I kinda took out my old phone (Sony) and flashed on that.... And running parallel while I degoogle myself.... Takes some time to change all email registrations from govt. And tax authorities to other external services like docs, banks and stuff....so doing dual phone for a fee weeks and then dropped main phone (fairphone5) to fully shift on e/os phone (sony).. And then will reset the ex-main phone (ff5) when degoogle is complete... I am too busy these days so it's taking very long. (Also clean up Google inboxes and then back up vs. Backup and then clean up old inboxes is a struggle for me). Once fully complete I will flash ex-mainphone FF5 with e/os as well and switch to it And then use the 2nd phone to shift my partner and kids slowly. And in a year or next upgrades I think I might buy my family older pixel phones and flash e/os on them.
Maybe you should also get a side phone to start the project.
I have a bright orange with carbon fibre trim kaweco sport. The opus88 I have is demonstrator so transparent, so I wanted something different. And maybe because it was the last one at the pen show.... Lol.