The oddest thing you've ever had to bring back with you...

What odd food or product or object have you decided you just can't live without from the US?

I just got back from a trip home and was thinking how weird customs would have thought me should they have searched my bags...

This trip, I finally gave up and brought back a dish drainer from Target! When I first moved to the UK almost 5 years ago, I was able to buy a large dish drainer with the high sides I like at Asda. When we wanted to replace it a while ago, all I could find (and still find) were ones with very shallow or no sides at all. Unless I wanted to spend over £30 on some of the nice stainless steel ones from Lakeland or whatever.

So I bought my $6 one from Target, packed my clothes in and around it, and now I'm VERY happy!

What odd things have I not brought back is more like it!!!  Hmmm trying to remember.  This time I brought back tons of low-carb snacks, coffee pods, photo album, salad dressing and egg slicer (Yes, I know!) I know there is tons more!  Last year I packed up all of my shower gifts in one suitcase!  I registered for small things on purpose!  I still have not been able to bring back a beautiful glass pitcher my friend got me!  I have to figure out how to bring it this time!  maybe that will be my carry-on.

Well, speaking of carry-on, on this recent trip we also brought back an 8x5 throw rug (also from Target). Hey, it was $40 - you can't get the likes here!! In the same bag were 2 framed pics my friend gave us well over a year ago.

I'm bummed though because I forgot to buy Fig Newmans this time and no idea when I'll get someone to send me some!!

My ex.

When I go back in September, I'll be bringing home shower curtain liners. I can't find those flimsy, clear plastic cheapie ones here.

Well, speaking of carry-on, on this recent trip we also brought back an 8x5 throw rug (also from Target). Hey, it was $40 - you can't get the likes here!! In the same bag were 2 framed pics my friend gave us well over a year ago.

I'm bummed though because I forgot to buy Fig Newmans this time and no idea when I'll get someone to send me some!!

Where do they sell them?  I'll get them in June/July

Cotton Balls. LOL. I've resigned myself to UK brands now and Boots do some that actually are fine, but for the first year I always brought Target double size pure cotton ones.

At this point as far as previously owned stuff, I'm down to the non-packables - I've brought back pretty much all of the little stuff. I've got a fab. collection of framed Fillmore concert posters (which prob. doesn't mean anything to anyone not from San Francisco) that I'm bringing back one per suitcase each time - sandwiched in between clothes and stuff they're pretty safe.

Oh, and salad dressing. I'm obsessed with Brianna's Poppy Seed dressing which they used to have at Waitrose but for some annoying reason that flavour was discontinued. They have it at Herrods, but I'm not willing to pay that price for it.....

Everyone who visits us knows they're not allowed in the door without a pound of coffee either from Peet's or the Santa Cruz Roasting Company. 

Popcorn salt. But I swear it wasn't for us, it's for a friend who likes to get wierd things brought back for him.

Other things were stuff that I simply wanted at my home. For example, a beautiful marble statue that Jon had bought me for our first Christmas together. It was simply too heavy for me to bring with me the first time so I made sure I brought it back when I visited in February.

Oh, and I had to bring back huge bags of Tootsie Rolls and Goldfish crackers although you can get Goldfish at Harvey Nichols.

a shoebox full of My Mom's Christmas cookes..  liquor from Mexico.. Marlboro cigarettes.. wedding  and shower gifts as well.. Playtex tampons  (wasn't sure how long it would take me to find them.. )  Wedgewood  china coffee pot to match my wedding set..   hhmm..tons of stuff..  this post is making me nostalgic..  :\\\'(

I brought back two quilts - one for my bf and one for me.  And an ice cream scoop - didn't see the purpose in buying one while I was here as I don't eat much ice cream...but had room to put it in the bag.
A TON of bandaid brand bandaids.  I just love them so!

Target is like, the most wonderful shop, ever.

I too have brought back an egg slicer. And one of those potscrubbers, you know, it has bristles and you can put soap in the lid, it fits in the palm of your hand. I bought my whole bathroom set at Target this year, a nice curtain, matching rug and cup and soap dishes. Have to say it looks class and was far cheaper than anything I'd find here but good quality. Also got a bath pillow from LinensNThings that was on sale for $1, a terrycloth fish with suction cups on the back, haven't seen any bath pillows here (surprising given the bath culture) and it's nice.

Target is great for sets of sheets too, I brought back a number of fitted king sheets that were on clearance for $10, 300 count. And found a chair slipcover that was marked down from $70 to $4. I got some some silk plants from a wholesaler that was going out of business, so they were like dirt cheap, and I think that was kind of weird to pack but they look pretty good in my sitting room now.

And then loads of baby stuff, I suppose the weirdest thing was a canvas nursery cart that you assemble yourself. Kept it in the box and just put it up this week. It was inexpensive and I haven't seen anything like it here. Am regretting not picking up the rocking moses basket stand that was also on clearance and matched my bedroom furniture.

I don't shop much over here, money is tight; so my trips home, because of the low prices and the exchange rate, are when I get to splurge on the house, or get new clothes.

Foodwise, I brought back some mustards that was probably odd to do, but I like the sweet hot mustard and honey mustard that I have never seen here. My hot sauces that come in 32oz bottles are probably weird, too, but I love that stuff. A little tiny bottle of a hot sauce that is similar sells for £5 in the import shop and as I know it costs 79cents in the states, I just can't do it.

Other weird stuff - a bed for my cat and those bumpy grooming gloves. But see all this stuff isn't weird, you just can't find it here or don't want to pay through the nose for it!

On plastic shower liners, you can find them in Poundstretcher.

Ziploc bags 

in every size imagineable

A folksy little 'welcome friends' plaque, curtains, silk flowers, that kind of stuff- oh, and a new Bundt pan!

Balmorhan- My mother is coming the 7th of June and asked me if I wanted her to bring anything. Given I am trying to unload the last bits of my american stash (or cooking it up) since we hope to be moving in a few months........her suitcase has a bit of room if ya want any Fig Newtons!!!! That goes for anyone else that 'needs' anything that can be found on the west coast (Las Vegas)...

Give me a shout!

PS- Hmmmm. I am jonesing for some double stuff oreos tho

I brought back  drive shafts for my Grand Cherokee. I put them in suitcases with my clothes. The people who x-rayed my bags were only slightly curious

jc

PS- Hmmmm. I am jonesing for some double stuff oreos tho

I had asked a friend once to bring some for me.  She brought those and 7 other different favour packs!  Her suitcase was so much lighter when she left!