What to bring... (apartment, mattresses, new house)

[RugbyRugby]

All,

I will be moving to Oahu in August, and am wondering what to bring over from the mainland. The trick is, my new employer is paying my moving costs, so I have a small shipping container to fill. After my books, kitchen equipment, and a few small household items go in, I will still have room for several more boxes. What to bring? Are there any household goods that might be tough to find that I should pick up here? Any common items that are strangely expensive in Hawai'i?

Thanks in advance for your response!

[hotzcatz]

On the Big Island folks complain about the prices of mattresses. Your new house will likely have less square footage than the mainland counterpart, but if you bring too much stuff you can always have a yard sale.

Natural fabric clothing, things like 100% cotton/linen/silk bedding, etc. wear well in Hawaii's weather.

[KAILANI]

I can't think of one thing I "need" from my house,
besides my good mattress....
(and heirloom things)

Most of it is easily replaceable at any of the discount stores or garage sales.
I loved the goodwill there!

OH, if you are into water sports, bring that gear, or buy it in the mainland first, it's probably cheaper..

[Dthraco]

We sold everything but our keepsakes when we came over. It was expensive to replace even the basics. Not because it's that much more expensive there, but because it's just plain expensive to start over. When you build all the essentials up over time the cost doesn't really hit you. But think about it...go to Target and price what it would cost you to replace simple things like a vacuum, paper towels, cleaning suplies, etc...

If your employer is paying for a container, fill that puppy up. Much easier to sell stuff you don't need than to buy stuff you do.

[RugbyRugby]

Originally Posted by Dthraco

We sold everything but our keepsakes when we came over. It was expensive to replace even the basics. Not because it's that much more expensive there, but because it's just plain expensive to start over. When you build all the essentials up over time the cost doesn't really hit you. But think about it...go to Target and price what it would cost you to replace simple things like a vacuum, paper towels, cleaning suplies, etc...

If your employer is paying for a container, fill that puppy up. Much easier to sell stuff you don't need than to buy stuff you do.

Thanks, this is good advice. I figure I will bring a bunch of the little things that most people would forego, those who are paying for shipping - things like my bathmat, or trashcans, or lamps. I can imagine re-populating an entire apartment would be pricey.

[Ellwood]

Bring all your kitchen drawer(s) items, knives, can openers, cooking tools, etc. Throw in spices too.

[Joliefille]

I would second spices if you like to cook. My last visit to the mainland, I stocked up at World Market.

Are you male or female? If you're female, you may want to hit some clearance racks for things like swimsuits, sandals etc..because we wear these things year-round, you never see them discounted deeply.

[Joliefille]

Originally Posted by Dthraco

We sold everything but our keepsakes when we came over. It was expensive to replace even the basics. Not because it's that much more expensive there, but because it's just plain expensive to start over. When you build all the essentials up over time the cost doesn't really hit you. But think about it...go to Target and price what it would cost you to replace simple things like a vacuum, paper towels, cleaning suplies, etc...

If your employer is paying for a container, fill that puppy up. Much easier to sell stuff you don't need than to buy stuff you do.

This is good advice! I brought over a 20ft container and I'm glad I did. As I started pricing all new furniture, I would have easily spent 20K or more to replace the things I spent years accumulating.

[AlohaHuey]

Originally Posted by RugbyRugby

All,

I will be moving to Oahu in August, and am wondering what to bring over from the mainland. The trick is, my new employer is paying my moving costs, so I have a small shipping container to fill. After my books, kitchen equipment, and a few small household items go in, I will still have room for several more boxes. What to bring? Are there any household goods that might be tough to find that I should pick up here? Any common items that are strangely expensive in Hawai'i?

Thanks in advance for your response!

Is your job offer and their coverage of your expenses in writing? See other threads for the reason I'm asking...

[RugbyRugby]

Originally Posted by AlohaHuey

Is your job offer and their coverage of your expenses in writing? See other threads for the reason I'm asking...

Yes, very much so! In good shape on that front.