Hi Mike,
Great to hear the site touched your adventurous spirit!
What did I do with my belongings?
The first time I went to South America I stored some of my belongings with my parents and friends. Other stuff, like my car, got sold. I ended up traveling 18 months the first time. The second time I only traveled for 4 months. I didn't move anything. Just paid the rent of my house while traveling. Another time I stored all my belongings in a container for 3 months.
Travel budget
Giving sound advice on how to cope financially is always difficult. For 1 year you'll have to calculate your return flight, 10/15 dollars daily and a budget for some wonderful, not to be missed, attractions like
Machu Picchu or the
Galapagos Islands. You can also opt to teach English in one of the many schools in South America. The pay is not much but should cover basic expenses.
Best wishes,
Mark