeks. When you and Aaron decide to take a bigger step and come down to Brazil, please let me know.
Congrats, good luck and have fun! :)
How exciting! Good for you guys! I live just outside of Seattle (the Eastside) but it’s easy enough to drive in when needed. I love going to the restaurants over there. Molly Moons has awesome ice cream, Hello Robin, awesome cookies. Simply Dessert in Fremont has awesome everything. I also recommend getting out and exploring the islands, and even heading down to Portland and the Oregon coast (which is spectacular). There are lots and lots of things to explore…I’ve lived here most of my life and still discovering new places to see and things to do.
I love this idea! I studied abroad while I was in college and I would love to be able to go back to that lifestyle of living somewhere new and foreign for a little while. You get such a different feel for the city when you live there for a couple months versus going for a couple days. This post has inspired me to get back to that!
This is so awesome! Also, extra awesome that you guys are coming to Seattle! The Summer is wonderful here. I can’t wait to hear more about this adventure!
So exciting! Can’t wait to hear more details! Good for you two!
My husband and I are similar. We’re going on our second European vacation in two years and are so excited. Of course, whenever anyone hears this, I just get the, “Oh, you’re so lucky.” And I won’t deny that I’m lucky; I am. But a lot of that luck has been made by us. We moved to a small house in a city that’s kind of meh in order to have an inexpensive mortgage. We have cars that are over ten years old and were paid off years ago. We don’t go out to eat to fancy restaurants unless it’s a very special occasion. We save a lot of our money instead of spending because we want to buy experiences, not things, and we want to invest in our future. That’s what people don’t see-the everyday “un-sexy” choices that led to us to the exciting part.
How fun!
I moved to Seattle from Texas (College Station) about two years ago. Summers are amazing up here.
One word of caution, make sure you have a light jacket for the summer. I didn’t pack a jacket or jeans (just shorts) when we moved in June, I spent the whole month freezing while we waited for our stuff to arrive!
Wow, Caroline. You not only have my attention wardrobe-wise, but I feel like I can relate to you with this particular post. I see that many have always voiced their experiences and it’s encouraging. It makes your words real and come to life.
My husband and I have dreamed of living abroad and traveling around the world. We just moved to the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas and it’s been a huge break job-wise and lifestyle-wise. The states became so stressful and dull, we wanted to take a leap of faith to move out of our comfort zone into a great job opportunity for him. It’s been a huge blessing and change! The road to our current destination has been moving every year or so and sacrificing being close to friends and family. I think anybody can do the travel thing if they’re committed to the sacrifices and temporary discomfort here and there. It is worth it in the end; you won’t have the regrets others may have who should have taken a risk and didn’t!
As a Swedish girl I’m just happy you are moving to a climate more like mine. Looking forwards to some cool weather outfits! And and good job on working to reach your dreams. Keep going!!!
thank you for this post!! this is an idea i have toyed with for many years – very attached to my home city, but there’s also a lot of other cities i want to soak up for months at a time. reading this really made me think about revitalizing that goal i had to live elsewhere for a bit. good luck, can’t wait to read more!
This is a great post, one that resonates with lots of people I bet. I am interested in checking out the book you mentions because all this, that you have said so eloquently here, has been swirling in my head for about a year now. With a job that “expires” at some definite but undetermined point, I have been putting a lot of thought into what’s next. And even though I don’t know what next is yet, I started realizing that I needed to start taking some steps, even if little by little, or nothing would happen and I would be stuck with no job and no opportunities/goals going forward. This past year has been one of small changes in thoughts – taking time here and there to concentrate on what I really love and want in life – and since coming to understand that I love making and sharing homemade bread, this year has turned to a baking year for me (potentially on the sexier side of little changes?). I have no idea if I could make it as a bakery owner but at least for now, I am honing my craft – and truly loving it as I go. Next, and soon, will come the saving part. Putting what I can in savings, no matter how small the amount, so that when the end of my job comes, I will have money to move/start a business/go back to school/go off the grid/whatever my next step ends up being.
But it’s hard to stay at it. And so easy to get tempted by the here and now – like girlfriends planning a last minute trip to Vegas, or spending $30 bucks on limited edition girl scout cookie popsicles (totally worth it by the way). The balancing of the planning/saving/preparing for your future goals with living in the present and enjoying life now is, for me, the hardest part.
Thank you for this post and sharing your success/joy/experience. I feel renewed and rededicated to my goals because of it. :)
Good luck in Seattle!
Congratulations, Caroline and Aaron! How wonderful that you are making your dreams come true.
