Finding Accommodations and Managing Mail

Share houses are my favorite type of accommodation as a nomad abroad. They’re super convenient and usually have flexible leases (with minimum stays of just one month).

They also give you an instant network of other travelers and locals, many of whom become close friends.

They can be hit or miss too though.

Less-that-ideal residents, messy common areas or noisy flatmates are some common complaints. Share houses are semi-private, meaning your bedroom is all yours (unless you get a cheaper dorm style) but you share the kitchen, toilets and bathrooms as well as other common areas.

Some share houses companies offer full apartments or have share houses with larger rooms that come with mini kitchens and a bathroom. You can find these gems if you know how to use the internet.

You can find share house companies by searching for local ones in your destination or using a global brand like Coliving.

Another option is Airbnb, which I also use a lot (but usually for shorter trips of less than a month).

If you have an apartment back home you need to take care of, you might consider subletting it or ending your contract early.

But what about my mail?

If you plan on spending overseas for an extended amount of time (and you don’t want to forward your mail to your parent’s house), then you might consider getting a digital, or virtual, mailbox.

A couple of popular companies are iPostal1 and Anytime Mailbox.