Moving to Hawaii: What Should You Bring?

Are you thinking of moving to the Big Island of Hawaii? The Puna district on the Big Island is the most quickly developing area in the nation. Low land prices in 2004 and 2005 drew many mainlanders to change their lifestyles and make the trip to Hilo and Pahoa in search of inexpensive housing in paradise. The Big Island offers many different opportunities to the adventurous, but what should you bring?

Many newcomers make the mistake of bringing everything that they own with them on their move to the Big Island. This decision can have many consequences. Having your goods shipped to Hawaii, for one thing, is extremely expensive, usually worth far more than the actual items that you might plan on bringing with you. There are also many things that cannot survive the climate here and you may end up spending thousands of dollars to ship items that will be worthless in less than one year of your arrival.

Furniture in Hawaii is not much more expensive than furniture on the mainland. Instead of paying to have your old furniture shipped here, sell it and buy new furniture when you arrive. You will probably find that once here, you would prefer furniture that can stand up to the tropical Hawaiian climate better than traditional mainland furniture. Rattan is popular here as are bamboo and teak furniture. You will be better off selling what you have, even if it is worth very little and using that money toward new furniture after your arrival rather than pay twice as much to have it shipped and then have to wait several months or more for it to arrive in questionable condition.

Some items will not last in our tropical climate. You do not want to ship any items made of leather to the Big Island, especially if you live on the East side where the weather is cooler and more humid. Bags, purses, shoes, clothing, and furniture made from leather will last a matter of weeks at the most here and it is not worthwhile to bring them to the islands with you. There is almost no way to prevent destruction of leather by mold, so you are much better off getting rid of it while you can.

Books are another item that will not last in Hawaii. Books will quickly mildew and deteriorate in our climate. It takes only one or two very rainy days during the wet season to saturate books and cause them to swell and wrinkle. Unless you live in a home that is well-air conditioned (a rarity here) you should consider keeping only those books which are very important to you. Selling excess books or donating them to your local library would be a better way to handle them. There is, unfortunately, no way to save a book that has become damaged by our tropical humidity.

Anything made of steel or iron is unlikely to last in Hawaii. Do not plan on bringing sewing machines that are infrequently used, metal furniture, wind chimes, or other steel and iron items that are unnecessary as they may last less than your first year on the Big Island.

One of the smartest things you can do is to sell most of what you own before moving to the islands. Once here, you will likely realize that you didn't need all of those things after all. You may wish to surround yourself with fewer things. Something about the air here causes newcomers to want to switch to a simpler, less-cluttered lifestyle. On the mainland, commercialism and consumerism are very popular, but simplicity is embraced in the islands.

Instead of paying thousands of dollars to bring everything you own with you, it would be a great idea to sell most of what you own at garage sales and on Ebay. Every little bit helps, so go through your jewelry box, toy boxes, shelves, and closets and reduce your load as much as possible. It may be a great idea to pack the few belongings you do decide to keep into boxes and have them mailed over. They will likely arrive shortly after you do and you will spend far less having them sent over. You can use the money that you made from the items you sold to have what you want to keep mailed in boxes to your new home.

If you are very fond of clothing or shoes, you may find moving to Hawaii difficult. Because of the weather, clothes ruin fast. You may find that after only three or four days, your clean clothes have already become moldy and smell like mildew. It can't be helped. The only thing that you can do is to keep as little clothing as possible. I keep about one or two week's worth of clothing. Shoes that are not worn every day may fill with mold quickly, so keep only three or four pair at the most if you can. Two pairs of slippers (flip-flops), and one pair of sneakers should be all that you need. If you would like a pair of ladies' dress shoes, a nice pair of leather-free slip-ons may be useful.

If you have a special heirloom that you will not use for a long period of time such as a wedding dress or Christening gown, you should pack it properly for storage before moving to Hawaii. Seal your items inside an airtight plastic bag or other airtight container along with a package or two of Camp Dry or other drying product. Avoid opening the packages after your move except when you are ready to use them or wear them again.

Computers are very heavy and expensive to ship to Hawaii. If you absolutely must bring your computer with you, at least consider getting a new monitor once you reach the islands. Monitors are very heavy and flat screen monitors can break easily. It is worth it to purchase a new one once you arrive. The humidity may also shorten the life of your PC, so consider bringing a laptop that can be secured inside of a plastic container with a drying agent when it is not in use.

One thing that is smart to have shipped over is your vehicle. Cars and especially trucks can run two to three times their mainland price here in the islands. Cars on the Big Island are much more expensive and are not as well cared for as most mainland cars. They may also have rust or other problems from being so near sea water. The cost to have your vehicle shipped is usually between $800 and $1000, so it is worth it to bring it with you. Remember to empty your car completely of all belongings as the shipping companies will no longer allow you to ship a vehicle with items packed inside. They will even check trunks and glove compartments, so beware.

If you are bringing your pets with you, you should know that there is a three month quarantine for cats and dogs which is not only expensive, but traumatic for pets. There is now an option to have your pet treated three months prior to moving to the islands, so make sure you read all you can long before preparing for your move so that your fluffy friend does not have to spend his first few months in a Hawaiian doggie or kitty prison. Check before bringing other animals. It is illegal to bring most pets into the islands.

Very heavy items should probably be sold where you are and purchased new once you arrive. Items like computers, power tools, grills, appliances, dishes, speaker systems, televisions, mattresses, and heavy furniture is all worthwhile to purchase new when you get to your new home. Also, things like towels, bedclothes, and pillows take up a lot of room in shipping and are worthwhile to just buy new once you arrive. It's much nicer to have these items new when you move into your new home.

You can save thousands of dollars by watching what you bring with you on your move to the Big Island of Hawaii. Remember to pack things as tightly and as lightly as possible to save money and leave behind the things you will no longer need in your new life. You will feel better if you leave as much physical (as well as emotional) baggage behind you when you leave. Moving to Hawaii should be a fresh start, so don't burden yourself with having to worry about shipping a lot of excess stuff. Aloha