Selfishly, this couldn’t come at a better time! My boyfriend and I are gearing up for an adventure, ourselves: In June, we’ll be embarking on a year of U.S. travel in his RV. He’s been living out of it for about 8 months, but now that I’m joining for a road trip (moving most of my possessions from my 400 square foot apartment into storage), I’d like to think about wardrobe situation. I already rely on a pretty slim closet (I’ve pared it down tremendously over the past few years), but am using our adventure as that final push into capsule territory. I’d love to see how you’ll determine what comes and what stays when you and Aaron make your move.
xo
What a great post (and great reminder)! I’ve always wanted to travel more and it was easy to get discouraged as I transitioned to be able to do that. It’s been almost 4 years, but I’m finally in a place that I can do it and happily booking plane tickets regularly.
So excited to see your capsules as you join those of us on the West coast! Welcome welcome!!! You’re gonna love it!
I’m not quite sure why I read this blog regularly, I’m not that into clothes. But I feel good glimmers of genuineness from it on a pretty regular basis, which is rare. I’m super excited for this adventure of yours, not only because I have similar lifestyle daydreams, but because I dropped everything to move to Seattle when things were feeling cloudy elsewhere. Let’s just say it was the best decision I’ve made. I’ll probably drop everything and move somewhere else again in the future, at least I hope so. Please enjoy the food, the people, the sun (it happens!), the mountains, and the rain. I’m sure you’ll find cute rainboots up here too.
So exciting! It is going to be a wonderful experience!!!
That sounds so amazing. Being from Western Washington (now in Portland) I can say that you’ll just fall in love with Seattle, especially this time of year! My boyfriend and I have been really missing being able to travel, so finally I told him, let’s just pick 5 places in the US, and make a point to visit one each year in the next 5 years. This is the best time of our lives to see new places, so we just decided to do it. And suddenly, by breaking it up like that, it seems so much more manageable and easier to save. It’s so inspiring what you and your husband are doing!!
Silent follower here… how exciting! We just got home to Michigan after visiting Austin last week and absolutely loving it. Just goes to show how usually the grass is always greener, because in my mind I’m thinking how could you ever be bored in Austin?! What a fun way to live though, experiencing different cities in slow travel fashion. Many of us dream of it, but rarely make it happen. I will love to hear the details, especially how you are able to financially be location independent. It’s definitely a goal of mine as well. Congrats!
Seattle gal here wishing you a big welcome! So excited for you to be joining our community for some of the best months out of the year!
As someone who was born and raised in Houston, then moved to Seattle to go to UW (and is still there) – welcome to the PNW. You are gonna LOVE it! I’m so excited for you and your husband! So admire y’all’s courage to make the change.
Seattle in amazing! I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s a wonderful place. I am sure you must know people in Seattle, but if not I would be happy help show you around. Can’t wait to see what you come up with for next (PNW inspired) wardrobe. :)
My fiance and I have dreamed of moving to another country. Lately we have been dreaming about moving to New Zealand. He is a PA-C, so that is one of the countries where he could work in his profession. This dream is in our five year plan.
This is so exciting! We are in the area and welcome you! I love your take on instagram and working toward your dreams…I’ve been feeling the same way during Spring Break. Hoping to make small changes toward financial freedom…and more travel! Cheers to you and your continuing inspiration!
Great points! I think we forget too, though, that everything actually is mundane — we must see the magic in it all. Like, when dreams become a reality, it’s not the way it is in your head. That’s why they’re dreams! lol
I agree! 3.5 years ago, I actually spontaneously packed up and moved to Seattle! :) Now I’m starting to get restless again, and thinking about which city is next!
The small change idea is inspiring to me right now – I have started working on knitware design, and as I follow designers on instagram to see what they’re doing, it’s so easy to become frustrated because my one little pattern isn’t doing as well as theirs. I’ll just keep plugging away. :)
congratulations and welcome to Seattle! I moved here 7 years ago and have loved it ever since =)
Caroline, I am SO happy for you following your dreams! Seattle is a beautiful city and I hope you decide to share your new life with us! You are an inspirational woman living an inspired life! xx
Regular reader, rarely a commenter but I wanted to congratulate you on the big adventure. I recently moved to Seattle from Texas and it has been a fun and beautiful adventure. Best wishes and thank you for such inspiring posts!
Welcome (almost) to Seattle! I moved to Seattle almost 2 years ago form Chicago and it’s been an interesting ride. Can’t wait to read about your adventures once you’re here.
Omg, this is amazing! Congratulations!
I think I really needed to read something like this. From time to time, I feel like I’m not doing everything that I want to be doing. Sometimes is really hard to just focus on the things you do have accomplished instead on just seeing the stuff you haven’t done, or the things that just take more time to accomplish.
Living abroad is one of the things that I want to do, and I hope to do it in a few years. Meanwhile, twice a year holidays is my way to go.
Anyway, this is awesome you guys! I really hope you enjoy it,
Big hug from Mexico :)
T.
This is amazing! Well done for sticking to the plan
I’m so happy for you! I can really relate to this. 3.5 years ago my husband and I made huge job changes (including him being solely free-lance). We suddenly were extremely mobile. We lived with my parents for awhile and saved and last fall we finally moved to Nashville.
