Hi, my name is Kattie and I’ll be your server…

A little look into how I got into seasonal serving and how I just ‘make it work’.

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I’ve been asked a few times about how I do what I do. I think to some it looks like I just travel around from place to place; well this is somewhat true; except I find seasonal jobs while I travel. This works for me so that I can see new places, but save money while traveling.

How it Started

Two years ago, I took a trip to Maine with my beautiful mother. We were having drinks at a really cool bar near the pier in Bar Harbor when I joked around about applying for a job and moving to Maine.

Side note for anyone who doesn’t know: I’ve been serving tables for over 10 years. Contrary to popular belief— I really enjoy serving and bartending.

Anyway, I took a chance. I reached out to the manager at that cool little bar and said hey, I think I’d be a good fit for the team, I’d love to come serve for you for a season.

I was very fortunate to be hired on for the summer season of 2018. That’s really when I learned what seasonal serving is.

Now, I basically follow the busy tourist seasons from the north to the south. Working in Maine currently for the beautiful summer, then moving down to Florida for the winter season.

Finding Housing

Other questions I get are about finding housing. This one is kind of up in the air. I’ve heard of employers providing housing for their seasonal staff, but so far, I’ve just reached out to local exchange pages on Facebook and found my own living arrangements.

After that it’s a lot of word of mouth. You get to talking to people who say things like: I have a friend in Florida who needs two roommates this winter, or I just got done working at Yellowstone for the season, you should check it out next year. You exchange information with people who have been doing this and go from there.

Find a job. Find housing. Then make the rest happen.

Sounds kind of silly but it’s no joke.

I recently asked this guy I know who has been traveling abroad for almost eight months how he does what he does. He put it very simply: “I make it work.”

And that’s the truth about it, you will find ways to make it work if you want to badly enough.

If you want to move to Arizona because you just absolutely love it there; then move. Take the chance, then make things work.

Living with Less

So, what do I do with all of my stuff? Right now, other than a few totes of personal belongings I’ve left at my parent’s house, everything I own can fit in my Subaru. One tote for kitchen ‘stuff’, a tote for books, movies, some small decorations and pictures. Then a few bags and suitcases of clothes, one basket of shoes, the odds and ends kind of just float around the vehicle here and there, and of course my three plants ride securely in their own basket.

Then there’s the strategic planning of getting it all to fit in the car. This is a fun process I’m learning to be patient with. But it’s a lot of stacking and stuffing and being ready to catch the basket of plants every time you open the rear door. Trust me it’s a really fun challenge.

I currently live in a furnished apartment; but in the future if I’m not this lucky, I’ll buy air mattresses and the bare essentials and live somewhat like a broke college kid all over again. Or simply buy furniture from those exchange sites, then sell it on the same sites when I’m ready to move on.

But working four days a week and exploring or hiking or paddle boarding the other three days, doesn’t leave a ton of down time at the house. No worry, chicken curry. The nice thing about not having anything in your house is it makes you want to spend more time outside!

The Seasonal Lifestyle

Some of the neat perks of being a seasonal server include but are not limited to: the fact that I can re-wear all of my favorite outfits because every six months I’m surrounded by new people who don’t know me; the challenge of being pushed outside your comfort zone and starting a new job every six months or so.

The networking is just crazy. If you can communicate well and be personable to your customers, you’ll be shocked how many job opportunities open up. I’ve been offered some really neat jobs all along the east coast just from meeting and talking to the people I’m serving.

A lot of what I do is take chances then make a plan to make it happen. Like I said before, find housing, find a job, then pack up the car and figure the rest out on the way. It’s a rush, it’s a challenge, and it’s rewarding in so many ways.

Ultimately my plan is to continue working in the seasonal serving industry for the next six years as I travel to new places in search of the perfect place to settle down. Who knows, maybe I’ll never be able to stop; maybe I’ll find my dream job somewhere along the way.

If you have ever thought about just trying something new, or moving somewhere different for a period of time but have no idea where to start, reach out! Get ahold of me or keep up to date with this blog and I’ll keep leaving little notes on how I manage this on-the-go lifestyle.