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Any Regrets

JoshGV143
My wife & I have started discussing what we would ship down vs. sell/donate/not bring…

Are there any regrets of items you wish you had brought, but didn’t? Or vice-versa, things you brought that you really have no use for in the DR? TIA
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rfmaurone
@JoshGV143

What a great question can’t wait to hear people’s experiences.
planner
I came  originally with  2 suitcases, one laptop and my golf clubs!  No regrets
Profe Agayu

@JoshGV143 I did not leave anything of importance in the US. However, I do regret bringing so much clothes and shoes that I will never wear.

RockyM
Sort of common sense, but focus on those things you cannot get here or are too expensive to ship in (i.e. too heavy or bulky). Don't worry about things you can easily replace. I tear through a pair of Oakley flip flops every 6 months, but I can get those on-line easy. Other things I cannot.

Flat screen TV's are another item to ship in. Good ones are costly.

Also...coffee beans. I roast my own coffee and find it very difficult to find raw beans here, believe it or not!
DominicanadaMike
We sold and moved here so we wanted to bring most of our stuff, although I like Planner's response...

Things I brought that I don't regret bringing:  Furniture, tools (weight was not an issue), computer, Televisions, stereo and entertainment stuff, golf clubs, several cases of alcohol, kids toys, everyday stuff like pots and pans, dishes, towels, kitchen appliances, some clothes, medications, personal items.

Things I brought that I regret bringing:  shoes (most disintegrated before I could use them), too many clothes,  most food items (doesn't keep for very long, a few things maybe but nothing of any volume or what can't be used in a month or 2), sooner or later you just have to get used to what is available here.

Things I didn't bring and have no regrets: a car, snow blower hahaha,

Things I didn't bring and have regret: more furniture, refrigerator and stove, a small freezer, washer and dryer, a work table (wood is expensive here and hard to find what you want), ramps for my car,

Tips: try to get rid of or scan as many documents, pictures as you can.  They are heavy and expensive to ship and they probably will not be any good when you want them here because of the climate.  Use a Mundanza (a Dominican shipping company that does door to door shipping). 

Kids toys are hard to find especially over the age of 6 or 7.  Good clothes are hard to find unless you want to pay a very high price for them., but don't bring a lot.  It's hot all year around and my wardrobe consists of a few pairs of shorts, shirts and a couple of pairs of shoes.  Of course if you have a job here you will need more...

If I think of something else, I'll add it later.

Hope this helps.
planner
That made me laugh out loud..... snowblower!!!! 1f923.svg1f923.svg1f923.svg
olgaglenn
Things I regret not bringing: stove and refrigerator. Here good ones are expensive and still quality doesn’t compare to USA appliances.

This I regret to bring: too many clothes and shoes, most they won’t get use.

Something I’m happy to bring: My car. It goes against everyone advice but, my car one of the best in USA, is a Kia, so parts are easy to find here and, to buy it here, would have cost me more that just ship mine. Extremely happy with this decision
planner
A Kia is a very good option for here!  Good decision based on type of vehicle
Stacy ST
My husband and I love to take naps on a nice comfy couch and we searched high and low in the DR for a nice comfy couch, but they do not seem to exist here.  Everything is hard as a rock and meant for "socializing" or to look pretty.  We were not going to bring our couch becuase of the size, but ultimately we had to get a container for our stuff anyway, so we brought it.  Definitely do NOT regret bringing that!

I would highly recommend doing some shopping in the DR before you move.  We took 2 trips here to just shop for furniture and appliances that way we knew what we needed to bring and what we could get here.  It definitely helped!
WillieWeb
Appliances are easy to ship..... not that costly either
rfmaurone

@planner nice !

rfmaurone
@planner

First time I have ever stayed in a place that only has air conditioning, meaning no switch to flip to heat for the winter. I love the idea of AC only.
DominicanadaMike
rfmaurone: actually, most ceiling wall mounted AC units do switch to heat if the need arises...
JoshGV143

@Stacy ST great advice. We’re coming back down next month to tour the school my son would attend, and shop in the town as well as in Santo Domingo to see what’s available after we move down.

rfmaurone
@DominicanadaMike

Thank you good to know.
DRCulture
Responses have been so helpful! Great question and I appreciate the responses.

What about generators?  Is this something you recommend bringing or purchasing in the DR.  I  closed on a home near Las Canas in April, but I don't have anything there yet.  The owner left the generator, washing machine, and pump for me.  Some one broke in and stole those items.  Now I am wondering if I should buy a generator in DR or ship from US.
DominicanadaMike
There are a few generators available from price smart ranging from 11K pesos to 60K pesos.  Take a look and then you can compare to the prices where you are.  Of course there are other places to buy but this will give you some idea.

ddmcghee
Others have covered the main things, but I would add any kitchen gadgets and small appliances! The selection here is pretty limited, and what you can find is either low quality or very expensive! I brought our Vitamix blender, KitchenAide stand mixer, Instant Pot, Opal Ice Maker, vacuum sealer, and lots of smaller gadgets that I will be very happy to see when we get into our house and start unpacking!

The only furniture we brought was our Select Comfort bed! I don't know if they are available here, but ours was only a year old and we can not sleep comfortably on any other bed - at least not long term. We had a lot of Stickley-Audi craftsman and mission style furniture that we loved, but while it was perfect for our craftsman bungalow in Charlotte, it would have been out of place in the modern house we designed (and have now built). We were also concerned about how the wood would stand up to the heat and humidity.

Heed everyone's advice on clothes and shoes! Leather doesn't do well with the humidity if it isn't used regularly - we've had shoes, a baseball glove, and belts that have been ruined! We were, thankfully,  able to salvage our leather dog leashes. You will need at least one pair of closed-toe shoes and long pants for meetings at government agencies - like Migracion and Aduanas.

Don't bring books that will just sit on a shelf! The humidity will ruin them pretty quickly. And as DominicanadaMike said, scan your documents and photographs and only bring the physical items you have to have! I spent at least a month of my nightly TV time with a flatbed scanner and boxes of documents, photos, and my son's school artwork.

If you are bringing in a container duty-free with residency, then you don't have to be too picky! You can pack a lot of stuff in a 20' container!

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