How Did You Move Your Stuff?

[Fandango 1,439]

better than with Adolph Hitler and Carmen Electra!

I have never run into anyone with the same actual birthday...and tbh, I don't know why seeing one here excited me so much...given the statistical chances of all the people in the world and only 365 days to choose from, lol.

So it's just you, me, Hitler, Carmen and TheZilla.

OMG YOU TOO?!?!

hah, I'm so easily freaked out

[mmb 0]

Since you say he is shipping books it might be worth looking for a company that charges by volume rather than weight.

[TheZilla 0]

Whoa, 04/20/78 ey? That is weird! I've gotten the Hitler connection so many times I can't count. People card me and it's like "Do you know you have the same birthday as Hitler?", then they look at me as if that automatically makes me a Nazi. I'm like "DUDE! It's just a coincidence!", hehe.

[TheZilla 0]

Since you say he is shipping books it might be worth looking for a company that charges by volume rather than weight.

Yes, so far we're sticking with companies that ship by volume. I checked IKEA online to see how much it would be to get the desk shipped here from the closest store, and the IKEA shipping/handling is more than the desk itself! I've gotta call them to see if they're joking, but if they're not it's almost $300. Might be more cost effective to ship it after all. Freakin' IKEA. They've been talking about bringing a store to Tampa for ages now but they're not doing it.

[Otto 83]

better than with Adolph Hitler and Carmen Electra!

I have never run into anyone with the same actual birthday...and tbh, I don't know why seeing one here excited me so much...given the statistical chances of all the people in the world and only 365 days to choose from, lol.

So it's just you, me, Hitler, Carmen and TheZilla.

OMG YOU TOO?!?!

hah, I'm so easily freaked out

In probability theory, the birthday paradox states that given a group of 23 (or more) randomly chosen people, the probability is pretty good that at least two of them will have the same birthday.

For 60 or more people, the probability is greater than 99%, although it cannot actually be 100% unless there are at least 366 people.

And Now!

[featherB 1]

That (minus the part about the cats... I don't have any cats... yet! ) is exactly what I will be doing. I never intended to take much, and was thinking maybe I'd ship a couple of boxes of stuff... but looking at the prices, even though you can get some quite good rates, it really wouldn't be worth it for most of the things I'd be taking over. And when I look at something and think 'hmm, shipping this to the States would cost me X amount... whereas I could just sell it on eBay and earn Y amount...', that makes up my mind for me! My fiance is going to be over next week, and will take a few things back for me... then I'll just take a couple of cases of stuff. The more I look around my house, the more I think 'don't need that... don't need that... don't need that' - I will be travelling very light indeed (and am really looking forward to the enforced de-cluttering of my life!), and my anything of the personal/sentimental kind that I don't 'need' as such, and don't really want to take with me, but equally don't want to get rid of, will be going to live in my mum's attic. Because that's what mums' attics are for!

I think the only thing I'll actually feel a pang of regret about having to sell/not being able to take, is my bed. I love my bed! But (obviously) he already has one of those (bah... mine's better), and it would cost a fortune to ship. I have a friend who would love to take it off my hands, though... maybe we can arrange visitation rights or something...

Oops, sorry about the irrelevant ramble - just wanted to say, I agree with Britty... especially about the IKEA desk - unless the desk is of extreme sentimental value (?), there are probably better alternatives to spending several times what it's worth on shipping it over!

I dont mean to be rude but I doubt his ikea desk is worth the £580 it costs to ship !! When I came to the US from London, I went through all my paperwork and only kept what was absolutely necessary (one shoe box). I sold a lot of my clothes and personal belongings on ebay before I left, and then managed to sell all my furniture from my London home too. In the end, I came here with two large cases and also shipped my cats (each had a luxury large crate with a bed, food and water, and basically travelled pet business class whilst I was cramped in cattle class!). Any really personal items I kept or left with my mum to hold onto. I realise some people need and want to ship their belongings here, but if you dont have to, its really nice making a fresh new start without all the baggage!!

[no name 1]

That (minus the part about the cats... I don't have any cats... yet! ) is exactly what I will be doing. I never intended to take much, and was thinking maybe I'd ship a couple of boxes of stuff... but looking at the prices, even though you can get some quite good rates, it really wouldn't be worth it for most of the things I'd be taking over. And when I look at something and think 'hmm, shipping this to the States would cost me X amount... whereas I could just sell it on eBay and earn Y amount...', that makes up my mind for me! My fiance is going to be over next week, and will take a few things back for me... then I'll just take a couple of cases of stuff. The more I look around my house, the more I think 'don't need that... don't need that... don't need that' - I will be travelling very light indeed (and am really looking forward to the enforced de-cluttering of my life!), and my anything of the personal/sentimental kind that I don't 'need' as such, and don't really want to take with me, but equally don't want to get rid of, will be going to live in my mum's attic. Because that's what mums' attics are for!

I think the only thing I'll actually feel a pang of regret about having to sell/not being able to take, is my bed. I love my bed! But (obviously) he already has one of those (bah... mine's better), and it would cost a fortune to ship. I have a friend who would love to take it off my hands, though... maybe we can arrange visitation rights or something...

Feather - I can let you know who J used to ship to Cincy, it's wasn't too bad. But he wouldn't use excessbaggage.com like I asked!

