Take it or leave it
 

Now that I have made my decision to move back to the UK I find myself looking at my possessions with a new eye. At first I thought sell almost everything but I find myself wondering how much it would cost to replace certain things, e.g. towels and bedding, a maple kitchen table.

I realise there is a lot of personal choice involved but I would love to here from those of you who have gone home regarding what you wish you had taken with you and what you wish you had left behind.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I am in the process of packing up what I want to take with me. You have to consider how much it would cost to ship it vs replacing. I don't know about Canada but I do know mattress sizes in US are different to UK so sheets aren't easy to take. I am taking couple of comforters with me as well as my feather bed that goes on top of the mattress. But my towels are due to be replaced so no they are not going. Also as I have no idea of the size of the place I'll move into once I'm home I am getting rid of the furniture. My bedroom furniture has already gone and the majority of the living room will be gone this weekend. It has cut me up a bit as I had some well made attractive pieces and I have had to sell them for a song - there is a lot of people trying to sell stuff out there but taking it all would have cost me a lot more money and as I said homes in the UK have smaller rooms. I have also decided against taking crockery/cutlery - one set is very nice but bulky and I am gifting that to my best friend who I know will appreciate it. I am taking my cast iron pans and set of saucepans and a couple of favourite mugs but that's about it from the kitchen. No electricals - they wouldn't work without adaptors and nothing is that expensive.

What I am taking are clothes, books, ornaments and stuff that would make a place a home - and trust me they have takne up more than enough boxes. Only time will tell if I have made the right choice but as stuff can be replaced I'm sure I will survive with my decisions.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Thanks Lora. That's very helpful. I definitely will be taking booksand some ornaments. Let me know how it all works out.

Anyone else?

Re: Take it or leave it
 

We moved back to australia last year, and had not entirely factored in the time it takes for stuff to arrive by sea. We therefore had to purchase some kitchen items and other items that we knew would eventually arrive, not a biggy if you have family to go to, and can borrow can openers and pots and pans etc, but a waste if not.

We overpacked clothes too, but the irreplacable items with sentimental value are certainly worth taking or getting someone to post when you have an address. Or if they are visiting, or you going back for a trip and can carry precious things at a later date

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I started out as being loath to get rid of all of my "possessions" but found it easier as time went on and the departure date grew nearer.

I had a MASSIVE sort out of clothes,shoes, bags, etc., anything not worn in the last 12 months no matter how "good" it was went.............I gave all the very good stuff to a womens domestic violence refuge.

I sold what I could and donated everything else to family and friends.

I have ended up with 6 boxes filled with ornaments, good pans, cutlery, some mugs and fave kitchen stuff, a few books, all my beading equipment, CD's, DVD's and I can't now remember what else, plus 1 TV (bought in the UK, didn't work properly in Australia so couldn't sell it, so back it comes with me :lol:) and one flat pack with some wall pictures in, so a total of 8 boxes which I will send for when I have settled down somewhere properly, not bad for 30 years!! :thumbsup:

My stuff is coming by airfreight (at cost price :thumbsup:) so I had to be extremely mindful of weight.

I sent one suitcase at 26kgs ahead to my sister's 2 weeks before I left and was allowed on the plane one suitcase at 23kgs, one piece of hand luggage at 7kgs, my laptop and I carried my big heavy coat and quickly put it on at Manchester. :D

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Now that's impressive! 8 boxes! I think mine will be more like 60 boxes and a few odd-shaped items.
I forgot about all my outside stuff... garden tools, weedwacker, chainsaw. I would like to bring them. The latter 2 are almost new and if I live rurally I can use them.

What I really wonder about is what is going to happen to my stuff when it arrives if I haven't got a place yet :blink:.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I left my gas-powered weedwhacker multi-tool (weed-whacker, hedge-trimmer and lawn edger attachments) behind ("I'll never need that" in a UK garden). I sold it for next to nothing, even though it cost me about $200 new.

