Moving down to US

[KnJ 0]

i'm... measuring everything. so far, 79 ft³

whatever that means

I'm trying to purge. I have 2 smallish boxes of books, and a box-ish of personal things and candles. so far. I'm going to look at what U-Hauls cost, but I also will be moving my cats. I think my dreams of fitting it all into a hatchback (including cats and 2 people) are dashed. Although, anything I don't really want immediately, my parents said they'd drive down at a later time. So technically... it's possible. I moved for 5 months down there and fit everything i brought back into my hatchback. Including cats.

I might be able to do an SUV this time. This seems better than a cargo or cube van, for transporting the animals, and based on what I think I can whittle my possessions down to.

it's sort of.. liberating. B)

[jessiewu 0]

Yeah, I definitely looked into it. A trailer is the best bet for me, since I won't have any furniture etc. to speak of (my wife has her own furniture and that will suffice). I won't have a definitive moving date for awhile (my case is still at the NVC level), but early next year looks likely.

I'm not at all concerned about the drive, actually. I've driven the 2000 kms or so to and from Los Angeles before without incident, and I truly enjoy driving to begin with. I've got a 2007 car with a strong V6 engine, so I expect that it will be up to the task as well.

As for your situation though...I really don't know what to suggest, other than possibly keeping most of your stuff in storage until you get settled in Seattle and can afford to have it shipped after the fact.

You have a good car to start your move! My 4 cylinder engine takes forever to push over the 60km/h point, really noticeable.

We might have to bite the bullet and move it all at once...we talked about it last night and I called Upack again, they say if I can limit my stuff to 5'*8'*9' then it will be $1,496 and $39 for each extra foot in a trailer, but again I will have to do the loading myself, time to call for some favours!!

[jessiewu 0]

Moving Your Belongings

CBP FAQ's - Moving

Thanks Krikit, you are always so helpful! You must know this forum inside out~ after reading the other link in the forum where trailmix got a quote for 5' * 8' *9' for around $800 in 2007 I gave upack another call for the same size...it's about $1,500 now! Crazy comparing to 2007, but still better than the quote I got before. Thanks!

[jessiewu 0]

I'm moving 4000+kms. Haven't decided how though. We're tossing around some ideas. I'm mostly worried about the fact that I have a cat, and that if I move on Dec 30th, we want enough time to get over there and have some time to prep for the wedding if we want it on Jan 10th. I'm lucky enough that my parents might be driving over most of my stuff with me, and the rest could probably fit in carry ons. I dunno though. I often have more than I think I do. I am hoping to not exceed 10-15 medium to large boxes or bins. I'm not taking any furniture.

It all depends on the situation I guess.

4000+km!! Guess mine is not that scary after reading yours and another one that's 500+km Lucky you have your parents to help!! Cats can be scared on a car, my fiance's cat got out the cage once while he is still driving and was running around like crazy!

I definitely under estimated the amount of stuff I have so really try to start packing early. I am packing everything in boxes and pack one suitcase for the clothes I need to wear for the next month before I am flying out so that I have a good idea on the amount of stuff I am moving.

[trailmix 77]

Try this for the cat Feliway.

Edited October 22, 2009 by trailmix

[jessiewu 0]

i'm... measuring everything. so far, 79 ft³

whatever that means

I'm trying to purge. I have 2 smallish boxes of books, and a box-ish of personal things and candles. so far. I'm going to look at what U-Hauls cost, but I also will be moving my cats. I think my dreams of fitting it all into a hatchback (including cats and 2 people) are dashed. Although, anything I don't really want immediately, my parents said they'd drive down at a later time. So technically... it's possible. I moved for 5 months down there and fit everything i brought back into my hatchback. Including cats.

I might be able to do an SUV this time. This seems better than a cargo or cube van, for transporting the animals, and based on what I think I can whittle my possessions down to.

it's sort of.. liberating. B)

So liberating that's turning me green with envy!!!

[Peachey 10]

I'm debating between moving everything at once (renting a uhaul) or moving just what I need and moving everything else in "batches" since we have 10 years. I dont think I'll be needing my Christmas decorations right away LOL.

I need to talk to Varba more about it.

[KnJ 0]

I'm debating between moving everything at once (renting a uhaul) or moving just what I need and moving everything else in "batches" since we have 10 years. I dont think I'll be needing my Christmas decorations right away LOL.

