Getting a large collection of books and cds across the ocean. How to?

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Seriously. Has anyone else ever done this?

Have culled said collection and made a tidy sum on ebay, but now must face up to the fact that there are some things I will just have to be buried with. Can I really be bothered to put a few thousand cds into several cd wallets just so I can ship the cases separately? Why is stuff such a curse?

What's the easiest/cheapest way to do this? International movers? Couriers? Taking several large suitcases and just paying for excess baggage? Help!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

How about sodding the cases and keeping yr cds in the wallets/wall hangings/that kinda thing? I'm considering getting rid of my own cd cases (keeping the sleevenotes of course) as they are just so bulky and crack in each move and are CRAP. I'm sorry but cd cases are SHITE, they are rubbish and poo and I HAVE HAD ENOUGH! YAAAAAAH!

*jump attacks a big bunch of cd cases with MASTER SWORD*

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

B-b-but Sarah, the spines look good in a nice Ikea wall rack!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:48 (twenty-two years ago)

You need to find a company that will ship by sea, that's generally the cheapest. There are loads of international relocation companies, google will provide.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Nick Currie to thread!

Seriously, I don't know the details but he had to ship EVERYTHING to NYC and got the company to pack and ship for a flat fee - you should email him, Nordic.

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 19 May 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks, suzy!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

If you're moving **everything** then yes, international couriers the way to go. The ppl in our gaff used Court Couriers who if they operate UK - ********** will probably operate UK - USA as well. Give 'em a google.

― Sarah (starry), Monday, 19 May 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

tx, Starry - I think it will literally be all books n cds in crates/boxes - I don't own anything as practical as furniture or appliances.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 13:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I can try and get hold of the major shipping companies, they always have leaflets down here in SOAS.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 19 May 2003 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I might pop by SOAS meself, Pete!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

i looked into the international shippers, and it's still really expensive. whatever you do, don't use the post office! i spent £90 shipping clothes and shoes back to michigan...and it wasn't even heavy.

it might sound silly and/or inconvenient, but i find that it's easiest to just do it yourself. probably worth checking out how much 'excess baggage' costs with your airline. if you have any friends or family coming to visit, or crossing the ocean somehow, send them along with an extra suitcase full of your stuff.

and the cds? i saved so much space by putting hundreds of them into the cases/book/binder thing. if it isn't too painful, this is really useful. plus, you'll never have to do it again, so next time you move you'll be really happy.

yeah. stuff is a pain. every time i move, i decide to become a minimalist...good luck!

― colette (a2lette), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

i did it by sea, it took like 2 months but the charges weren't too bad IIRC, plus i liked the idea of my stuff floating on a boat all the way over

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't take it on the airplane with you! The over-weight charges will exceed the cost of shipping by lots and lots.

― slutsky (slutsky), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Aaaagh!

i liked the idea of my stuff floating on a boat all the way over

Tracer, we're talking about a life's worth of junk here, beautiful junk. I prefer to think of my stuff being teleported than being in a boat, on water...terrifying.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

One of the things I most look forward to if I move to France is leaving pretty much everything behind.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Brave man.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Monday, 19 May 2003 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah when I moved to Paris I brought a bag of clothes, a pocketknife, a couple of CDs and a few books. It's great not having all of your shit around to distract you.

― slutsky (slutsky), Monday, 19 May 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

jewel cases are much cheaper than shipping rates based on weight/dimension. the wallet route seems ideal.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 19 May 2003 16:32 (twenty-two years ago)

For my move across the pond later this summer I plan on taking my clothes, shoving my CDs into one of those huge CD wallets, a few of my most favorite books, and just enduring the extra baggage charge. The rest can sit in my parent's basement until I decide to do something with it all.

― Mandee, Monday, 19 May 2003 17:01 (twenty-two years ago)

On bunch we use offers the following costs door to PORT. London - New York : Tea Carton 5 cubic feet (18x18x24 inch) £75 for the first carton, £45 for subsequent.

Alternatively book carton 1.5cubic feet (13x13x18) is £50 then £30. They'll give youthe boxes n bubble wrap. But for CD's certainly consider just getting a new joblot of jewel cases in the States.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

see http://www.ebuyer.com/ for cheapo jewel cases.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I also find that reading the books and then memorising them, as in Farenheit 451 is so much easier than carrying the books,

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanx, guys - will be sorting this all out in the day tomorrow, so your advice is really appreciated.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Crown International Movers were the people actually - sorry about that Nordic, I bummed up.

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh - www.aerofreight.co.uk for more details.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

tx, pete! Your bumming is excused, Sarah!

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Tuesday, 20 May 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

five months pass...

Hey, thanks to everyone that helped me on this thread. You're very sweet, all of you.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Sunday, 2 November 2003 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

how's your pitching arm?

― Skottie, Sunday, 2 November 2003 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Adam, what did you end up doing? I need to move my incredibly awesome stuff also, but from Texas to Puerto Rico. It's also gotta be sometime before Feb., so I'm finding myself in a posiiton to improvise. However, I'm not yet sure of what I might decide in the near future, because if everything comes off as planned I won't have to, and instead, just move to somewhere else in the States before summer.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Monday, 3 November 2003 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I packed about 1500 CDs into wallets, crammed all the inserts into various pouches and pockets, and left all the jewel cases behind. Then I got visiting friends to bring over a lot of my books. Everything else I sold on Ebay.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 3 November 2003 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I already have them CD wallets...problem is I got tons of 'em. Bwahahha. The book were my main concern, though. Along with my t-shirt collection. There's too much of everything.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Monday, 3 November 2003 06:20 (twenty-two years ago)

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