Beedubya

Anna, I know you have had BIG ups and downs along your journey, so it's great to hear you being more positive!! Yeah we have to forget about money/taxes/etc. ping ponging is not the way to make us millionaires ha ha!!

I am up to my eyes in it too, having to do 3 lots of packing, 1 for the removals guys coming tomorrow morning to ship my stuff back to Oz, will take about 12 weeks to get there so have to be careful what I put in the boxes, 1 lot for the young couple who bought the rest of my stuff picking it up on Sat. morning , and 1 lot for me for the train up North, have to keep it to what I am taking on the plane, 1 suitcase at 23kgs, 1 holdall for hand luggage and a laptop.......gulp....how to fit in so much stuff and keep to the weight limit????

Ooops not forgetting the black bin bags full of stuff for the charity shops.

I am soooo many pages behind now on the thread, will have to get back to it maybe tomorrow with the personals........

OK back to the packing and sorting folks!!!

Relocateme

[QUOTE=Taffy Duck;8429322]
Roger that Taffy! ....I realise now by collecting CPP early at 62 I am losing 18% of my CPP, however I read by not working during the years 60 to 65 can in fact lower the CPP over the long term..Not sure how and dont know if this applies to working in Canada, working globally or even if working in Britain during those years may save some of it ...throwing the towel in now ..its becoming too frustrating..

I have completed all documents for the verification of the entry date doc inc both sides Drivers, Health, Cdn Citzship, etc,. together with $30 and been on the phone with Service Canada for the address to send it all to ..on the third person now....

Relocateme

Anna..has your passport come yet?...seems your down to the wire now with the last few things like Barb...wishing you both all the very best .I feel the same as you doing the very best for the plans and whatever doesn't get done is not for the want of trying

aes1

No passport today Eileen

DDL

For those of you returning to the UK (singles/couples w/o children) what is it that you are shipping back (besides clothes, obviously)? We're not shipping anything except some prints/paintings that we love. Other than that, we can't justify the cost of shipping anything else as we intend to live quite simply once we return. There was a time we thought about shipping our furniture, but it seemed like it would just end up being an albatross around our necks in trying to find accommodation that would fit our furniture.

Just curious!

Wub

Its a tricky one this as we've been travelling the world (ish), the past few years with work and have acquired some bits and bobs, a couple of pieces of unusual furniture and enough prints and wall hangings to set up an art gallery!

There's no way that we can really part with this 'stuff', as it represents a fair chunk of our recent history. So, plan to put it into storage until we either move to our new jobs or settle back home in the UK.

I do know what you mean though. The amount of 'stuff', one ends up with is truly astonishing and when you actually look at it all and think 'Why?', there's no real answer!

I do believe though that when making a fresh start in life, its best to jettison the old as far as is possible. When my first marriage fell apart I sent all the furniture and odds and ends to the local auction house, did reasonably well out of the proceeds and gradually, replaced the old stuff with new stuff. Then did the same when I remarried some years later!!

At the end of the day -its only 'stuff'. Its what it means to you personally that really matters.

DDL

Well said, and thanks for sharing.

I think I am actually going to enjoy giving my 3 adult children this part of their inheritance (family furniture/things) "early". I was telling someone the other day that I feel like the Executrix of my own estate!

trottytrue

DDL...If I when I do return home I am not taking much furniture. I have a white wicker basket come table that I brought with me nearly 30years ago my Mum bought it for me so thats coming back with me and very little else apart from my books and magazine I cannot leave them behind. I can replace furniture but not my books. Oh and my embroidery items. But I have reduced my boxes by almost half and I am still working on it. We are thinking that one container will do us.

jasper123

Just saying the same as what Eileen has just said good luck to both of you Anna & Barb
You know its very interesting isn't it, ---- Anna your returning to UK from US,

And you Barb leaving UK after being back there a year and returning to Australia to your Grandkids & rest of family,

And you Eileen going back to UK from Canada soon,

And Ed already been over in UK from Canada for quite a few months now and has made wonderful progress, real go getter SHE is, nothing holds HER back, and continually sends us info and is a constant reminder to us all to never ever give up on our dream and to go where your heart sends you,

And Me, flight all booked too and returning to UK & my Mum in November from US, and Soooooo looking forward to it,

And Taffy Duck, and no limits and Magistrate & Mrs Sully, so many more that have contributed on this site, too many to remember,

All of us helping each other with different kinds of Info on so many subjects, and following each others journeys, encouraging each other, And above all supporting each other in whatever we do or are thinking of doing,

Speaking for myself I dont know what I would have done without all of you wonderful people out there, I certainly would not already have had my US citizenship and brand new US passport with all its crispy new pages, you all told me to get off my A-- and just do it now cause its real easy you said, and it WAS so easy,
When I joined this wonderful thread back in August 2009 I had already made up my mind that I was going back to UK after living in Canada and US for the past 36 years, but I still had a LOT of fears and doubts of what it all would be like when I finally step off that plane at Gatwick and start my new life back home in UK, ----- and realising that this is not just one of my little 3 weeks holidays that I have done each 3 or 4 years, BUT this time it will be permanent, NO MORE hugging my Mum at her doorstep and saying good bye and saying see you in another 3 years and when the taxi is driving away I burst into tears as I look back at my Mum waiving goodbye not knowing if this may be the last time that I see her again,
But just the fact that we all have been talking to each other back & forth all these months and sharing all our fears and hopes and (JOY) when everything is going good, and the tears when things are not going so good, This is what we all need, we all are in the same boat, not just going it alone, SUPPORTING each other all the way,
I think I speak for everyone on this thread that we all regard each other as friends now, So when we go back home I think its important that we all keep posting on this thread to help and support each other while we are at home,
And at the same time helping all the others who are waiting to leave, and to all the others who are still just thinking about returning or are slowly deciding weather or not they should take the big leap,
And you know Barb dont you that just cause you are returning to Australia that you are not off the hook you know we all still need to hear from you too, Good on ya luv,
Take good care ya all,
Rodney.

