Our packing plan for moving to the Dominican Republic is pretty simple: take our personal belongings and the equipment we need to work, sell most of the household furniture, and store a few larger things in the United States.
We don’t have a household full of expensive furniture that we feel we need to ship overseas. For us, buying what we need after we arrive makes more sense than moving an entire house worth of belongings.
The goal is to settle into a new life there. We’re deciding what will be useful in that life, rather than automatically taking everything we already own.
What we’re taking with us
Our clothes and personal belongings are coming with us, along with the kids’ clothes, toys, and favorite comfort items. We’re also taking our computers, monitors, and the filming and videography equipment we plan to use for our work.
That work equipment matters. We want to keep creating content and working remotely, so the tools that make that possible have a clear place in the move.
For the kids, the things they already know and love matter, too. Starting over with furniture doesn’t mean starting over with every part of their lives. Their favorite toys and familiar belongings can come along.
Why we’re selling the furniture
We’re planning to sell pretty much everything we won’t take or store, including our furniture, and buy what we need in the Dominican Republic.
I don’t feel a strong attachment to most of the household things we have here. They’ve served their purpose, but I’m comfortable choosing furniture for the home we end up living in.
Our decision comes down to what makes sense for our belongings and our budget. We’re comfortable letting most of the household setup go and building a new one after we arrive.
We haven’t turned this into a universal rule about whether shipping or buying locally is cheaper. It’s the approach that fits our move.
What we’re keeping in the United States
There are a few things we’re keeping in storage: our kayaks and canoes, our vehicles, and the equipment I use for adjusting and ladder-assist work in the United States.
That includes ladders and other work gear that serves a purpose here. Those items are separate from the computers and filming equipment we’ll use in the Dominican Republic.
We’re choosing to keep them because we still see value in them. They don’t need to be part of the household we’re setting up overseas.
A fresh start without bringing the whole house
Our intention is to make the Dominican Republic our home. We’re approaching this as a move, with the aim of settling in and building a life there.
There hasn’t been one especially difficult decision about a piece of furniture or a household possession. Most of those things are replaceable, and we’re ready to let them go.
The things we’re taking reflect what matters for this next chapter: our personal belongings, the kids’ familiar comforts, and the tools we need to work and create.
The furniture can come later, once we know the space we’re living in. For now, we’re keeping the plan simple: take what we’ll use, sell what we’re ready to part with, and store the larger things we want to keep.
Follow the rest of our planning: why we’re moving to the Dominican Republic and why we chose Santiago.
Be wild at last.
—Michael
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