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Things we should have kept: all our pyrex, stainless steel pots and pans, good kitchen knives, all those coffee cans full of misc. hardware, all our hand tools, most of the hand held power tools, bed linens, light cotton blankets and towels.
Things I am glad we kept: laptops, a whole duffel bag full of power strips and heavy duty extension cords we brought as carry on (TSA hated it!) my bernina sewing machine, small bedside lamps, my husband's collection of high power LED flashlights, the two books out of thousands I couldn't let go of, family pictures we finally got out of the mainland storage locker after 8 years, art we have an emotional attachment to.
Things I am glad we parted with: fall and winter clothes, leather shoes, my book collection, furniture (even family heirlooms we passed to the kids earlier than we would have), fancy tableware and dishes, Christmas ornaments and such like stuff.
We got a good quality new mattress and box springs, yard sale and craigslist used furniture, and kitchen stuff from Ross and Macys without spending too much more than we sold our old stuff for, and we have learned to do with less stuff in general.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Sell everything you can and only keep what is very valuable. My wife and I only shipped matress, tv, music equipment, and computer. small amount of clothes and personal items.
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For small heavy things like hardware, hand tools & flatware & knives...best option is Flat Rate Priority, UNLESS you are shipping by volume & have the space...
Another fantastic deal is if you still have one free check-on (many people with milage benefits have this) FILL A BOX or two (not a suitcase) with things that are bulky but can compress & you will need...we found the best box size to be 21x21x20 for our airline that allowed 62 linear inches (big square box has quite a few more cubic inches that a more rectangular box) MAKE SURE that box does not exceed the weight limit!
Furniture & beds & mattresses - ours were all over a decade and we decided that it was time to lighter up our choices...and we had decided to look into patio furniture... believe it our not, most stores here have patio furniture clearances in fall... luckily for us, we had really liked at HD set in June...by the time we were looking to buy in late October it was 50% OFF...
Wood, unless you know it, suspect anything here could have termites or powder post beetles & anything you bring will get them...
No one can make the choice for you as to which way is best, as everyone has their own ideas on which is better...but make sure that you look at WHY do you want to ship something...if you cannot justify, pare it down...
But do not be silly like me & decide there was no reason to bring your moms old fruit juicer to Hawaii... there is always a need for a fruit juicer here!
I also brought my juicer and have used it !!
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Rub it in!
I was able to get the same 50's vintage mom had (TGIebay!)... but that was one of those duhey! moments...
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quote:
Originally posted by Mimosa
If you are close to a port on west coast,buy your own shipping container and ship on Matson or P.A.S.H.A. .
Pasha from long beach Ca takes 4 days and Hilo is 1st port of call.Every thing is inside the ship so not exposed to the elements.
.....
By shipping on Matson it transfers in Honolulu to the Young brothers barge to Hilo.takes a few weeks.
In any case,pack your own container yourself and always have that in your yard for secure storage or just a chicken coop.
An all aluminum one is better than the steel constructed one.
This is basically good advice, but a few details are incorrect.
Although Pasha Hawai'i has drop-off terminals in Oakland and Covina, CA (Long Beach), and transfer from there, they currently ship to Hawai'i from San Diego. That happens on a regular published biweekly schedule that takes 5 days to Honolulu, another day to Kahului (6), and another to Hilo (7).
https://www.pashahawaii.com/schedules/in...l-schedule
Also, their current custom built ship for vehicles and RO-RO (Roll On - Roll Off) cargo, the Jean Anne, is completely enclosed, however their new ship, Marjorie C, which is going into service very soon, adds conventional outside capacity for 1,200 20' containers or their equivalent to the enclosed vehicle carriage area, and will add scheduled calls to the Los Angeles Basin.
