How much did you bring with you?

[vanee 13]

People who live on other continents have to give up a lot more than we do as Canadians to join our SO in the US. We have the option of shipping just about everything we own across the border.

How much of your personal belongings did you bring to the US? Or are you planning to bring? Why did you choose to bring them instead of buying other ones in the US? If your SO already had/has a fully furnished house or apartment, did you (or will you) still bring things from home that you don't need but want to have with you?

I'm at the beginning of this process, but I'm thinking about what to bring with me. I want to bring almost everything except for the living room furniture and the bed, but it would probably cost too much. I'm wondering how other people decided what to bring.

[no one 0]

2 checked luggage, 2 carry-on bags

When my family came for my wedding, they brought a few more bags of my stuff with them -- mostly photo albums, CDs, and winter clothes (I'd arrived in the fall and didn't need too much warm clothes then).

I used to teach high school, so when I get to visit Canada again, I'll probably be lugging my teaching resources and books with me. They were too heavy to bring with me, and I'm not going to pay to have them shipped here when I can't even work for pay!

In a way, I'm lucky because I don't have many possessions as a recent university grad.

[Flames9_RN 358]

loade dupthwe Uhaul and brought it all. I threw out/donnated a lot, was a good time to get rid of excess #######!!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Sold or donated most of the big furniture and dishes; brought a few small occasional tables or pieces that had significance or use (ie drafting table, etc.) then went through and culled my books - still had lots of boxes of books though; did the same for bedding, towels, linens, blankets, clothing, etc. Donated virtually all of my winter clothing to Goodwill (had a really nice charitable tax deduction for that year!). Had several garage sales; Threw out lots of old financial and business files and documents (everything more than 5 years old - took a gamble as it is supposed to be 7 years) but still had lots. Put the rest into plastic storage tubs (ie. craft materials, art supplies,re-enactment clothing - most of what would be difficult or more expensive to replace). Joe already had a house with minimal items - he had most of the furniture, everyday dishes, and about an equal number of books but I had everything else so we combined resources. We used professional movers - took 1/3rd of a moving van. The books were the biggest weight and cost but it was well worth the expense having my things here - felt more like home.

[Carlawarla 1]

Hi,

I'm leaving on Sunday, and getting rid of the last few items I have to get rid of. My SO has been a bachelor and owns his own house. There is nothing I need to bring. I've given away almost all of my belongings to my kids (ages 23 and 20). They are putting them to good use! I'll only be bringing my suitcases on Sunday. I have 2 boxes to be sent after I'm down there and send the paperwork back to Canada. All the things in the boxes are memorabilia, keepsakes, and legal documents.

It was an excellent time to get rid of #######!

Carla

[Marilyn. 340]

I had one big suitcase and one smaller suitcase filled with clothes and stuff and two carry on bags of stuff...

I had another box or two of stuff, I left behind but my mom shipped some of it over and the rest I picked up the last time I was there.....

I didn't really keep anything that was replaceable.. like dishes, furniture etc...

Edited January 17, 2007 by MarilynP

[KiminON 0]

i brought 2 bikes, 2 dogs, my computer, photo albums, necessary paperwork and all clothing that i could stuff in the rest of the space in the back of my car which wasn't much at all! i'm going to ship my last 2 bikes (gave one away ) and bring some more clothes when i fly back. trying to get my sister to drive down for a visit this summer so she can bring down the rest including my dresser that my grandma gave me. i figure if grandma got it to NA from the former Yugoslavia i could make the effort to bring it another 2200kms south.

[raymaga 25]

My husband told me that I needed to have some of my things in our home so that I felt like it was "our" home and not just his. I took everything that we could use and a whole lot of sentimental things. We packed up a U-Haul truck and drove it across the border into the U.S.

The rest I packed up for my adult sons who were going to have to move out on their own after I left Canada. And, some of it I gave to charity.

Edited January 17, 2007 by raymaga

[J&K 0]

I'm busy sorting and packing the things that I want to bring with me when I cross the border in a few weeks.

I'm lucky that I still live at home with my parents and they are letting me keep a lot of the things that I don't really need right now here.

John and I were going to rent a UHaul trailer and fill that and his pick up truck, but I figure, since we won't have a lot of room at his apartment for the time being, we'll just pack his truck, and when we come back up after getting my greencard, get some more things that we made need, like some of the furniture I have.

I'm just hoping that we can fit everything in his truck

[jg_am 0]

My fiancee is bringing everything with her. Fortunately she still lives at home and doesn't have a lot. That is, we don't need to make decisions on things. She moved in May from Coutts, AB to Bala, ON and got rid of a lot of things then. And most of her stuff is packed. We'll be renting a truck (in 28 days!!!) and loading that up. Whatever is hidden in the back of her family's storage unit will be making its way with them when they come down two weeks later for the wedding. Actually, her bed is staying behind until we have a house.

[Flames9_RN 358]

My fiancee is bringing everything with her. Fortunately she still lives at home and doesn't have a lot. That is, we don't need to make decisions on things. She moved in May from Coutts, AB to Bala, ON and got rid of a lot of things then. And most of her stuff is packed. We'll be renting a truck (in 28 days!!!) and loading that up. Whatever is hidden in the back of her family's storage unit will be making its way with them when they come down two weeks later for the wedding. Actually, her bed is staying behind until we have a house.

If ur renting from Uhaul, ensure u book early, as not all their trucks can cross the border. Best of luck.

[Cassie 8]

On the plane: 2 extremely full suitcases (and 2 more that my parents brought with them a couple days later), bascially clothing.

On the moving van that came about a year later (long story): a couple pieces of special furniture, books, decorative items, personal papers/momentos, kitchen items (that were new or not a duplicate of what Jerry already had, and lots of miscellaneous bits. I had a huge yard sale a couple months before I left and sold the rest of my furniture that I wanted to part with.

After the moving van came to Tulsa, we went through things and replaced any kitchen stuff, etc. and had another huge yard sale.

[jg_am 0]

We'll be renting a truck (in 28 days!!!) and loading that up.

If ur renting from Uhaul, ensure u book early, as not all their trucks can cross the border. Best of luck.

Thanks flames9. I'm actually flying to Buffalo and renting a truck from Budget and then driving up to Bala before headed back south to Philly. The nice thing about Budget was that it was cheaper and they give you unlimited milage, unlike uhaul, who barely gives you enough miles to go from point to point.

[Flames9_RN 358]

If ur driving from Canada, Uhaul is pretty much ur only option truck rental wise. lots of horrow stories, lol Al went wel for me, would have prefered another company. Never deal with uhaul on local moves, even if they are cheaper, just find to omany hassles with them.

[vanee 13]

Did anyone hire a moving company to move your belongings? If so, how much did it cost, and do you recommend or not recommend any moving companies? I'll be moving from the West Coast of Canada to the US Midwest, and that's way too far for me to drive.

You all sound way better at cutting down on what to bring than I'll be.