What to buy in the US before I move?

Beware that if you have an amazon.co.uk gift list for your wedding, your American friends and family may try and buy you amazonc.om gift cards. We've been unable to redeem our gift cards here in the UK and now we have to figure out what to buy next time in America that is packable in suitcases.  It's not just a few dollars, either ,but a fair bit to spend. I'm wanting to buy home brewing stuff, but it won't fit in suitcases too easy. 

I too am glad that I shipped a bunch of stuff like kitchenware and dishes and whatnot, 8+ years ago, plus all my musical instruments. However, I've got a large record album collection sitting at my parents house and I'm wondering how to get that here now!!

What do you mean by weird place settings?

I wanted what I grew up with and considered normal.  1 knife, 2 spoons, 2 forks.  That didn't appear to be the normal in the UK.  For example, Denby, does 1 knife, 1 fork, 2 spoons on each place setting.

British Denby:
www.denby.co.uk/complementary/cutlery/icat/cutlery

American Bloomingdales:
www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/home/all-dining-entertaining/Flatware_type_ea,Productsperpage/Stainless,180?id=1005468

ETA: Actually in looking at those, I correct my previous comment, as much as I dislike the quality of our Crate & Barrel cutlery I still can't get my head around the only having 1 fork so I'd still buy American cutlery sets.  I can't say how many stores I dragged husband around saying "but I'm sure there should be 2 forks.  I'm positive we have 2 in the US."

ETA: Actually in looking at those, I correct my previous comment, as much as I dislike the quality of our Crate & Barrel cutlery I still can't get my head around the only having 1 fork so I'd still buy American cutlery sets.  I can't say how many stores I dragged husband around saying "but I'm sure there should be 2 forks.  I'm positive we have 2 in the US."

Yeah, Salad fork and a Dinner fork... Edit: My parents set is one of those deluxe ones where you get 6 pieces of cutlery per place setting.

There are a lot of sets that only have 1 knife, 1 Fork, 1 spoon. Others have 1 knife, 1 fork and two spoons (soup and tea spoon), and then there's the deluxe sets that have 1 knife, 2 forks and 2 spoons. They're a lot more expensive though.

Truth be told, I kind of hate the shorter forks. haha. I always preferred how in most non-fine dining restaurants when you get two forks they are the exact same.

Yeah, Salad fork and a Dinner fork... But not in all sets. There are a lot of sets that only have 1 knife, 1 Fork, 1 spoon. Others have 1 knife, 1 fork and two spoons (soup and tea spoon), and then there's the deluxe sets that have 1 knife, 2 forks and 2 spoons. They're a lot more expensive though.

Truth be told, I kind of hate the shorter forks and in most non-fine dining restaurants when you get two forks they are the exact same.

I found the common, nationwide department and major chains in the UK to have 1 knife, 1 fork, 2 spoons and in the US to have 1 knife, 2 forks, 2 spoons.  I need that extra fork.  Some here have mentioned ring holders, picture frames, and bedding.  For me it was the fork.  Seriously.  It was, and apparently remains, a real sticking point for me.  I grew up with 5 pieces of cutlery on the dinning table and I couldn't wrap my head around only getting 4 just because I moved.  It was one of the first things I noticed when registering so our US registry had cutlery on it while the UK one had dinnerware.  Like you, my husband couldn't see the big deal.  I struggled to find anything at all and while I'm sure there are cutlery sets like what I was used to in the UK, I couldn't find them at all when we looked 10 years ago and I wanted what I was used to.  So I bought American.  Perhaps they're more common now, but a quick search of Argos, Debenhams, John Lewis, and Denby didn't bring up any.  Robert Welch has some so if we need to replace ours we may well shop there!

I found the common, nationwide department and major chains in the UK to have 1 knife, 1 fork, 2 spoons and in the US to have 1 knife, 2 forks, 2 spoons.  I need that extra fork.  Some here have mentioned ring holders, picture frames, and bedding.  For me it was the fork.  Seriously.  It was, and apparently remains, a real sticking point for me.  I grew up with 5 pieces of cutlery on the dinning table and I couldn't wrap my around only getting 4 just because I moved.  It was one of the first things I noticed when registering so our US registry had cutlery on it while the UK one had dinnerware.  Like you, my husband couldn't see the big deal.  I struggled to find anything at all and while I'm sure there are cutlery sets like what I was used to in the UK, I couldn't find them at all when we looked 10 years ago and I wanted what I was used to.  So I bought American.  Perhaps they're more common now, but a quick search of Argos, Debenhams, John Lewis, and Denby didn't bring up any.  Robert Welch has some so if we need to replace ours we may well shop there!

I think my cutlery has a second fork available but it doesn't automatically come in the sets. It's from John Lewis, bought about a year ago and they still have the pattern. The sets I got came like you said--2 spoons. Tea and regular  I have considered getting the extra forks since I always had 2 sizes of them growing up and always preferred the smaller salad ones for all purposes. However money and storage space took priority and I've just got used to the one size.

Edit: My parents set is one of those deluxe ones where you get 6 pieces of cutlery per place setting.