Big mistake, and I ended up buying a replacement one about 2 years after I got back. :rolleyes:

At least I sold it to a friend, so I don't feel too bad. :o

Re: Storage of your stuff, you could ask your shipping company if they will hold onto/store your stuff after arrival. Some companies have a fixed period during which they will hold it free of charge (usually a period of just a few weeks, I think). After this, they may continue to store it for a charge. This may be cheaper than having it delivered to a storage location, and then having the inconvenience of paying again to have it moved from the storage location to your new home.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

We sold virtually everything we owned and, similar to Barb, shipped back about 7 or 8 boxes of stuff: winter coats, a few sets of draperies (I had some gorgeous chintz draperies that could easily be altered); only the most favourite of favourite books and CDs/DVDs; a very small amount of kitchen items and special decorative items; a few sentimental teacups (I was a teacup collector); and my Christmas ornaments.

All family photographs we scanned in to our computers (can be easily printed out and framed in the future should we wish to) and I gave the originals to the kids.

We were very selective of what to bring back. All total, cost us about $1,000.

Sent no furniture over whatsoever. Didn't want to have to house-hunt with any choice being determined by whether or not the bed (or whatever) would fit.

We had about 4 large yard sales over a period of months. Two of my best friends ended up buying a good part of our furniture (we had some pretty nice stuff). As belongings started to "whittle down", we gave things to Goodwill and at the very end, listed what was left on Freecycle.

All family pieces (inherited items, etc.) went to my 3 children.

I also had a really wonderful time sending surprise boxes to family/friends. Got rid of most of my teacup collection that way. And, for example, there was a girl I used to work with at the law firm who loved William Morris (as I do). I sent her a small box filled with several of my William Morris books, some WM stationery, etc. She loved it. I had a large tea chest from India that a tea importer friend sent me years ago. I loaded it up in my car one afternoon, drove to Charleston, and put it on the porch of an acquaintance who grew up in the tea hills of India. It made her day!

It gave me so much pleasure to part with my things in such a fashion. I will admit, it created quite a bit more work (and we were working under a deadline), but it helped soften the blow of losing so many of the things that I felt defined me.

We sailed over on the QM2 and each brought 2 suitcases of clothing with us.

Hope this helps.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

When we came here 5 years ago, we shipped over approximately 80 boxes of items plus a couple of pieces of furniture.

When we pack up to head back, I plan on taking about half that amount of boxes and no furniture. Hubby has some computing equipment that I know he won't part with, otherwise it would be even less. :)

We brought so much junk that we didn't need! We actually still have a couple of boxes sitting in our garage right now. I plan to get rid of most of our books. And I like DDL's idea of scanning photos so you don't pack framed photos!

Clothes will definitely be purged and I'm learning not to hold onto knick-knacks just because they were a gift.

Plus as GoldCoastMag pointed out, when you have it shipped it takes weeks to arrive. If you can live without it for that long, how important is it to have?

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Yes DDL I got sooo much pleasure of giving to people who would appreciate it.

For instance I had a LOT of books about Liverpool from when I did the family history thing plus lots of Family Tree type books, I gave my Liverpool friend at least 50 books, she was SO thrilled it gave me a feel good factor to give it. I had about 6 hardback books about Coronation Street :o and about 10 Corrie videos, after I had given her the Liverpool books I remembered I had the Corrie stuff in a bag so my daughter dropped them off to her just this week.

Lots of kitchen stuff went to my kids, bedding, pillows, towels, dishes, photo's, etc. The stuff like this is so cheap over here compared to Australia I will take great pleasure in buying new. :thumbsup:

Like they say to receive from The Universe you have to give............

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Exactly!! These "so ïmportant possessions" of mine had been sitting in a storage unit for a whole year when I spent my gap/mid life crisis year in the UK previously.........

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Yes, most of my clothes will go. I'm fed up with them anyway. And plan to have several garage sales over the summer. Lots of stuff to the Thrift Shop and my son is looking for a place so it will be good to give him dishes, bedding, etc. but I have a lot of treaures... a large collection of non-fiction books that I have not had time to read. I shall seriously cull them but take lots. Ironically, I have my grandmother's dining table and china cabinet that I paid a lot to have shipped from England and don't think I have the heart to get rid of it. We'll see. Needs must as they say.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Thanks Dunroving. that's exactly the type of hint I was hoping for. I intend to have a fairly large garden and I know I shall use my weedwacker.