My parents lived in Seattle in the 70s and always talk about how wonderful the city was even back then!
Congratulations that is an amazing change! Thanks for sharing the hard work behind it too. My dream is to live overseas for a summer! But other dreams I’ve made into reality (slowly over time) is designing and selling my water colors and drawings :)
This is the absolute BEST time to move to Seattle. The next 6 months are WHY we live here! Good luck to you! You may get more wear out of your long selves, outerwear and pants-than your shorts and tanks. It is agreed upon that summer doesn’t really start here until after July 4th. We have been lucky the last couple of summers but we don’t count on it! Congratulations on making a dream a reality!
I can relate to this so much! My husband and I have dreamed of living and teaching abroad since high school. Seven years later, we’re FINALLY doing it. For a long time, it felt like it was never going to happen, but with a lot of small steps, we are making dreams come true. We start our first adventure abroad in Turkey next fall.
How exciting!!! Welcome to Seattle, sista! You have certainly made a great choice. I love the PNW. I’m actually living in Tacoma (Seattle’s awesome, less expensive little sister city) right now, but I’ll be moving in May up to Seattle to prepare for grad school at UW. Which neighborhood are you living in? The summers here are AMAZING. I’m originally from CO and I love it here, the weather and all. :D
Yeah yeah yeah!!
ALSO! I’m so excited to see your capsule for Seattle weather. I would love to see how it compares to mine.
Great post & congrats! Seattle is my hometown and I lovelovelove it. I just moved from Seattle to Oakland, CA a week ago! Yay for small/big changes!
Congratulations, thanks for the inspiration, and I can’t wait to see your summer capsule-perhaps some fleece/gore-tex/wool will be included? ;-)
How exciting for you two! I’m now curious to hear what the next stop is after Seattle…
You’ll love it here. So much to see and do in both the city and surrounding areas. My suggestion is to have layers of clothing ready. The mornings are chilly, but lately, the afternoons have been beautiful. Can’t wait to hear more about your adventure!
First of all, CONGRATS!! This is such cool and great news!! #2 – your instagram photo which led me here is so very timely! After fulfilling, my life long dream of working and living abroad. . .A couple years later, I am starting to wonder. . .what’s next? I still don’t the answer to the question. But your post, just made me realize that I pick something big and crazy and take incremental steps to get there. Future building. Love it! Will def pick up the book you mentioned.
Thanks again and again! Looking fwd to more posts re: your big move to Seattle!!
PS. I love the idea of moving every few months. Color me intrigued.
I love this post. Your blog is my new favorite and I am beyond excited that you will soon be living in my very own city. The pnw is excited to have you!
Welcome to the PNW!! I live very close to Seattle and it’s gorgeous. I’m also a transplant – from SC and the weather is so different from the South. You’ll love how much there is to do here. Congrats on making your dreams a reality!
How awesome for you both. The boyfriend and I are still in the small chnages part but eventually sailing around the world will happen!
I discovered your blog at the beginning of the year and I thought the side part from yesterday was my fav until I read this one. I love it. Congrats and good luck on the adventure.
I LOVE this! Congratulations to you guys.
My husband and I are living our dream move right now. After 4 years in Australia, we got back to New York on Sunday. I’m so excited to be back!
It’s so inspiring to read this! I found your blog recently and I actually clicked through your link to this book on an old post, bought it, and read it. To see you’ve really put it into practice is so exciting!
Wow, who does that? I mean, everybody talks about doing something like that but how many of us ACTUALLY do it? Kudos to you for making it happen. What an exciting adventure for the two of you, I am so happy and excited for you both!
This is just awesome! What an exciting adventure this is going to be ;)
How exciting! I love how you implemented your goal one boring little step at a time. Too true that it takes little bits of effort to get somewhere grand, and reading this reminded me of something else I read just today: http://tynan.com/daily
Seriously some cool reminders to move forward with habits that will sustain the kind of life I want to live!
Thanks!
I’m so excited about the move and the adventures y’all will have there! Enjoy this time and can’t wait to see what you share!
Wow, how exciting! Thank you for this highly interesting post Caroline! It inspired me to write a post on this as well. After reading your story, I realized I too have been making changes towards my dream. The only difference is that I wasn’t aware of it ;-) If you are interested, my story can be found here: http://bit.ly/1IlDyWM. I wish you all the luck and happiness on this big adventure!
Hello! I just found your blog via a Mind Body Green post, and lo and behold, you’re moving to Seattle! My husband and I live in Seattle and blog as well. Shoot me a note if you’re looking for friends and/or ideas of where to explore!
Hi Caroline,
I was just wondering – do you still pursue that dream? Would love to read an update it on the blog. Fashion stuff is nice but I think you have a very bright mind to show, too.
Best wishes from Munich
Christa
PS: I’ve lived in several different countries but feel like I’m stuck in Munich, Germany at the moment. Would love to move to the Netherlands sometime in the next 5-10 years. We’ll see!