The Jean V is small enough to dock at Kahului and Hilo harbors, eliminating the offloading in Honolulu, transfer, and barging via Young Brothers that Matson requires. It's not clear yet whether the new Marjorie C will be directly serving Maui and the Big Island or not, but it appears as though it will do. Although more than 100 ft longer (692 ft vs 579 ft) the Marjorie C is only 4 ft wider, and the 31' draft vs the Jean Anne's 28' seems unlikely to be a problem.
https://www.pashahawaii.com/services/ves...-jean-anne
https://www.pashahawaii.com/services/ves...marjorie-c
As far as buying a container for shipping, instead of renting one from a carrier, the critical detail to attend to is that it has a current CSC (Container Safety Convention) certificate. Many of the containers sold for storage purposes have lost their certification and cannot be shipped. The certificate is a must.
Aluminum container? They usually have a big price premium that yields little benefit, and has a couple of disadvantages. Chief among them is that if you intend to modify the container in any way once it is in Hawai'i, such as to add windows, doors, etc. then steel is easier for laymen to cut and weld. And I've heard talk that today's CorTen steel containers may actually be more resistant to corrosion than aluminum ones in our acid rain environment, so I'd do some research on that before deciding.
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quote:
Originally posted by terracore
20 foot containers are nearly impossible to get on the Big Island (and many of them are 40' containers that were cut in half and had the doors retrofitted),
Try a guy named Kimo Pa at Big Island Containers in Shipman Business Park, Kea'au. He sells better quality 20', 40', Hi-Cube, 10', conversions to construction offices, rentals, all kinds of things. Also has storage for containers at his lot there.
BTW, one piece of container lore for the uninitiated... there are lots and lots of surplus containers available in Hawai'i due to import/export imbalance, and they are of widely varying qualities. In Hawaiian parlance a "new" container is one that has only been used once, to ship in clean cargo. The Japanese ones are the best.
And if you pick one out to buy, be sure to record the serial number on the Bill of Sale, and check it against what is delivered. There's a bargain rate Honolulu dealer, with a Hilo number, who has been known to switch containers on people, substituting older, more beat up ones. With Kimo Pa in Kea'au you'll get what you paid for.
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quote:
Originally posted by OpenD
quote:
Originally posted by terracore
20 foot containers are nearly impossible to get on the Big Island (and many of them are 40' containers that were cut in half and had the doors retrofitted),
Try a guy named Kimo Pa at Big Island Containers in Shipman Business Park, Kea'au. He sells better quality 20', 40', Hi-Cube, 10', conversions to construction offices, rentals, all kinds of things. Also has storage for containers at his lot there.
BTW, one piece of container lore for the uninitiated... there are lots and lots of surplus containers available in Hawai'i due to import/export imbalance, and they are of widely varying qualities. In Hawaiian parlance a "new" container is one that has only been used once, to ship in clean cargo. The Japanese ones are the best.
And if you pick one out to buy, be sure to record the serial number on the Bill of Sale, and check it against what is delivered. There's a bargain rate Honolulu dealer, with a Hilo number, who has been known to switch containers on people, substituting older, more beat up ones. With Kimo Pa in Kea'au you'll get what you paid for.
I know Kimo, have talked story and done business with him. He is a no BS guy, and can help you arrange delivery (usually through Conens) and add the delivery to his charges so you only have one bill (without screwing you). Plus he takes credit cards.
Website is http://bigislandcontainers.com/ but you are much better off calling him at 808-960-1058... he doesn't always get emails.
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Wow, lots of great info here. Keep it coming please!
Planning on moving within the year.
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I should have added, never buy a container that has been repainted. Most containers are made out of corten steel (also known as weathering steel) and the "rusty" look is the patina on the steel, which actually protects the steel underneath it from rusting. If you remove the patina, or tamper with it's chemistry by putting paint over it, it will greatly reduce the life of the container. In other words, it's supposed to look "rusty". There is an outfit on Honolulu who claims to know how repaint them properly by stripping off all the "rust" (patina) and using special paint, and I know somebody who bought one. The paint eventually flaked off and the container leaks. If you want a container that looks new, buy a new container. Kimo did have some of the one-trippers in stock when I was over there. They are usually made in China, and I don't know the quality of the steel. A 20 year old container made in the USA may last longer than a new one? Only time will tell.
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