I wish I would have brought? (Hilo, Laie: rent, co-op, refrigerator)

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by alexei27

Bagels :-)

Ha! I finally learned to make my own. No good bagels here. Mine don't rival the best ones on the East Coast, but they're better than the dinner rolls served around here.

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by melaniej65

I agree with just about everything listed but must say that fine china, crystal and fine linens are available at Macy's and Neiman Marcus - this way the chance of damages during transport are negated. I had a very nice Waterford set that was nothing but crystal shards/dust when unwrapped.

If you do move your nice china or crystal, watch the packing videos on the Gentle Giant website, so this doesn't happen to you. I brought all my china and crystal, plus tons of everyday stemware and my regular ceramic dishes (my employer was paying for the move but would not pay to buy me new stuff, so...). Only one thing broke during the move... my blender, because I dropped it as I was unpacking it. So nothing actually broke in transit.

[Cloey_young]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

I picked up a set of Waterford china at a garage sale about a month ago. It is a service for twelve with all the additional serving dishes and at $30 for the set I couldn't resist. They were moving from a 4,000 square foot house to an 875 square foot house and were doing a lot of downsizing. There was a lovely tropical flower print china set this week which was tempting, but we already have too much china now.

China sets show up fairly frequently but come to think of it, sets of fine glassware and silverware don't show up that often at all. I guess they break the glasses and lose the spoons if the set is used much. Ross's is in Hilo and that's a great location for silverware sets as well as some glassware. Pretty inexpensive on the silverware sets, although they are all stainless instead of silver. Last time I bought crystal stemware it was at Liberty House and they turned into Macy's years ago now. We don't drink much so we don't use a lot of stemware although I think there's some around here somewhere hiding in the back of a cabinet.

Finding a mattress set at a garage sale can happen but those sell almost immediately so you have to go early. Craig's List is probably a better place to look for those. There is a mattress shop in Hilo, you could get a Hilo phone book and call in inquire about prices and availability before making the final decision on whether to ship your beds or not. Skip the phone book, here's their info:
America’s Mattress Hilo
708 Kanoelehua Blvd.
961-9100

There is also Agasa Furniture in Hilo, too.
30 Ponahawai Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Tel: 808.935.8609

There's another furniture store or two as well, but we don't shop retail much so I'm not sure of their name. Searching "Furniture Store Hilo" should bring up a few hits.

We like Teak & Bamboo for furniture, that is if and when we pay retail for anything. Their prices are good enough that we have bought from them. They have Asian made antique reproduction furniture. They are solid good furniture, not quite to the level of "fine" furniture but they are solid wood and look nice. You can also dicker the price a bit if you buy more than one item.

Lots of antique furniture can't handle the humidity on the Hilo side of the Island of Hawaii. They were built with hide glue which softens up and then all the veneers peel off. Veneer was started back in the 1800's so even high quality antique furniture can be veneer. Although at least back then the veneer was put on a solid core. In other areas of Hawaii particle board and antiques do fine, but the Hilo side seems to have a higher level of humidity than most.

We see the occasional nice kitchen table and chairs at garage sales but those aren't all that frequent. I'd think garage sales in Kona might be better for furniture since there seem to be more of a fluid population base on that side of the island. We have a nice solid maple dining room set with six matching chairs which was from a garage sale several years ago and was $100 for the set. We'd had a different set before that which wasn't as nice so with garage sale stuff sometimes you start out with what you can find and then level up as you find nicer things.

Living room couches show up fairly frequently at garage sales as well as on Craig's List. All the miscellaneous stuff which makes up a house - pictures, lamps, rugs, flowerpots, pans, kitchen gadgets, towels and such are always available at garage sales. Loads and loads of clothes and tons of baby stuff.

That information was SO helpful, thank you for taking the time to help me out, I really appritiate it!

[OpenD]

Anything that is really hard to find on the mainland will typically be harder to find on the islands. For me: a couple of specialty tools, a couple of treasured cooking gadgets, and a high end rice cooker that does brown rice perfectly.

[Calico Salsa]

Not as many furniture stores on Maui; it all depends on what you like.

If I had plenty of room in the container and didn't have to may more, I'd have shipped over more big ceramic pots.

Specialty art/craft supplies & tools, if you have any hobbies in those areas.

The stores here just started carrying the rotating composters, so that's off my wish-I-brought list.

I agree about good bagels, really all good bakeries, and especially sourdough bread! That's on my list for visitors to bring.

Having Whole Foods has helped, but miss some of the Trader Joe foods (and prices) too.

Sorry, realized much of the above wouldn't keep well for too long, so I'm not being much help!

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Anything that is really hard to find on the mainland will typically be harder to find on the islands. For me: a couple of specialty tools, a couple of treasured cooking gadgets, and a high end rice cooker that does brown rice perfectly.

The Zojirushi rice cooker (http://www.zojirushi.com/ourproducts/ricecookers/ricecookers.html - broken link) that I bought at the Ala Moana Shirokiya cooks brown rice perfectly.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Jonah K

The Zojirushi rice cooker (http://www.zojirushi.com/ourproducts/ricecookers/ricecookers.html - broken link) that I bought at the Ala Moana Shirokiya cooks brown rice perfectly.

Good to know, Jonah. When I was looking for it, nobody was carrying the Zojirushri fuzzy logic induction cooker with GABA cycle for brown rice in stock except one dealer in the Midwest. With luck, I'll never need to replace it, because it cost a fortune. But my health is worth it.

My general point is still the same... if it's something hard to find on the mainland, it will likely be harder to find on the Islands.

Except for local specialties, of course, like Poke, and Loco Moco.

[katiem8]

I brought a year's supply of contacts & some medicines so I wouldn't have to deal with finding any new dr's here right away. Plus I was still on my parents' health insurance (& still am thru dec, recent college grad) so I wanted to take advantage of that bc I didn't know if I would have health insurance here or what it would cover. I already told my mom to order me another year's worth of contacts before I get kicked off her insurance lol

I brought several pairs of jeans. In IL I used to LIVE in jeans (I had 34 pairs!) In two months I have yet to put on a single pair of jeans & wish I had only brought a pair or two. I also wish I hadn't brought as many nice purses. I just shipped almost all of my coach bags back to my sisters bc I don't like how the leather sticks to my skin here in the heat. A lot of young ppl here have backpacks or totes, not very many carry an actual purse which I find surprising. I didn't really bring anything with me other than clothes. I brought all my makeup & hair products & since I've been here I have only worn mascara & used hair spray. Even going out on the weekends, the heat makes it impractical. I of course didn't really have any nice furniture or anything to worry about & I left all my clothes & personal stuff with my parents so if I do want it later I can get it when I'm home or they can ship it to me.

Good luck!

[melaniej65]

Katie M8-
I am surprised that you are having trouble with make-up. Most women I know wear make up with no problems. It is certainly not as hot nor as humid as the South here (but I managed to wear make-up in Louisiana too!).

[Cloey_young]

I was just thinking, and mabe this is more like a new thread, but...
I lived on oahu in laie for a summer over 10 years ago, and I remember the humidity not being too bad for hair and makeup; but is the weather totally different in Hilo/Puna areas?
What else is different between the two places...is it like night and day, or is it pretty similiar? I'm just trying to be as prepared as possible.
I know I have said this a bunch already, but THANK YOU to everyone that has commented and really helped me to sort some things out and get great ideas!!!