I’ve been talking about this move a lot. It’s a big part of my life! I’m so excited to make this happen, so I wanted to share my final prep! II leave in a little over a week and the feeling is insane! I’m still processing and packing, but I’m so excited. I wanted to share my checklist for moving overseas and share what is on my docket before moving!
Getting the final prep done for my move is harder than for my study abroad. At the end of the day, I knew I would be coming back to the US to finish school. Now, I really do have to pack and pick up just about everything. While some things will stay in my house or storage, the majority won’t. I’ve gone through all of my clothes, donated a lot, and narrowed down what I’m taking. Good thing is, many of my winter clothes are already in London. This round is taking the remaining shoes and clothes I decided to keep! I’ve set up bank accounts, ordered a phone SIM card that will arrive by the time I get there, so I’m pumped! I’ve finished all my doctor’s appointments and self-care, so now I’m set.
Final prep also includes arranging my utilities in order. So in the UK, I pay for gas & electricity, internet, water, and a council tax. Each of these are pretty standard. I can apply for an exemption from council tax as a student, so I’ll be submitting that form ASAP. Arranging utilities from abroad is difficult, but I’ve got lots of choices. Part of the difficulty is because I need a UK phone number to sign up, but luckily, my friends are helpful and let me borrow a number for this.
Now, you might be wondering, will everything fit into my suitcases? Absolutely not. Since I am taking a little trip before I fully move in, I can’t ship them immediately. UPS is hella expensive, so I’m going to pick between USPS and Send my Bag. I’m leaving them with a family member and already arranged for the cost of shipping.
These are essentials that I can’t get like my prescription toothpaste and some home items that I just can’t leave here! That and my cache of Mielle Haircare. That’s essential. 100%. It’ll come out to about $90-$130 per box via USPS and not too sure on Send My Bag! Send My Bag does only take 3-4 days, while USPS takes 1-2 weeks if I’m lucky. As most of my things are in storage in London anyways, I won’t be sending many boxes this year, only 1 or 2 (whoo for my wallet)!
Am I excited? Absolutely! It’s a big change. A really really big change. I have been looking forward to this for a year. Having to push in the midst of losing my mom was a big challenge, but nonetheless, one that was best for me mentally and physically. So now, I get to go and live my best life and I’m quite excited to go.
What’s left? Getting on the plane, making sure I fill out all the locator forms, and getting multiple Covid tests. I’ve been quarantining outside of really select instances for the last 2 or so weeks. I need to drop off the boxes and clean my car. Outside of that, I’m pretty much done and ready to go! I need to figure out how to bring my weighted blanket with me on this flight. Legitimately, I can’t sleep without it, so I don’t want to leave it!!
I always aim to be fully packed at least 1-2 days before a big flight like this, so let’s see how this goes. I’m packing my carry-on as if I’m going straight to Greece, so I don’t have to spend time repacking once I arrive in London. I also planned some Amazon purchases for when I get back after my trip, so it’s time to get decorating baby!
I will bring up London a lot for the next few weeks, so if you’re not into the content, come back in September! If you are, then stay tuned because I’ve got more for you, including a breakdown of my packing list for my move and for Greece! You can sign up below to get the latest updates from me!