I need to talk to Varba more about it.

Yeah.. I might sort of be doing this, some boxes might stay with parents and when they visit they said they could bring them down (yes, I know theres a form for that )

I think I just want to be as simple as possible, there will be plenty to worry about, like closet space for clothes!

[Sam and Ben 2]

For those of you traveling with your things across the border, how precise are you being with your packing inventories?

[KnJ 0]

For those of you traveling with your things across the border, how precise are you being with your packing inventories?

I'm listing everything. I taped closed my books and CDs without listing each item in them though. Not sure about this. Not sure if I should eliminate any questionable literature from my collection...?

but if it's a box of miscellaneous things, I listed each thing. I've seen some people's lists on here, where they have itemized each thing and the value of the goods.

Death in Venice by Thomas Mann - 0.50

Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky - 1.00

Virtually Normal (an argument for gay marriage) by Andrew Sullivan - 0.50

Notes on Underground by Dostoyevsky - 0.50

History of Sexuality Vol I, II & III - 2.00

....

Ok I have a lot of ** literature.

Edited October 22, 2009 by KnJ

[Sam and Ben 2]

Ack, you valued everything too? Haha, so much for me thinking I was being paranoid by simply listing things...

I have so many books and movies. What did you base the value on, cover price?

[Wyatt's Torch 45]

I'm still a ways away from actually packing up, but my PLAN is to number each box, then have a running list that corresponds to each number. For my many, many book boxes, I'm not planning on getting into specifics. Then again, I only have one of the books on KnJ's list, so I should be fine.

For other boxes, I'll probably itemize them a bit more...but only three or four comments per number / box, I'm sure.

This system should help both the border guards, and ME when I go to start unpacking.

I hadn't thought about valuing though. Hmm...

Edited October 22, 2009 by Wyatt's Torch

[KnJ 0]

Ack, you valued everything too? Haha, so much for me thinking I was being paranoid by simply listing things...

I have so many books and movies. What did you base the value on, cover price?

actually those prices were coming out of my a$$ I didn't list values on my books and CDs

basically, most people over-value what their ####### is worth. I think about what I might pay to buy a book at a used book store or yard sale, and aim halfway between. I duno what the actual rule is. For insurance, what it would cost to replace that item.

And so actually, it's a great way to make choices about what to take. Those plates I have, I paid $25 for the whole shebang at a garage sale, but is heavy and unweildy? Nope, not coming with. The big heavy rock I picked up in Thunder Bay with beautiful amethyst all over it? Yup, coming with.

*shrug*

So yeah. The valuing, I'm not sure about. My strategy is this: I will list every single thing that is going in a box if the box has assorted items in it. I am being very descriptive. That way, I won't have to unpack if later on/last minute I figure out I have to value everything. I think valuing everything isn't necessary, but I could be wrong. But repacking just to re-do the inventory would be horrible.

But listing each tshirt in the box, with a description and value... is getting into OCD-land. And I know from second-hand experience, it's not fun.

[KnJ 0]

eta - i have a whole box of stuff that's yoga related -- oooh which reminds me. I saw a thing on that CBP faq about US Resident bringing back professional goods/tools of trade.

I'm a yoga teacher and someone donated 10 mats to me to run classes for charity. I have them in my possession, and want to bring them. Would I have a problem? Some of them are really new. They're unwrapped, but not unrolled... Yeep. I would feel bad selling them and making money off a gift.

[Sam and Ben 2]

Hm... I'll have to get a bit more specific, then. Mine is looking along the lines of:

PACKING INVENTORY

Container #--------Item---------------------------------Quantity-----------Serial Number

-------#-------------Acer Aspire 6920-6428 Laptop--------1----------------#####

-------#-------------Curtis Portable DVD Player------------1---------------#####

But I was only getting that specific with electronics... things I thought they might cause a fuss over. I was just going to lump my movies/books into medium-sized tote containers and label the outside to correspond with my inventory list. (Of course, as per my fiance's request, I have to do my book containers with half books/half clothes, to make life easier on him, haha. I do have a LOT of hard covers.)

I suppose it is a good idea to label each item in there, though, making them less likely to open the containers. I was hoping to not list each cable/computer accessory I had, as THAT may raise a few eyebrows... ah well.