I had to. I sold everything I owned. I have one suitcase sitting at my parents with just my clothes and memorable items for whenever I come back to. I own my backpack, laptop, ipod, and other small things (toothpaste?) to keep me going each day. Seems like 90% of what I own is all digital anyway.

How about you?

First time round I didn't sell much at all... didn't own a PC, nobody would take my car (in fact, 4 years later it's still sitting rusting in the hayshed!) the only items of any worth I had were some pieces of furniture with huge sentimental value and my camera which was required for the trip.

But now, six months after returning home from my extended OE, I'm setting off again and this time everything must go.
I have a nicer car now, which will hopefully fund my flights and first month's survival, I'm selling my camera and downgrading to a point and shoot, my spare pack and extra suitcases are going, all my furniture except a couple of really special pieces my brother is taking, I'm even putting clothes up on ebay to try to raise extra funds.
The only thing I absolutely cannot part with is 4 boxes of books from my childhood which are stored in my dad's attic. Those have to stay no matter what.

It's sad saying goodbye to stuff I've had for years or have fond memories of but at the same time it's kinda liberating.

I am selling most of it, just b/c I don't have anywhere to store it.

Yes, except for a Jeep that I am still leasing. I tried to get around it by transferring the lease, but it just wouldn't work. So I postponed my trip so I could save some extra money to make the payments while I was traveling.
Anyway, I too have only two suitcases full of work clothes so I could go on interviews when I got back to the US. Part of me is wishing I had put all the stuff in storage so I wouldn't have to worry about moving back into a place. I kinda hoped that my trip would put me in some direction where I wouldn't need that stuff. But, that didn't happen.
For my next trip I'm going to keep the basic necessities I need to get set up quickly when, and if, I return home.

Really not selling anything. Storage for the vehicles, renting out the house,( to good kind people who will look after the kitties) just gotta go through and cull the crap...you know shred bills 'n stuff, send clothes etc to the thrift store, eat the stuff in the pantry (meal of canned tuna, kidney beans and pineapple anyone? )

We just concentrated on paying down the bills and saving, saving, saving... we're old though
(40 & 47) and one of us has a job to come home to.

Only sell every thing when I know will be away for extended trip and have to move house. Saves on storage. and is amazing the junk you carry around sell it you wont miss it.

I have made a small furture selling junk at local markets. that reminds me think I need to hold another stall C/C out off control.

I have sold most of my big ticket items. Much of my other stuff just isn't worth anything.

It is strangely liberating though every time I get rid of something.

The first few trips I stored my stuff at friends' garages or basements or paid U$80 / month for storage spaces so I guess I was a slow learner because by the time I turned 30 I realized it was ridiculous and NOT worth storing. Then I sold everything or gave it away.

"It is strangely liberating though every time I get rid of something."

I totally agree with this. I find that the less stuff I have, the clearer my mind is, and I realize that I only kept the stuff I like. Thus, all of the stuff I have... I love!! ALL my stuff is cool. How cool is that?

We will be selling a bunch of our stuff, including our car and much of our furniture.

My inlaws are allowing us to store stuff for free in their garage, so we are really lucky.

Aside from our car, unfortunately I don't expect to get very much $ for most of our stuff.

I agree that this is a great opportunity to cull extraneous and unnecessary material possessions.

Initially I didn't because I didn't know how long I would be gone. Well, I've been gone for almost a year and in January will be leaving for at least another 1-2 so this time almost everything must go. It's been in storage in Portland for the last year and I'm shipping everything to Chicago in a couple weeks so I can go through it there. I'll sell as much as I can, donate much of what I can't and store what's important to me (my book and art collection). I wish I could get myself to get rid of the books and art but that will never happen...