I feel for David, not having his stuff from Vancouver delivered for at least 2 months, but was very encouraged to hear it. Maybe that will give me time to find a place. With a bit of luck it will be fall or winter when I come and perhaps I can negotiate a good rate for seasonal accomodation while I look around.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I am really looking forward to giving stuff away and I know what you mean by that feeling. To tell you the truth I am really looking forward to getting rid of ALOT of stuff and simplifying my life. But first I have to decide what I am going to keep. There are 3 Queen size beds in my house and I have already sold one and a couch from downstairs. I used to have a condo in Vancouver and then moved to this large 3BR house with a suite and large 2-room studio downstairs. You know how stuff seems to fill up available space!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I'm living inland in a remote area which has rendered any sort of excess shipping pretty much cost prohibitive. I've got 2 new suitcases & will be going with little more than the clothes on my back and my laptop & cameras, jewelry etc. Photos will be scanned to a portable external hard drive if time permits between now and the 31st of March. I have a lot of my music on there already so not really worried about my CD collection. Fortunately I can leave a lot of stuff with my dad so if at some point we stumble across an affordable means of shipping, I might be able to have more of my things (ie desktop pc, Royal Doulton china etc.) sent to me at a later date. My Dad's coming to UK for visit at the end of May so he'll bring what he can with him also. At the end of the day I guess it's all just stuff anyway and your own long term happiness is what really counts in the long run. :)

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Shipping is soooo expensive (even when mailing the books via M-Bag, which is what you should do; check past posts) that our rule of thumb was that if they were easily replaceable (i.e., could be purchased in the UK - checked via Amazon.co.uk) we didn't bring them. I made a list of the ones I wanted to re-purchase (over time) once we arrived back here. But for the most part, we were ready for some new books. The ones we ended up sending over were the more unique, one-off, or first editions.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I find books here in the charity shops incredible bargains!!! Between 1 to 3 pounds is a steal. In Australia you wouldn't touch a book in a charity shop with a barge pole, here you can get the popular authors books in almost new condition.

OK this is obviously not for first editions, etc. ;)

But I knew if and when I decide to take up my Family History hobby again, I will be able to buy books from here at a fraction of what the shipping costs would have been.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Now, I'm a leave it sort of person while my wife is definitely a take it person and after moving stuff stored in one basement to another basement for 6 years in the US we've now got a garage full of stuff stored in the UK. We'll probably never use/see it until we move again.

I will warn you that a) storage in UK houses is at a premium, we don't have basements like Northern America and b) it's likely that you may be renting and possibly for 6months/a year while you find a place to live. This means you'll be moving again 6month/a year later!

I'd say be ruthless with clothes and furniture due to storage issues and your new place may, temporarily be smaller than where you live now. We sold tools and other electrical stuff and I focussed on pictures and sentimental stuff.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

This is one reason I like older houses - my parents' old cottage used to have a massive cellar that ran the length of the house. So much better than climbing up ladders into the loft.

We're being quite ruthless - even my husband the hoarder is finally letting things go. Mainly because I think we'd like a complete fresh start when we get home. I think it'll be fun!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Sally, that fresh start/new start feeling has been a real energizer for us individually, our marriage (not that it needed it but it's been a bonus), and our relationship.

It's also a great excuse for more retail therapy.

;)

Re: Take it or leave it
 

You might find people on this site that are emigrating out to near where you live and might need some of your stuff as they set up in their new Canadian home. :)

Re: Take it or leave it
 

M-bag is a USPS service so doesn't apply in Canada and I think it would cost a lot more to replace the books than to ship them. Also, I am thinking of getting 1/2 a container as opposed to shipping individual things. Most of my books are part of a non-fiction reference library so are books I use often.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

It's a good idea for those living in major centres but I live on an island of 10,000 people. It is highly unlikely that someone will be coming here. I am aiming to start early so that I can go through a process... try and sell locally through our list, garage sales, Craigslist Victoria and then friends, Thrift Shop, etc. I shall keep track of the money and have fun at the other end replacing my tons of stuff with a few good things.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

It will still be a while before we move, but I've decided to check the Argos website for every single item (obviously not for books and personal items) that we want to take. If it's cheap to replace it will stay behind. I've moved twice with a 20ft container and took everything from the microwave to the piano. This time the piano is MOST DEFINITELY the first thing that I'll leave behind, no matter how many sentimetal feelings I have towards it. Moving it from one house to another in England cost us 100pounds! This time we're also leaving behind all our furniture, maybe only our mattress, because it's new and brilliant and expensive to replace.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I think this will be fun too - like starting out all over again, only this time I won't have a massive student overdraft :lol:

