"Put me a list with the really necessary things we need in our place."

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Habibi and I are building our love nest. He asked me to put a list with the really necessary things we need. Thing is I have no idea. I've never lived in Egypt.. I've never lived with a man! I mean I lived with my Brothers and my Dad but that was a long time ago. That's not iving with a lover and someone you're going to spend the rest of your life with. We're starting with an empty place in Cairo.

I told him I want to paint the apartment. He said we could after we manage it with the landlord. I want to make a whole activity out of it and take lots of pictures. I think it would be lots of fun decorating our nest. We're putting a budget for it. I guess things are going to be tight because we're just starting out at first. I am wondering if I should try to pack my pots and pans or anything I have here that I might need there like cooking spices. Can I take cooking spices there? I fell like I need to pack my kitchen like dishes and plates and silverwear and pans. I will be living there from May through Jan 2010 so eight months.

We're going to buy some furniture in a town on the Mediterranean called Demiette. I guess you can get good stuff there for inexpensive. They ship it to Europe. You can get a six piece wood living room set for $40 USD there and they are the style for the last few years. A small table with four seats and a one sofa that seats three people.

He's looking at getting a two bedroom apartment for us encase we have guest during these eight months. But he is not sure because that means two sets of bedroom furniture. For our bedroom furniture though we're looking to get a hutch and a dresser for one wall and he said he would get the bed. We haven't discuessed style or anything but it's fun to think about.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me about all this? Do I have to pack my sheets and blankets with me? LOLZ!

Edited February 24, 2009 by Far2Long

[MrsAmera 41]

Hmmm very interesting!!

If it were me; my list of things I wish I had when I lived in Morocco for 3 months:

1. American bed sheets (2-3 sets) (you know fitted sheet, flat sheet, light blanket, comforter.) I REALLY wished I had American pillows too but those are hard to pack.

2. American spices - think taco seasoning, and the like

3. Clothes hangers

4. Toiletries that I knew and trusted

5. OTC medications - if I were there long term, Advil, Tylenol, cold meds, pepto....

6. Contraceptives - yes you can get them there, however I think I would want to bring them from here (unless you're trying to get pregnant).

7. I really wish I could have brought a washer and dryer and American detergent, because their method of washing is quite brutal on your clothes/sheets etc and hanging them out to bake to dry just scratched me to death. But I don't think you'll have room for a W/D - maybe some powdered detergent and softener??

Pots and pans, dishes etc - nah they're readily available and cheap. I'm going to keep thinking...

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I'll come back if I can think of anything...I just wanted to say...HOW EXCITING!!!!

[caybee 21]

2. American spices - think taco seasoning, and the like

So funny that you mentioned taco seasoning The first time my husband tasted it, he said we needed to take a lot of it back with him for his family.

Setting up house in Egypt sounds like so much fun! Good luck with your preparations.

[Aymsgirl 0]

I totally agree with fitted sheets. I hate the sheets in Egypt...the fabric is great but I never found fitted sheets.

Tampons and baby wipes if you use them....my friend had a hard time finding them there.

I'll visit as I can think of more things.

[Ihavequestions 419]

Room by room:

The bedroom - Built in closets are virtually unheard of in Egypt. Instead, you will likely have an armoire and on one side you will hang your clothes, the other has shelves for folded clothes. Don't bring hangers. You can find them here. Since your husband is buying the bed and you will only be here temporarily, my suggestion is to suck it up and deal with the typical Egyptian mattresses and pillows. Hard? Yes. But, honestly, my back has never felt better. It takes a few nights, but you'll get used to it. If you do decide to do this, don't worry about fitted sheets because they won't fit. If you want a "western" mattress, know it won't come inexpensively. Bedding is cheap (if your husband does the shopping). Oh, and pillows are made out of the same material as mattresses and they stretch across the entire bed.

The kitchen - Unless you really have to have a particular spice that you can only find in America, leave your spices at home. There are plenty of fresh spices available at the local grocery stores and others can be found at stores that sell "western" products (Careffour) - although they're expensive compared to "non-western" spices. Pots, pans, dishes, blenders, etc., etc., etc., are readily available. Two things I wish to have but can't find (hint) are spatulas and a GOOD vegetable peeler (no Ecko peelers to be found).

The bathroom - Bring every single toiletry you think you'll need for the duration of your stay. Sure, there are "western" products (and you'll get those from the local pharmacy), but there's no guarantee they won't be knock off versions. Same thing with make up. Make up is not inexpensive, it's entirely possible it will be fake, and there's no guarantee you will get the colors that work for you. Bring lots of make up, too. The bathroom is likely the place where you will keep your washing machine. Beg and plead with your husband to get you the kind that has a spinner. Waiting for them to drip dry is torture. Clothes dryers are not the norm; they're rare and expensive. You will likely be hanging your clothes outside on a clothes line to dry. Don't worry about ironing because every neighborhood has at least one shop manned with a professional person to iron clothes very inexpensively. This same person is also who you should go to in order to get any stains removed from your clothing. Hanging clothes outside to dry means you will want several towels in your home. Several for each of you.

