What do you wish you brought?

That's easy - more money!!!!!

Here we go again...

Imo, you should bring beach chairs. Extras for your potential visitors. They're not always available here and they should be cheap now in most states.

A wide removable screen door. Lots of places don't have screen doors so bugs get in. I ordered one online but it's too narrow. It attaches to doorframe with adhesive backed velcro.

Several pairs of quality hiking shoes and sandals. Few stores sell them and supply limited. Best to have shoes you've tried on for comfort.

Power banks for devices. Limited supply here.

Cotton underwear. Limited selections.

A collapsible cooler. I gave one that I got as a gift to a friend, and people always comment on it. Haven't seen one here.

Dare I even say it? Nothing. I came way before the days of internet shopping, way before KMart and Home Depot came here and, apart from my dog and my cat and my clothes and some shipped books (shouldn't have bothered with those) I figured I'd find everything I need here. And I did. Still do for the most part although I do do a fair bit of internet shopping as many of the basic needs I can find a lot more inexpensively from off island.

I seldom find things that much cheaper in the states or online. For example I was looking for an apple slicer/corer. It was $7.xx at KMart and ones I looked at on Walmart were 6-8.xx. My cereal and Lipton tea are slightly cheaper at Walmart than Plaza and CostULess, but I love opening newly bought boxes of stuff. I can taste the difference between my new box of tea and the last bags from the old box.

My last online purchase was a Bluetooth speaker that can also be used for calls. Amazon gave me a credit for some reason so that was much cheaper online.

I don't have pets or a special diet, though.

Maybe mattress pads and any of the new keep cool sleep stuff I see advertised. Mattress pads seem to be expensive here, but I haven't compared online prices yet.

Let me just clarify my earlier answer.

When we first move to the island we were setting up a "second home" so shipped in everything we could think of and much of it were duplicates of what we had in our "main home". We've been here 15 years (It is now or main home) and every year since we first arrived we've shipped in boxes and boxes of "stuff" that we either wished we had sent previously, wanted more of or had to replace for one reason or another.

In addition to all that there has been one item that we have consistently sent in every month and that is the "more money" I mentioned in my initial response.

My point being, there's always going to be something we need and no amount of pre- planning is going to overcome that need.

A good first aid kit and your favorite things.

Jeeze, I'm going to be moving to FL soon and my dilemma is completely different.
I'll be renting my STT home, furnished
I do care about personal possessions, but not clothing nor furniture.
Some furniture maybe, maybe some clothing, my plants. I'm not sure what to do with all my books, there's my Mom's beautiful 12 piece wedding China, my tools, so much stuff to figure out, what stays and goes.

Anyone have experience with less than container loads?
COSTS?
Delivery to your door?
Help!

I'll be be keeping my home here , renting upstairs where I now live, keeping my downstairs apt. for my use and my separate vehicle parking until I figure out is this move is permanent or not.

In my situation, it was easier to buy than rent and waste $30K minimum to make a move for a year, with 3 dogs. Gotta say, the process was easier than anticipated
I got a great deal on a 3 bed, 2 bath, move in ready, updated, brick and block, 2 door garbage home on .60 acres with a fenced yard and a pool, with mango, avocado, lemon, lime, banana, sugar apple, Orange , grapefruit trees, etc.,
where they actually come to house to deliver mail and pick up garbage, recycle,
I'll be 10 minutes from sisters and other family close to shopping, vets, the home has a new roof, new plumbing, stainless steel appliances, great floors, landscaping, etc.

It passed inspection with flying colors.
My realtor was a dream and helped facilitate closing in 10 days and then some.

So far so good but now lots to figure out. Luckily, the sellers are renting back from me until the end of September. Not taking dogs until everything is set up and am lucky to have a great house sitter here in VI. Plus my home has to be rented before I move with the dogs and stateside home ready for alll of us.

A bit daunting after all is said and done!
Lot's to do!!
Yikes!

Sushi rice/short grained rice. Weird, I know, but my wife is part Japanese and only likes that rice. We can find it every so often in 15lb bags at Gourmet Gallery but it is ridiculously price.. I want to say it was $35 last time. I would have brought a 50lb bag with me. Other than that we have more we wish we would have left, than wish we would have brought.

Thanks, Sparty. I'll look for sushi rice and seaweed wrappers next time I'm stateside. I always thought it was expensive at GG, so I'll buy some off island next time. Always wanted to try making sushi but wanted an inexpensive option.

When I moved here, I brought summer clothes and shoes, some linens, some favorite household items (my now 30+ year old coffee mug, some art work, a vacuum cleaner) and a small photo album of beloved memories. I filled the back of my car with boxes of books. And just about everything else went into storage until I thought I really might stay. I shipped everything else down after 5 years.

