Living Abroad: The Ultimate 'Must Bring' List

Huckster

I'm going to emigrate permanently early next year and was just wondering if anyone had any tips on 'must bring' items? During previous visits I found myself missing certain things; Barrys Tea, good quality clothes, certain brands of makeup... but I'm just wondering, for those who have done the Big Move, did you sell a lot of your things before leaving? What couldn't you part with and what do you wish you had thought to bring along with you?

Ste.phen

I moved with three suitcases, mostly clothes, and everything else stayed behind (about two boxes each in my parents' attic) or was disposed of - basically I just kept photos, laptop, phone and clothes and sold the rest or gave it to oxfam - no CDs, DVDs, books, anything like that - was very freeing

Don't waste space in your luggage bringing Tayto and Barry's, etc. - In any English speaking country you move to you can probably buy such them locally and in other places you can have it shipped to you

What 'things from home' you'll miss depends entirely on where you've moving and how important those things are to you so it's almost impossible to advise you on what you might want to bring and what you'll just forget about or find alternatives to - I know here in the US i can buy Barry's tea in any of about 5 places within an hour of here, and if i really need Tayto and nobody's coming from Ireland in the short term I can order them online and pay lots for them.

I don't think you're going to find yourself missing Irish clothing stores or makeup brands unless you're a huge fan of the UK chains or Dunnes own brand, but in the former case you can likely order clothes online anyway depending on where you move to. Ireland doesn't really exist in a bubble and there's very little you can buy in Ireland that can't be gotten elsewhere.

In my experience you're more likely to miss stuff you can't easily bring with you, like European meat and bread and there's no easy workaround ther (but in my own experience, the better fruit and veg here makes up for that somewhat)

Short version: my recommendation is to take enough stuff to keep you going for the first few weeks after arrival (clothes, books, laptop), leave anything with lots of sentimental value in storage in Ireland, chuck the rest.

Huckster

Really great tips, many thanks!
I'll be moving to the Middle East, so really I'm trying to bring as little as possible because from past experience I've learned that whatever I do bring will get ruined by dust and just being squashed into the small storage areas there

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

The Middle East...? A hand-held fan and a ****load of batteries!

Seriously, though, as said above, travel light. There's nothing worse than being stuck with a load of unnesecary personal stuff you may need to move around from time to time.

And the tea you can get posted over in a jiffy bag.

jester77

Passport/visa, ticket, change of clothes and a toothbrush are the only 'must bring' items you need.

aaakev

My brother is in oz at the moment and we sent him over a huge hamper for christmas with loads of stuff he cant get over there! We got it off www.gifthampersfromireland.com

mannika

Huckster wrote: »

Really great tips, many thanks!
I'll be moving to the Middle East, so really I'm trying to bring as little as possible because from past experience I've learned that whatever I do bring will get ruined by dust and just being squashed into the small storage areas there

Did this three years ago, good luck! First thing bring a ton of patience the bureaucracy here makes home seem very efficient! Do you have a job already? the recruitment process can be very slow.
There are things i miss from home but nothing i would send home for (there is no residential post in the UAE not sure about the rest of the ME) or wish i had brought. I love barry's tea but it doesn't taste the same (the water i think) so i have a cupboard of it unused. Food is grand but expensive, bread is not the same. For me i would have brought over more work clothes they are expensive here for same thing(m&s, debanhams etc...) and they don't have pennys Although saying that you can get stuff made fairly cheaply. They have pretty much all the same makeup brands as home. Be prepared to pay more, but you'll prob be getting paid more. If you are heading to Dubai and you need an apartment, car, furniture etc... www.dubizzle.com
Its a great time of year to move, the weather is lovely now and there are loads of out door activities to do.