jasper123

Hi trottytrue,
Everyones situation is so different when they return back to UK, with regards to what we decide to take with us, all people are naturally hoarders, we live in a country that we have called home for many decades and we buy stuff to make our lives more comfortable, some things we buy are necessary things that we need like TV/ stereo/ dvd/cd/speakers, furniture, ----- and lots of other stuff that arent really that necessary but stuff we like like pictures for the walls & ornaments etc, and yes the books & cd,s & dvd's that we love,
Well with me its simple, the only thing that I will be sending back is my hundreds of music cd,s and music dvd's that I have collected over many years, Im really into music, not quite sure though how I would play the dvd,s over there as I am not sure they work in the players over in UK anyone know about that? but the cd,s work though,
And of course on the plane in my suitcase just the newest clothes I have bought in last few years and only the ones that I really like, give the rest to charity, you can always buy other clothes over there later when you can afford it, as long as I have enough to change into, stuff I like,
And a lap top that I want to buy before I leave, something new but cheap, thats it !!!
I will sell my furniture, wont get much even though its all in great shape its all 12 years old, sell my 52 inch hdtv flat screen TV (I will miss that) sell all the other stuff like nice floor speakers, dvd/cd player, there all old but work great,
And my little Hyundai Accent Car, (I will miss that too) It has served me well for 6 years with not a single problem, I bought it new in 2004 and it only has just coming up to 40,000 miles on the clock and in good shape, so I will sell it privately and get as much as I can for it,
over the years I have horded a lot of other stuff that has been sitting in my garage for many years, I am not looking forward to sorting through all those boxes, but some cherished little things that could fit in the suitcase I will keep them, and give the rest to charity --- or hold a little garage sell would be better, may as well get some money for the stuff, every penny will help when I get back to UK,

PS trottytrue so sorry that I did not mention your name in my previous post just before this one, ------ you probably thought what a cheek that Rodney has,
Of course I would not forget you, especially as if it was not for you we would not even have this thread, ------- and thanks from all of us for that trottytrue,
How is your husbands health now? better I hope,
Rodney.

Wub

Well with me its simple, the only thing that I will be sending back is my hundreds of music cd,s and music dvd's that I have collected over many years, Im really into music, not quite sure though how I would play the dvd,s over there as I am not sure they work in the players over in UK anyone know about that? but the cd,s work though,

Rodney.[/QUOTE]

You can buy dvd players in the UK for next to nothing - 30 quid in the supermarkets and cheaper still if you shop around. Your dvd player (or one bought on return), won't play American dvds as they're all what's called 'region locked'.

However, you can get them unlocked if you go to any electrical repair shop and speak to a man who can! Within minutes, they're 'region free', which means that you can play dvds purchased from anywhere in the world.

Speaking from experience here by the way!!

Wub

We did that - sold up prior to moving out here and sent a removal van full of stuff to the offspring who had just relocated for jobs after swanning around for a bit after uni.

Its a bit like tales form the time-loop though: we go home each summer and do the visiting bit -only to find ourselves sitting on the sofa we used to own and eating at the dining table I used to polish from time to time!

Last visit we were informed that 'Its all looking a bit tired and tatty now', and would we like to have it all back!!

I declined. Graciously of course!

Easterndawn

Good Morning,

We decided a few years before I made the move that we would not take any large items with us. We sold nearly everything, only got about a fifth of what it cost us as much of it was only a couple of years old. But the feeling of having a huge weight off our shoulders was liberating. My husband will be sending my paintings, minus the frames, (will reframe here) computer, music CD's,a few pieces of pottery etc that mean an awful lot to me, my chief knives, and scrap books of things my kids and grandkids made when they were young children,. Other than that not much, the cost of shipping other items was not worth the trouble.

Elvira

Just a thought: have you looked into the cost of reframing your pictures as this can be very expensive.

aes1

Hi Rodney, speaking from experience I would advise you to start getting rid of your stuff NOW. If you leave it till just before you leave, you will feel overwhelmed, and all those items that didn't seem important to you, now seem to represent part of you personally, and when someone says, will you take a dollar for this? You feel somehow cheap and worthless, like you yourself are only worth that much. Then you want to tell everyone the history behind the item, where you got it, and why, etc, all your memories of it suddenly come flooding back. At least that's what happened to me at my moving sale!!! Plus of course, people stole two items from me, which made me feel like I had been mugged or a thief had entered my home (which was true!!). Also, I did much better, got a lot more money, from advertising on Craigs List. Whatever you post on there stays on for a month, so you get plenty of time. And it's free!! So my advice to you, Rodney, and anyone else who has definitely decided to go back, start selling now!! Do it in bits and pieces, it will be much easier and less taxing on the mind and body!!! Donate, give away early too!! For same reasons!!! Now, back to my floor cushion and TV (borrowed), all that's left!!! Still no passport, only 3 more chances for it to come before I leave. Thank goodness, I have my US passport!!!