There are boxes everywhere. Labels like “car box” and “bathroom in a box” and one that just says “to be determined.” The living room is a staging area. The desk is gone. The walls are bare. And somewhere in the middle of it all, Trish is folding laundry with surgical precision while Brian’s pile looks like it lost a fight.

This is what 22 days actually looks like.

Everything needs a ‘new address’

One of the things nobody tells you about leaving: the hardest part isn’t the big stuff. It’s that things don’t have a home anymore unless you tell them where to go.

The desk that lived in the office for years? Storage. The exercise bench? Fletcher and Jaden’s. The old vacuum? Going to Goodwill — with a new one to my son Mat, because new vacuums smell better than old ones and that’s just true.

Every single object in the house is in mid-sentence right now. It belongs somewhere. We just have to decide where.

What’s coming with us

Three suitcases. That’s it. At least for the month-and-a-half travel

Spring and summer clothes. Toiletries. Tech, cords, office supplies. Arts and crafts — because Trish is always going to need a place to sketch. A travel jewelry bag with little separators for whatever she decides to collect along the way.

I just finished my book, so the hard drive stays accessible until the last possible moment. (I still have to make the digital vesion

And one pair of brand new shoes — that don’t get worn until they set out for Germany. That’s my rule. New chapter, new shoes.

The things worth mentioning

The laptop bag I have been using — a Mystery Ranch backpack/sling combo that Matt and Wes gave me — gets a genuine unsolicited endorsement mid-walkthrough. Converts from backpack to sling. Magnetic latch. Multiple pockets. Turns out the boys know their dad well. (They have the BEST taste!)

The junk journal on the table isn’t coming. I am leaving it behind and starting a fresh one on the road. New pages for new places.

And Herschel — our dog — has a stuffed animal named Tyrone who needed some repairs. A patch on the face. A little heart on the booty. A new hole that Herschel helpfully started. The chaos of departure does not pause for stuffed animal surgery. You just do it on the kitchen table between boxes.

Coming together

It looks like chaos. It is chaos. But it’s purposeful chaos — and there’s a difference.

Most of it is moving. Most of the decisions are made. The boxes have labels. The suitcases have a plan. The new shoes are waiting.

22 days.

Watch the full Saturday walkthrough above — including the laundry folding comparison you did not ask for but absolutely need to see.

A 3-year journey across the United States to find our forever home.

Join us, Brian and Trish, as we kick off our new series documenting the entire process.

This isn't just a travel vlog; it's a real-time look at the planning, the finances, the logistics, and the emotions that go into a life change this big.

👇 IN THIS VIDEO, WE DISCUSS:👇

▪️ Our "Why": The reasons we're planning to leave our comfortable life in North Carolina.

▪️ The Timeline: Why June 2026 is the magic date for us to start.

▪️ Our Unique Travel Style: Why we've decided against the RV life and what we're doing instead.

▪️ Finding "Home": The criteria we'll use to rate each city, from property taxes to proximity to a good bakery!

▪️ Our Hopes & Fears: The real, unscripted start to the biggest journey of our lives.

This is the very beginning, recorded 15 months prior to our launch date - and we still have a lot to figure out!

We'd love for you to follow along, share your advice, and help us answer the ultimate question... Are we there yet?

ABOUT US:

We're Brian and Trish Sykes, a couple in our 50s with a blended family of eight kids.

Now that we're officially becoming empty nesters, we're trading in our settled life for a nationwide adventure, working remotely and living in short-term rentals as we search for the perfect place to put down permanent roots.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode of our journey!

💬 LEAVE A COMMENT:

What's the #1 piece of advice you have for planning a long-term trip? We need all the help we can get!