Finally got the German OH to fully agree to us moving to the UK
But now I am going quite mad at the prospect of the months ahead of us that we must get through before going.

There are a few things that have to be done, contracts finished, etc., so it looks like the earliest leave date would be around May 2012. Latest could be the end of next year. I think I would lose my mind by then!!

I don't know how I am going to get through these months. It's been 10 long years of wanting to go back... I should be comforted by the fact that it's less than a year now, but I'm not.

I wonder how many of you are feeling this same way... Misery loves company?

Have you started the lists? getting rid of stuff you don't want to haul to UK only to need cupboard space for it.
We are about 18months out from the move and I'm just dreading all the packing and sorting. May 2012 sounds like five minutes away, I'd be in a blind panic.

Hi, I`m about 11 months away from moving back. I`ve become an expert in "biding time", but, because we have to get our house ready for selling, I need all the time I can get to prepare for that. It`s mostly cleaning, sanding down, painting and trying to restore this house to the immaculate condition it was in when we moved in (some chance!)
I am also, coincidentally, reading "The Power of Now" by Eckhardt Tolle, and one of his messages is that now is all we really have so may as well enjoy it! Easy to say! Like you I am really looking forward to going back, even getting a bit nervous, but I know that`s natural. I`m very unlikely to be living in the USA ever again so theres the experience of thinking that everything will be my "last", for example my last Thanksgiving etc. Hoping to go before all the politics revs up again for the next election, it makes me too angry!
We`re going to be able to see more of our family when we go back, so I have a lot to look forward to. It`s all very exciting!

I know just how you feel. We are planning on going back next September, some days that seems such a long way off and then others I think of all the things I have to do to make this happen and I get into a panic. I have started sorting through things and I have a big box with "garage sale or charity store" items. May will be here sooner than you think, especially with the holidays coming up. Enjoy all the anticipation.

I can sympathize. We finally made the decision to go back and just waiting for the house to sell. We want to be gone by end 2011 as I don't want to have to deal with another tax year as it'll involve US & UK income, so I'm really hoping just to be gone by end December. But it'll mean go go go as soon as the house is sold (fingers crossed it does soon).

BritAtHeart, I hope your house sells double quick and you get to move back at the end of the year. My fingers are crossed as well!

thanks for the good luck, I'll take everything I can! I didn't mean to hijack the original post I just can't wait to get back to England for good but know I'm in for a whole lot of stress before getting there

I mainly look at all the stuff in storage and feel like I want to scream, then tell the GERman that he needs to get rid of all his crap (it's almost all his), to which I am met with rolling eyes. So... not much gets done.

I expect we will be doing "Sperrmüll" in the last days, which is when you pay the state to take away everything you are throwing out when you move out of a flat. It's going to be very expensive, I think We will also be doing a flat content sale, where people come in and make offers on anything they want.
Unfortunately that will have to be done right in the last days.

We are somewhat lucky that we don't have to sell a house, we rent. It takes off a lot of pressure, but also means we're not going over with so much cash.

Wishing you well, BritAtHeart , fingers crossed it all comes together for you!

Erm, how about sneaking the unwanted stuff out one piece at a time in the rubbish collection! Or am I just too devious?
When we moved to the US I was appaled that even after months of throwing stuff out we still ended up bringing daft stuff because the movers packed everything in sight. Going to be more careful this time as we are undoubtedly taking back more furniture than we brought over.

Start organizing your big clear-out, that will help keep your mind focused on other things for one thing, you also don't need the added stress of scrambling to get it all done at the last minute.

Also think about your time frame for the move - between 7 and 14 months from now and assume for argument's sake you'll be making the move in about 10 and a half months' time. Think about where you were and what you were doing 10 and a half months AGO and I'll guess it doesn't seem like five minutes ago. It's a year ago this week that I came over here from Canada for my big recce, I moved back for good 6 months ago and I'm stunned at just how quickly the time has flown. Hope looking at things this way helps.

My spouse recently started a new expat posting in neighbouring Switzerland, (the German speaking part) . I discovered that they have a huge recycling centre called an "oekihof" (also seems to be known as the "okihof"). I've never seen anything like it and was really impressed at how environmentally aware the Swiss are.

http://www.zug.ch/behoerden/weitere-...oefe-gemeinden

The Oekihof in Zug has a very well organised warehouse where they accept donations of all kinds of things, eg. rugs, furniture, glassware, cutlery, pictures/paintings, lamps, toasters etc. The items are sold to the public twice a week and proceeds go to a battered women's shelter . It turned out our rental apartment already had a vacuum cleaner in it, so when our shipment arrived from Singapore, I took our Tesco bagless vacuum cleaner (purchased in Malaysia!) to the Oekihoff - it was in perfect condition and just needed a Swiss plug on it.

I wonder if there is a similar kind of place in your part of Germany?

thanks for the well wishes! The flat content sale idea sounds ideal. I've been listing stuff on craiglist here but it's harder than how we used to do it in UK by listing stuff for free in the local newspaper, that always worked a treat.

True, time does fly when you stop to realize it. I expect it's because of the miserable job that I am in at the moment - it makes time stretch out in front of me. Time flies especially when you're happy, don't you find? I think you are happy there I hope we will find that same satisfied happy feeling again soon!

A very interesting idea.. I did have a quick Google for Wohltätigkeitsbasar (charity shop) here in Hannover, but came up with not a heck of a lot. Doesn't surprise me really - there isn't much of anything here in Hannover! I am very glad we don't have lots of very large items to get rid of, it's just all those small annoying bits and bobs that I never know what to do with. We have an awful lot of that!


BritAtHeart, have you tried eBay? I hear that's a fantastic way to get rid of stuff for free and or profit. I considered it myself but it's so much harder when it's all in German... Bah!
I've started with a similar German site to Craigslist. It's slow going so far.

jemima I love how your mind works
I have thought of this, but I think it would get me in a load of trouble with the GERman. He's quite the hoarder. I think I must convince him that it's HIS choice, as much as I would love to run down there and throw out the whole lot!

He and I are so different that way. He adores collecting things (especially ones that gather dust!) and I prefer to chuck stuff out or get rid of it in favour of the freeing feeling it gives me. Sigh.

I wasn't happy with my work either before I came back here, I can relate to what you are saying & sometimes it seemed like there was no light in the end of the tunnel. Just remember each paycheck brings you one paycheck closer to coming home - I concentrated on socking away as much of mine as I possibly could in the months leading up to my move. I am happy here for the most part but I accept the fact that nothing's ever perfect. I found a little bit of patience and keeping a sense of humour goes a long way & try not to lose sight of either when something's not going quite right.