Re: Take it or leave it
 

My books are similar - and many connected with my career - massage therapist/holistic healer - that I need. I have packed them all up and they are coming with me. That is actually the bulk of my shipment :D!!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

The only item of furniture I'm taking is my cast iron Queen sized bed frame as it was a gift to myself one year when I got a good bonus and I love it. It can be dismantled so doesn't take up a huge amount of room. I know the mattress sizes in the UK are different but I believe US Queen is very close to UK King - a 2 inch difference in length - so a mattress from the UK will fit into it!!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

That's good news Beedubya and was my experience too while in the UK on my last trip. There were SO many books in used book stores, thrift shops, etc. that I wanted but had to be careful. I did bring books back from that trip though. Now they are going in the other direction :rofl:.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Same, Mags. I shall definitely sell my piano and hopefully find one at the other end for a good price.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

My books are herbal medicine, aromatherapy, astrology, Celtic spirituality and Textile arts. Perhaps we have something in common ;) . I keep meaning to ask about your avatar - my place here is called the Labyrinth and I have that symbol on my house sign.

Lucky you - leaving on th 26th! Have a great journey and re-integration.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Except the Textile arts you could have easily described my library of books there - add in tarot/divination, womens spirituality and as I said my massage/holistic healing books and that is me in a nut shell!!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Nice to meet a kindred spirit. I actually have some of those subjects too.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Well, back to 'take it or leave it' - we gave 5 bags of clothing to the charity shop last week and we're now going through boxes of photos and souvenirs sorting out what we want to keep. My husband is naturally more of a hoarder than me but he's getting quite brutal now. We're sorting out all our photos, picking the ones we want to keep, and filing them in index card boxes. If we have time, we might even scan them all and get rid of the paper altogether.

I still have more clothes to sort through and tons more books to give away but we're making good progress.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

At least you have started, well done!!

It's not until you are faced with getting rid that you notice just how much "stuff" you have gathered over the years, up the back of cupboards and in drawers. :ohmy:

So Sally does this mean your hubby is right on track with you about moving back home. :)

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Good on you for getting started now - I admittedly left it to the last minute - but all along I felt I didn't have that much living in a one bedroom apartment - boy was I wrong :D

Re: Take it or leave it
 

The same for me Lorac, I was in a 2 bedroom apartment, not forgetting that I had chucked out HEAPS when I put my stuff in storage and took off for my 1 year trip back to the UK. I was only in that flat from July 2010, my stuff came out of storage, then more stuff came that I had sent back from the UK to Oz, and now it is all gone again, down to 6 boxes, a TV and a flat pack with 3 wall pictures in. :unsure:

I hate to think of how much money I have wasted with all this ping ponging. :thumbdown:

I am definitely going to be living more minimally this time around, it has made me realise that I REALLY don't need so much stuff.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

I dont know yet although I think so. He's always said he would decided after our trip home in September. But we're definitely going to move somewhere, so all this work will have to be done anyway.

I have to stop going through boxes of old letters and photos. It's making me quite melancholy.

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Oh yes I had many meltdown days doing this kind of thing. Couldn't stop crying, etc.

I think it's all part of the process, no wonder it took me a full 2 weeks to get over my departure/arrival.....

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Me too. I am halfway through my box of photos and it's like seeing your life flash before your eyes. I do believe, as you said Bee, that it is an important part ofthe process... an important part.
I am just starting this process but I am amazed at how things I thought were so precious to me suddenly are relabelled "sell", "donate" or "garbage". I am quite excited at the prospect of lightening my load and being left with the things that truly are special to me. But I have a loooonnnnngggg way to go!

Re: Take it or leave it
 

Today I found two old diaries I kept when I was 18 up to 21. My God, I just seem to have fallen for one boy after another! If I wasn't having my heart broken I was breaking someone else's. I don't know how I had the energy. I'm exhausted just reading it all! There's one poor guy I'd really like to meet again just so I can apologize for being such a PIA :lol:

The worst thing today has been the dust. Some of these boxes have been in the back of cupboards for 12 years and the dust is really irritating my throat and chest. But I got two whole cupboards completely cleared, vacuumed, and washed down so that there's not a speck of dust to be seen. Several more cupboards and the basement to go. I think I'll take a break for a few days. Enough is enough with the memories.