How I moved all my crap.

I don't know if this will help anyone else, but here is what we did:

When I first moved to the UK we didn't bring anything "large" like furniture.  We brought books and pans and pictures and clothes and more books and.... well, you get the idea.  It was WAY more than we could have brought on the plane.  We looked into hiring a moving company and we were looking at about $2000.  


What we decided to do instead, is we packed up the non-essentials into extra suitcases we had.  We brought with us the necessaries -- like clothes and computers.

Then we would PAY for a friend's plane ticket to come visit us.  For instance -- I would pay for my friend Anna's ticket (say, $400) then she and her husband only had to pay for his ticket.  The only requirement is they had to go to my parents house and bring over at least one of the suitcases!  We got all out crap moved AND got to see some great friends along the way.  The only catch is that the stuff that they bring has to be stuff you want, but don't NEED -- cause if you think about it, you're not going to have friends over till you have and you're in an apartment and settled... so it could be a while.

Hope that helps someone else!!  

Good luck with your move,
Lisa

Shhhhh!  I've been doing that for years only I've never paid for anyone's ticket-just waited til mom or someone came over and then asked them to bring some of the many things that we left behind.
Anyway, welcome to the forum.  Keep posting-there's an introduce yourself board you might like to post in.  

Great idea Collington...  but as with 12 years...think I will just ask when someone is coming to bring something to me if there is anything left over...

My plan is to start shipping some boxes now with personal items I really wish to keep...  I have opted to sell all furnishings, dishes, pans, and antiques...  One big moving sale...  as well as a whole lot of donating...  I have also been on a health kick and so far have lost 55lbs...  I hardly have any clothes left now...so by the time I come, there will be plenty room in my suitcases for some cherished items.

It has taken a lot of thought for me to decide on the possesions I have...mostly family antiques etc...  and finally I came to the conclusion that what is most important to me is to start my new life with Tom...  and instead of spending a fortune that we do not have on shipping antiques that would most likely get broken or damaged...  let someone else here enjoy them and I will do as my wish is...  To start a new...  

We're boxing up and mailing stuff as well.  It's kind of expensive, but much less so than using a moving company.  Going to leave other stuff boxed up and ready with my mother so she can send it bit by bit.

Sounds all a bit like Radar in MASH sending a jeep home in pieces through the mail..............LOL

How did that happen...........I didnt touch anything honestly

It's okay djd, it happens occasionally. I removed the duplicates, be it a bit late.

Great idea though Lisa, wish I'd thought of that, though it's not too late as my possessions are still in storage.

.... We looked into hiring a moving company and we were looking at about $2000.  

What we decided to do instead, is we packed up the non-essentials into extra suitcases we had.  We brought with us the necessaries -- like clothes and computers.

Then we would PAY for a friend's plane ticket to come visit us.  For instance -- I would pay for my friend Anna's ticket (say, $400) ....

Surely that can't be right?  That way you have paid $2,000 for 5 (or 10?) suitcases full, and had five visits from friends.  Whereas you could have had *everything* shipped for the same amount.

We shipped a small house full of stuff (three beds, two armoires, a dining table and 6 chairs, etc) to the US, almost a 20' container full, and paid only around $3,000 (+ins).  

Maybe the figures looked bad because you only had a relatively small amount of stuff to ship?