windsong

I am at a stage of confusion where I don't know what to ship back and what to throw away. I have a ton of art supplies and books and quite a lot of sewing supplies. (My crafts are important to me.)

I know art supplies are expensive in the UK so I thought I'd ship back all my books and supplies and then I realized it's going to cost about $1000 to ship back all of it.

I have a few sets of new towels and a few precious ornaments and pictures that have sentimental value but that's about it - in addition to the arts and crafts supplies.

As I begin to pack the boxes, I realize how many art-related and sewing-related books I have and I am wondering whether to take them. These days, when I buy books in the USA I have been getting them in great quality for little price at a used book store- abebooks.com and was wondering if I should just not take the books and buy them again in the UK from the used book store. However, the price in the UK plus shipping for many of them equals what I would buy them for in the USA in many cases - not all. All I would save is the shipping.

I am really torn as to what to do because I don't want to throw shipping costs down the tube if it is not necessary, although these books are dear to my heart - but could be replaced on the other side.

Brushes and paints are a different scenario - much, much less expensive in the USA so those are being shipped.

It's the books I am confused about.

I understand the post office has something called M-Bag or Media Bag in which they are supposed to send books overseas cheaply but when I called they told me they have only had one customer in three years use that service and it is is only $1-2 dollars cheaper than sending them by regular service.

What have you all done in in a situation like this re books?

I still have to buy some linens and maybe pots and pans to ship but, boy, shipping costs can run away with the money even with UPakWeShip which is what I am using. I was going to use the service they offer whereby they pick up your boxes and shrink wrap them for you and send them over, not the UCube service.

I also thought of buying a third suitcase and using that for taking stuff over. I think it's only $100 per extra suitcase on United.

I wish you could imagine my current situation. I am in a hotel three weeks from departure with two dogs. Many of my belongings are still in the back of my vehicle which I have to unload into my hotel room today because the new owner is picking it up this afternoon.

I want to stick my head in sand at this point!

themajor

Take everything. If you do not you will just regret it later. I know having moved around the world and once just once I said "sod it I am not taking all that junk" and left it to charity. It was a huge mistake. Those little memories are gone. Gone forever.
So yes take them.

Try the airlines they usualy can advise the cheapest method. However if you do not mind waiting shipping as a part load is very cheap. Good luck.

Jerseygirl

On the other hand I would say the opposite.

When we moved from the UK to the U.S. we didn't take furniture....but we did take all sorts of bits and pieces...sentimental stuff etc. Most of it never saw the light of day...so 17 years later when we moved again we sold or gave most of it away. TBH it's a bit of a relief not to have brought it all with us.

not2old

agree with post#3

flog as much as you can on ebay, yard sales etc. Its my guess the replacement cost in the UK will be less than the shipping cost & that's not counting any breakage or lost items

Personal items, family heirlooms, treasured memories & least amount of clothes

holly_1948

Container shipping rates worldwide are today the lowest they have been for decades. That tilts things in favour of taking a whole container. And maybe offering space to a fellow traveller.

Editha

One factor to consider is how much living space you'll have in the UK. If you take all those arts and crafts materials, will you have the space to store them?

quiltman

My wife is also a rabid sewer. We had similar problems when we moved from UK to Philippines. She sorted through her sewing books etc and got rid of quite a lot of them.
Now regrets it as no way can we buy them here! if she wants them we have to order from UK at a phenomenal cost! Plus I bet a lot of the books you have are not available in the UK - most of my wifes were US printed.She also brought 4 sewing machines, over 30 bolts of fabric, hundreds of fat quarters, boxes of notions etc - worth every pound it cost!
The only alternative I can suggest , is look on amazon.co.uk and see if the books you have are available there. If so , you can at least work out if it's worth shipping, or selling and re buying when back in UK

Adriane

Hi, I am an arty person too. I personally kept my favorite art books and paints and sewing supplies. To replace them would cost a fortune, and might take years. Some books are just too important, I have an emotional attachment to them. Also, some books are no longer in print. When we have moved I happily get rid of large furniture, electronics, etc. But my art supplies and books, and best kitchen gadgets, nice cookware come with me...in the past I have never regretted keeping them, but getting rid of furniture has never bothered me. My art stuff is almost an extension of myself, and logic/money over the heart wouldn't work in that case. I have learned this from numerous moves, still regret a few books I got rid of.

mikelincs

This was what I was thinking as well, there are often a load of such books, secondhand, but available.

Editha

For replacing second-hand books, also check Abebooks.co.uk.

holly_1948

Also BookFinder.com: New & Used Books, Rare Books, Textbooks, Out of Print Books
When using that site be sure to set destination country and desired payment currency to meet your needs.

Swatmozzies

Moving back in the next couple of months as well. Won't take furniture, but packing precious books, art materials, paintings, clothes, music etc. Some kitchen stuff but no pots or pans. I am happy to move into an unfurnished flat on arrival but with a cooker, washing machine and fridge although I see on Gumtree in Uk pretty good deals 2nd hand stuff for sale. I'd like o also ship my bicycle. A shipping company is coming in a couple of weeks to give me a quote. If the idea of a container is cheaper to rent, the move will be from Texas. I also have a load of tech gear I need projectors etc. That I have to ship but am referring my 2 large iMacs for a laptop this week. I'll be taking several flights so the basics will go with me and be left in Uk. Good luck with your move. I still have to close down an entire studio but have a month or so to do this.

oliverjude

I've got a 20ft container from Canada to the UK with insurance for £3000. I will be able to get most of our 3 bed home in there. Buying everything again will cost way much more than £3000.

feelbritish

wow that is a good deal, we paid $13 000 and I packed all the boxes myself!

triptastic

What shipping company did you use?