[Mags 112]

Unfortunately, I had quite a bit of stuff to ship over that I couldn't leave behind. My parents moved to Malta over 5 years ago and left me all the family stuff...like photographs (40 years worth!) and stuff that has been in the family for years. I couldn't junk it...so I shipped it.

I don't regret it.

[featherB 1]

I'm confused... I could swear there's about 3 posts above my last one that weren't there when I posted it... weird.

That (minus the part about the cats... I don't have any cats... yet! ) is exactly what I will be doing. I never intended to take much, and was thinking maybe I'd ship a couple of boxes of stuff... but looking at the prices, even though you can get some quite good rates, it really wouldn't be worth it for most of the things I'd be taking over. And when I look at something and think 'hmm, shipping this to the States would cost me X amount... whereas I could just sell it on eBay and earn Y amount...', that makes up my mind for me! My fiance is going to be over next week, and will take a few things back for me... then I'll just take a couple of cases of stuff. The more I look around my house, the more I think 'don't need that... don't need that... don't need that' - I will be travelling very light indeed (and am really looking forward to the enforced de-cluttering of my life!), and my anything of the personal/sentimental kind that I don't 'need' as such, and don't really want to take with me, but equally don't want to get rid of, will be going to live in my mum's attic. Because that's what mums' attics are for!

I think the only thing I'll actually feel a pang of regret about having to sell/not being able to take, is my bed. I love my bed! But (obviously) he already has one of those (bah... mine's better), and it would cost a fortune to ship. I have a friend who would love to take it off my hands, though... maybe we can arrange visitation rights or something...

Feather - I can let you know who J used to ship to Cincy, it's wasn't too bad. But he wouldn't use excessbaggage.com like I asked!

excessbaggage.com sound great - I have them bookmarked just in case I do decide I need to ship a few boxes of stuff! But if the shippers J used might be worth a look.... that would be great, please!

[no name 1]

excessbaggage.com sound great - I have them bookmarked just in case I do decide I need to ship a few boxes of stuff! But if the shippers J used might be worth a look.... that would be great, please!

Feather- J used Atlantic International.

[featherB 1]

excessbaggage.com sound great - I have them bookmarked just in case I do decide I need to ship a few boxes of stuff! But if the shippers J used might be worth a look.... that would be great, please!

Feather- J used Atlantic International.

Oops, forgot to say... thank you! Am currently wavering between 'taking just what I can fit in two cases' (and the Boy's case when he goes back on March 4th - naturally I will be making him take a load of dresses, girl-shoes and the like, just to entertain the airport security check people in the event they ask to look in his case ) and 'ahhh, why don't I take a few boxes of stuff I really don't need but might conceivably miss (plus large quantities of teabags & Marmite)?'... hmm. Decisions, decisions.

[jlivings99 0]

We are in the process of moving my husband's stuff. 17 items, mostly boxes, were sent using a removal firm and should be coming off the container ship any day now ... can't yet comment on how that process will end up ... see if we get everything back.

However, we have taken advantage of every luggage allowance. I brought in a checked bag of his stuff in early January (along with my 1 bag). When he came a couple of weeks ago, his 2nd bag was most of his suits, dress shirts & ties (had finished up work). I will be back over in a week and will bring over 2 bags with less than 1 bag worth of my stuff for a week's stay so I can fill them up and bring them back.

[heishe 2]

I share a birthday with Liza Minelli, James Taylor, and Ron Jeremy. Among others. Anyway, yay shipping! Pigu's going to bring everything on the plane with him. Two suitcases and a carry-on. That's all!

Edit: OMG I just posted and saw my tickertag, it says six days now. SIX DAYS!!! O M G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111111111111111111 /runs around in circles

Edited February 21, 2007 by heishe

[britty 1]

excessbaggage.com sound great - I have them bookmarked just in case I do decide I need to ship a few boxes of stuff! But if the shippers J used might be worth a look.... that would be great, please!

Feather- J used Atlantic International.

Oops, forgot to say... thank you! Am currently wavering between 'taking just what I can fit in two cases' (and the Boy's case when he goes back on March 4th - naturally I will be making him take a load of dresses, girl-shoes and the like, just to entertain the airport security check people in the event they ask to look in his case ) and 'ahhh, why don't I take a few boxes of stuff I really don't need but might conceivably miss (plus large quantities of teabags & Marmite)?'... hmm. Decisions, decisions.

The best thing about taking just two cases is that you can buy yourself the nicest two cases you can find ! I went to Selfridges in London and bought two designer ones (blue with large white flowers - lets face it you want to recognise it coming off the luggage belt, and it has four wheels so even though the cases were heavy, there was no stress on my part wheeling them around). I have not missed any of the things I didnt take (well apart from my bed!). I did love that bed - solid wood and huge. My mum is currently fostering it at her home so I still get to use it when I go back !

The irony is that I had lots of gorgeous furniture back in London and we are now moving to a lovely new house next month where it would have looked fantastic (my house in london was the size of a large postage stamp so Lord only knows how I fit everything in). I will just buy new things - thats what it comes down to. Personal possessions are more difficult but I dont think I have met anyone yet who classed their sofa as a personal possession, so travel light and know that everything will be replaced in time.

[Mags 112]

Just a word of warning to people looking to ship stuff over. excessbaggage doesn't allow most foodstuffs for shipping. In fact, they might not allow any. So double check before you book them.

I didn't ship any food or consumables myself, so didn't pay much attention. But I do remember reading something...somewhere.