5 things I learned when I sold 90% of my belongings and moved to a new city every month for 2 years

• After living in New York City for 5 years, I sold 90% of my belongings and decided to live in a new US city every month.
• At first, I missed having a routine and an apartment of my own, and worried I'd be lonely.
• However, I quickly realized I didn't miss any of the clothes or items that I gave away.
• I also discovered the joy of exploring a new place on foot, and saving more money on rent.
• Here are the 5 lessons I learned over the 2 years I lived out of suitcases.

After living in New York City for five years, it hit me that I wasn't actually making the most of it.

I was spending over a third of my paycheck on rent every month for an apartment that was less than 400 sq. ft, and I was walking around the same neighborhood every day, sticking to my boring routine — eating at the same few restaurants, going to the same coffee shops, and shopping at the same stores.

I had been working for myself for the past two years, so I did most of my work from my couch and kitchen table. I realized it was time to pack up and go someplace new.

Because I'm not good at making big commitments, I decided that rather than pick one place to move to, I'd venture to a new US city that interested me every month, which meant I'd only be able to lug around two suitcases — that's it.

I waited until the lease on my apartment expired, sold 90% of my belongings, and put a few boxes of keepsake items that were too bulky to travel with in my family's basement. I packed two suitcases with essentials that could not only support me in different climates, but could also come in handy for all occasions (fancy to comfy) since I couldn't pack much.

After doing this for two years and living in places like Austin, Denver, Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles and more, I've learned five valuable, life-changing lessons that made the whole city-hopping lifestyle worth it.

1. You don't need a closet full of clothes

Before I made the change, I had become a hoarder of fast-fashion, holding onto items that I wore maybe once a year and then crammed back into my closet.

Living out of two suitcases taught me how to get creative with styling outfits so I could reuse pieces and turn a casual outfit into a fancy one if I had to. I traveled with staple items like black leggings, jeans, a blazer, two blouses, plain but nice t-shirts, and flats that could pass for a daytime and nighttime look. Whenever I was tempted to refresh these looks, since I wore a lot of the same outfits on repeat, I would add a bold necklace with color or sparkle to make myself feel like I was wearing something different than I wore last week.

2. Odd living quarters make you more tolerant

For years, living in just one apartment in New York City, I became a creature of comfort. But when I lived in new cities, I stayed at other people's apartments that I found on AirBnb, Craigslist, or in Facebook groups.

The apartments I rented rarely looked like the pictures, and they always had a surprise (bugs, a tiny bathroom you could hardly fit in, mold, odd smells, itchy beds, and more). At first, I was homesick and missed my old bedroom and my own sheets, but slowly, I got used to living in odd spaces and dealt with it, since there was always a 30-day countdown until I'd be in another place.

I built up a tolerance, and it now it takes a lot more than rats and a toilet that hardly flushes to get me all riled up.

3. Walking is the best mode of transportation

When I did this living experiment, I didn't have a car with me. That meant my only mode of transportation was walking. I did bike occasionally and took ride shares, but for the most part, I walked around. It was often the best way to see a new city, and stumble upon cool restaurants and pop-up events that I would have missed if I had a car.

I would walk anywhere between 10,000-12,000 steps living in New York City (because that was my primary mode of transportation there), so I made that a goal in all the cities I lived in. It helped make unfamiliar places feel like home.

4. You can make friends anywhere you go

One thing I worried about was making friends. Since I was going to be in so many cities, and none for a long time, I wondered if I would feel lonely.

To avoid this, I made a promise to myself to go to at least once local event or meetup each week. When I went to those things, I tried to talk to at least five new people. I ended up making friends in most of these cities that I'd ended up eating meals with and hang out with, and have kept in touch with since.

You can make friends in any new city, you just have to put yourself out there.

5. You save more money than you'd think

Traveling with just two suitcases prevented me from buying things I didn't need. I rarely bought new clothes, which saved me at least $100 every single month. I spent less on rent, since so many of the cities are less expensive than New York City, and often rented apartments for the month that were at least 25% less expensive than my previous rent in Manhattan.

The most costly part of living in new cities is the food — you're tempted to try everything. I made a goal to only eat out once a day and take home leftovers for lunch the following day. I also set a budget, meaning I wanted to try an expensive restaurant, I ordered an appetizer over a pricey meal.

While selling all your belongings, ditching your lease, and moving to a new city every month might be radical for most people, breaking your routine and habits can be a life-changing thing to commit to doing, even in your own way.

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