Instead of going to the expense of buying furniture, would your husband consider renting a furnished flat? Those, by the way, most often come fully furnished, right down to the pots and pans. Geez, that reminds me, if you're partial to butter knives, bring those because I can't find them here.

Since you're in Cairo, I wouldn't worry too much about finding what you need. Think about the things you would want in an American home - dishes, bedding, etc., etc., and then give your husband that list.

I hope this helps.

Oh! One more thing! Don't bring a ton of clothes. Bring money to buy clothes instead. Clothes are super inexpensive here, as are shoes. Seriously, if you stuff your suitcases with clothes and then buy more here (and I can assure you that you will - they're hard to resist), you will have to decide what to keep and what to toss when you go back home.

[Ihavequestions 419]

Tampons and baby wipes if you use them....my friend had a hard time finding them there.

Pharmacies in Cairo do sell tampons. I've never seen them in the pharmacies in Alexandria, just the "western" stores, however they were on display in the windows in Cairo.

Baby wipes are at every pharmacy I've ever stopped at to buy them.

[allousa 1]

I'm in total agreement about the pillows that Hicham's family has. I swear each time that I go over, I'm going to pack my own pillow.

Hicham has made the comment before about the medicines and toiletries not being the same and of lesser made materials.

SO EXCITING!!!!!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Wow these are all great suggestions ppl! Thx!

I'm thinking to bring several months of deodorant and tampons and I can pick up a multi-pack of durex condoms he showed me online once. We're not planning to have kids for three years and we're going to get the contraceptive there. It's $35 a month on my insurance here compared $1 a month there and it's the same brand I normally use. I'm also gonna stock up on suggested medicines and leave most the clothes at home because I'm pretty sure I'll buy lots of clothes appropriate to there although I'm going to miss my shoes. We discussed renting a furnished flat but in the areas we're looking it's cheaper to get our own things. Plus when we leave we'll have furniture to leave in our flat in 6th of October. His Dad built a house there made of various apartment units and one of them is Waleed's but we're not planning to live there while we're there even though I'm fine with it.

One of Waleed's suggestions for our spare bedroom was put mattresses all across the floor or stack them and put a blanket on them Arabian style. That made me smile. I said what a romp room? He said yes spare room for us to play and tumble in! I said sure as long as we can have some chiffon material hanging from the ceiling like his rose colored mosquito net he uses while in the desert silly goose.

This is going to be so much fun!

[Ihavequestions 419]

I'm in total agreement about the pillows that Hicham's family has. I swear each time that I go over, I'm going to pack my own pillow.

Hicham has made the comment before about the medicines and toiletries not being the same and of lesser made materials.

SO EXCITING!!!!!

I wouldn't worry about medicines. She can get everything she needs at any pharmacy in Egypt, just for the asking, no Rx necessary.

Toiletries? Bring toiletries. Lots of them. If not, you will end up with Dove, Doev, and Dovo....

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

So bring body wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving razors, loofahs.

toilet paper. ah yes to wash or paper wipe.

[MrsAmera 41]

I wouldn't waver on the sheets LOL but that's just me. Maybe Egypt is different than Morocco by my queen sheet set fit the bed just fine

TP- you should be able to buy that there no problem.

Rx meds easy to get - OTC meds more difficult and not as good quality.

Towels - great idea - the big size. Any towels I've encountered in Morocco looked like bath mats

Edited February 24, 2009 by MrsAmera

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

i guess a good way to decide is what isn't available there, along with what is available but too heavy/expensive to take.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

I'm a sucker for big plush his and her towels. I was wondering if I should bring mine. Thx!

Edited February 24, 2009 by Far2Long

[Ihavequestions 419]

So bring body wash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving razors, loofahs.

toilet paper. ah yes to wash or paper wipe.

Don't bring a loofah. You can get it here and they're cheap. Yes, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and a lady's razor if you use a razor. I suggest the alternative - let the girl who does your hair and eyebrows (a/k/a "the coiffeur") do your hair removal. They'll come to your home for privacy. Threaded eyebrows should cost no more than 5 LE (less than a buck).

Toilet paper is available here, just know that it's not the soft and gentle kind because, honestly, nobody uses it in the bathroom ... it's used as paper towels instead. Every bathroom has a bidet; buy some paper to dry with - 6 rolls for about 3 LE.