the logistics of moving from Hawaii

To answer Jeanie's question: When we moved down here over 4 years ago, we got rid of just about everything we owned. At that time, the maximum amount you could take on an airplane at no charge was 2 check-ins and 2 carry-ons. So, that's what we brought with us. For the six of us that meant 12 check in suitcases at 50lbs each and 12 carry-ons. We kept some things in Wisconsin and every time we went back up, we brought another couple suitcases of stuff back. All it took was about one or two trips back up there and we had everything we needed. Hubs shipped a bunch of his tools down here on USPS flat rate boxes when he sold the business up there. Things have changed in the airline industry as well as the fact that it's pretty unlikely that we'll be making multiple trips back down to Hawaii in the future. Hubby's got some work down here he'll be coming back for, but as for the rest of us, I don't see it happening. So, our trip up is a little bit different than when we made the trip down. Once again, we're getting rid of just about everything we own - things are SO much cheaper on the Mainland that it really doesn't pay to bring things up there. But, there are some things that we'd like to take back. We're doing the suitcase cram again, but in addition, we've packed up a pallet load of stuff to ship back to Wisconsin - we just dropped it at the shippers this morning, as a matter of fact. So, we're sending about 800 lbs worth of stuff, tools, kitchen stuff, clothes, etc, first on a boat to LA, then on a truck on to Wisconsin. We'll get it in about a month. Some people send container loads of stuff back, but even a small, u-pack container (about 6'x7'x8') would cost us about $6000 to ship and frankly, my junk isn't worth that much. Like I said, it's so much cheaper to just replace what we need once we get there that shipping stuff just isn't worth the hassle. I've got a friend who did the container thing, but she's much more of a home decorating person and was really attached to her furniture (figuratively, not literally :P ) Since we've lived in the house we're in now for 1 1/2 years and I never did get around to hanging pictures on the wall, it's pretty obvious that I'm no Martha Stewart - so the house stuff goes and I won't miss it.