This is what my husband said at the time.  He says, technically it was correct that if you have 2 forks, you should have 2 knives.  And I was fine with that as well.  But we still struggled to find something reasonable.  It's just a slight difference in what each country determines to be a "place setting" but it feels important to me.  I do mostly eat with the little spoons and forks out of rice bowls

Yeah, Salad fork and a Dinner fork... Edit: My parents set is one of those deluxe ones where you get 6 pieces of cutlery per place setting.

There are a lot of sets that only have 1 knife, 1 Fork, 1 spoon. Others have 1 knife, 1 fork and two spoons (soup and tea spoon), and then there's the deluxe sets that have 1 knife, 2 forks and 2 spoons. They're a lot more expensive though.

Truth be told, I kind of hate the shorter forks. haha. I always preferred how in most non-fine dining restaurants when you get two forks they are the exact same.

Haha. I love the short forks! I've got very small hands, basically child sized, so the small ones always suited me better. I will still only use those when I'm at my parents' house.

I can't say how many stores I dragged husband around saying "but I'm sure there should be 2 forks.  I'm positive we have 2 in the US."

LOL - I'm sure that was about as riveting to your husband as my thread count informational discussion was to mine.  I thought it was informational anyway, I think he suffered injury due to excessive eye rolling. 

I personally think thread count is a very important topic in a relationship, but I've been on a hunt for quality flannel sheets since they are used practically year round in our home.  Evidently it's weight that's important for flannel quality, so I'm returning home a week from tomorrow with a lovely, but bulky and heavy set of flannel sheets from Bed Bath and Beyond.  God, I miss BB&B!

Now... don't get me started on my quest to get Trader Joe's to open a store in Northeast England!   Just call me Woman of LaMancha....

God, I miss BB&B!

In the 4 years we were back in the US, my wife hadn't gone into a BB&B until the last year. Being a caveman I of course knew nothing about where to get things. Before I was married I just went to a cheap store and bought cheap "stuff". She wishes she had gone in when we first got there. We rarely sit down to "proper" dinners, so the correct types of silverware isn't very important.....although I do find it interesting when people move to another country and want things like there were back home. I've always just rolled with the punches when living in another country.

I do find it interesting when people move to another country and want things like there were back home.

True. But you know sometimes you miss things...and I know you are a golfer....I miss goofy golf. The last time we were back visiting family for a funeral...after sitting around for a day or so....beginning to argue over That Peanut Farmer (Jimmy Carter), somebody found a coupon for goofy golf in the phone book...and off we went.

I can't drive worth a darn, but I can ricochet a golf ball off a pirate ship into a gorilla's mouth.

True. But you know sometimes you miss things...and I know you are a golfer....I miss goofy golf. The last time we were back visiting family for a funeral...after sitting around for a day or so....beginning to argue over That Peanut Farmer (Jimmy Carter), somebody found a coupon for goofy golf in the phone book...and off we went.

I can't drive worth a darn, but I can ricochet a golf ball off a pirate ship into a gorilla's mouth.

I was hoping when I typed that comment that it wouldn't upset somebody. I DO find it interesting what bothers people, and have connected that into why some people have trouble living in other places. The things that bother me are pretty few.....and not having them is no big deal since I have lived over half my life out of the US. But damn......hard to find decent cheap chocolate ice cream, large bottles of picante sauce (actually....ANY picante sauce. I may have to try and make my own), large bottles of Tabasco (I practically drink the stuff)........and that's about it.

True. But you know sometimes you miss things...and I know you are a golfer....I miss goofy golf. The last time we were back visiting family for a funeral...after sitting around for a day or so....beginning to argue over That Peanut Farmer (Jimmy Carter), somebody found a coupon for goofy golf in the phone book...and off we went.

I can't drive worth a darn, but I can ricochet a golf ball off a pirate ship into a gorilla's mouth.

That exists here, although maybe not on the same scale! I know it as crazy golf.

That exists here, although maybe not on the same scale! I know it as crazy golf.

I never knew that! Thanks!

The things that bother me are pretty few.....and not having them is no big deal since I have lived over half my life out of the US. But damn......hard to find decent cheap chocolate ice cream, large bottles of picante sauce (actually....ANY picante sauce. I may have to try and make my own), large bottles of Tabasco (I practically drink the stuff)........and that's about it.

Have you looked for sriracha? I know it's not the same thing, but if you need a spicy hit, it's a good one! We get the garlic sriracha from Chinatown but I've seen regular sriracha at Tesco.

Note for sriracha lovers: It might not be the rooster sauce brand you'd get in the US, but that brand didn't invent the stuff, they just popularised it in the US.

Have you looked for sriracha? I know it's not the same thing, but if you need a spicy hit, it's a good one! We get the garlic sriracha from Chinatown but I've seen regular sriracha at Tesco.

Note for sriracha lovers: It moght not be the rooster sauce brand you'd get in the US, but that brand didn't invent the stuff, they just popularised it in the US.

I've found rooster sauce in Tesco.