Thanks to all for your input (except CruzanIron. Totally unnecessary snarkiness). I was more curious than looking for guidance as we're packing some things up to go. Having been to STX and knowing that selection of certain items are limited, just wanted to hear what others would have packed up, given a second go at it.

Thanks to all for your input (except CruzanIron. Totally unnecessary snarkiness). I was more curious than looking for guidance as we're packing some things up to go. Having been to STX and knowing that selection of certain items are limited, just wanted to hear what others would have packed up, given a second go at it.

You're welcome. 😛

Jeeze, I'm going to be moving to FL soon and my dilemma is completely different.
I'll be renting my STT home, furnished
I do care about personal possessions, but not clothing nor furniture.
Some furniture maybe, maybe some clothing, my plants. I'm not sure what to do with all my books, there's my Mom's beautiful 12 piece wedding China, my tools, so much stuff to figure out, what stays and goes.

Anyone have experience with less than container loads?
COSTS?
Delivery to your door?
Help!

I'll be be keeping my home here , renting upstairs where I now live, keeping my downstairs apt. for my use and my separate vehicle parking until I figure out is this move is permanent or not.

In my situation, it was easier to buy than rent and waste $30K minimum to make a move for a year, with 3 dogs. Gotta say, the process was easier than anticipated
I got a great deal on a 3 bed, 2 bath, move in ready, updated, brick and block, 2 door garbage home on .60 acres with a fenced yard and a pool, with mango, avocado, lemon, lime, banana, sugar apple, Orange , grapefruit trees, etc.,
where they actually come to house to deliver mail and pick up garbage, recycle,
I'll be 10 minutes from sisters and other family close to shopping, vets, the home has a new roof, new plumbing, stainless steel appliances, great floors, landscaping, etc.

It passed inspection with flying colors.
My realtor was a dream and helped facilitate closing in 10 days and then some.

So far so good but now lots to figure out. Luckily, the sellers are renting back from me until the end of September. Not taking dogs until everything is set up and am lucky to have a great house sitter here in VI. Plus my home has to be rented before I move with the dogs and stateside home ready for alll of us.

A bit daunting after all is said and done!
Lot's to do!!
Yikes!

Glad you found a home in Florida! You'll be learning how to make America great again in that part of the state.

Leave the books, china and tools. The shipping cost would far outweigh the replacement value. In Florida, so many old people die and leave behind china - you can't give it away at garage sales - literally.

Good quality tools can be replaced cheaply if you shop garage sales or estate sales in FL. I have a garage full.

I sold my ranches and virtually all the tools to operate them when we moved.

I have since replaced many of the tools I should have brought as I still love to do my own mechanic work, carpentry, concrete work and a lot of stuff that I could have used my tools for here.

Bottom line, when move here you have to maintain your home, pool, cars, etc or depend on "Soon Come" and that gets very frustrating and very expensive.

CD

"In Florida, so many old people die and leave behind china - you can't give it away at garage sales - literally".

It's her Mom's china...that can't be replaced! A few weeks ago, I loaded up a car in FL with all kinds of family things, including MY mom's 12 place settings of china, and took it all to family in KY. I certainly understand Alana.

"In Florida, so many old people die and leave behind china - you can't give it away at garage sales - literally".

It's her Mom's china...that can't be replaced! A few weeks ago, I loaded up a car in FL with all kinds of family things, including MY mom's 12 place settings of china, and took it all to family in KY. I certainly understand Alana.

It's just stuff. I've been disposing of china for over a year. I think I ended up with 6 sets of china from deceased family members.

You have to detach at some point. If the next generation doesn't want it or value it get rid of it. I've unloaded a 2600 square foot house.

I will not burden others to make decisions I can make now. I have not come to this lightly but by having looked death square in the eye a year ago and defied it (so far but not forever).

Thanks guys but the China goes with me and half my tools will, as well, probably.
Since I'm not selling my home here and keeping the small apt. for my use until I see if FL living suits me, I'll leave the other 1/2 of the tools here as they'll, no doubt, be needed.
The books, I'm still debating. Need to check on cost of shipping.
It'll still be a good exercise in whittling down the superfluous.
Glad you're still with us, GM.

Shipping books you can get a "media rate". Slow but cheap.

Thanks Skys the Limit.
Slow is fine as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
I may end up donating to the shelter's flea market.

Thanks Skys the Limit.
Slow is fine as long as it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
I may end up donating to the shelter's flea market.

Taking your vehicle or leaving it?

Leaving it as I'll be back and forth and will need it here for the time being.
The apt. has its own separate parking from the main house, so no problem.

Leaving it as I'll be back and forth and will need it here for the time being.
The apt. has its own separate parking from the main house, so no problem.

OK. A title transfer in FL costs around $350-$400.

If you are going to own a car in FL, you are going to need a FL drivers license eventually to get insurance. You will also need a copy of your drivers records to get a good driver discount, since they cannot access your VI records on line.