Moving to Mexico, What to bring, what to leave?

We are planning to move to Lake Chapala from the U.S. in a couple of months, and are currently selling off our stuff. I would like advise on: if you had the move to do over again, what items would you bring, and what items would you leave behind? What things are cheaper just to bring with you, than to have to buy all over again? What kinds of things are expensive in Mexico? We plan on driving down in our truck, pulling a trailer. Do you think we'll have any problems with this? We expect we'll have to spend one night in Mexico on the way down. I appreciate any advise you can give me.

I would have brought good cookware and utensils, automotive tools and good bed linens. All the rest you can find here. Of course it all depends on if you want/can afford to buy everything but shipping everything down is also quite expensive. Most rentals come fully furnished and equipped. Even many houses for sale include all the household items. Be sure to fully inventory what you have in your trailer to show customs.

Also if you are planning to apply for a permanent residence visa you can't keep your foreign plated vehicle here. It will have to be taken back out of the country.

......and the trailer must be with it when you leave Mexico with the truck. They are inseparable on your Importada Temporal.

You can keep your truck and trailer for nearly 4 years if you're on a Residente Temporal visa. Once you become Permanente it's not allowed.

Bob pretty well covered it; kitchen stuff, dishes, glassware, bedding, and tools are the most important. Garden tools too if they're important to you. I also brought my collection of hardware, nuts, bolts, screws, etc. May not be important to you but it was to me! The only things we wish we'd brought were our small rototiller, ladders and small electric chainsaw. We replaced all but the chain saw!

As was said, sheets, kitchenware but also good dish towels. Others have said they wishe they had brought tools. I pretty much brought all my kitchen stuff and I am really grateful I brought my KitchenAid mixer but that wouldn't be important to everyone. If you're tall or an odd size, bring clothes. I have very narrow feet so I brought a lot of shoes because narrow sizes aren't sold here.

Thanks for all the good information! That will be helpful when deciding what to keep. And yes, gardening is important to me. Some things like silverware/kitchenware, dishes, sheets etc. are so small to take vs. the expense of replacing, so that is what I was wondering. I appreciate all the advise!

Also, if you're hooked on coffee pods and you have a Keurig coffeemaker, bring it with you. You can't buy the pods here, but you can order them through Amazon. The only pod coffeemaker they sell here is Dolce Gusto, and it doesn't have many different flavours. I wish I had brought my Keurig! I miss the variety!

You'll find used Kuerigs at the thrift stores. Most people get rid of them when they realize finding pods around here is difficult.

And when they realize those pods live in the landfill for a thousand years! Environmentally speaking, those pods are the worst packaging idea ever.

I don't want to scare you - but bring some warm clothes too like sweats, hoodies, warm slippers. Many of the older houses get quite cool in November, December, January - especially the mornings. It is hard to find high quality sweats, socks, etc, in Mexico - especially if you are larger sized. Same with shoes - if you are mens 12 -13, you will have a hard time finding footwear.

Trailrunner wrote:And when they realize those pods live in the landfill for a thousand years! Environmentally speaking, those pods are the worst packaging idea ever.

I thought that much coveted award went to plastic water bottles.

You will find everything you actually need right here in Mexico.

Anything you can't find can be ordered from the States, usually at a discount if you shop around. That includes sheets.

My size 12 shoe spouse has found a variety of shoes and sandals, and I've had no trouble finding clothes for every occasion.

Yes, winter months can be chilly and you'll find the stores well stocked for the season with sweaters, warm underwear and outerwear.

Just my opinion, and I've been here over a dozen years: you'd be better off forgetting about hauling a trailer and travelling as light as you can. It will save you money.
The only things worth shipping here are items that may be heirlooms or just feel like old friends. That way, you'll stay in touch with your history.
The sooner people coming here let go of the NOB frame of mind and decide to find what they need in Mexico, the more comfortable they feel as expats.
There's a supermarket in the area that caters to the folks who just have to have certain imported items. They do well. The thing I first noticed when shopping there was an aisle with Campbell's soups from the USA.
The opposite aisle had Campbell's soups made in Mexico. The US ones cost more. Go figure.
Happy travels and welcome!

.......and the Campbells soups made in Mexico taste better, and are not loaded with as much salt.

RVGRINGO wrote:.......and the Campbells soups made in Mexico taste better, and are not loaded with as much salt.  

You noticed that, too, eh?

Yup, and it is also true of many other canned foods made in Mexico. Heck, I even like a little lime in the mayonaise & we can get it up here too.

Again, I really appreciate the replies. I have read it can get cold at night during winter months, so that doesn't surprise me. I was also wondering if opened spice containers (like cinnamon, oregano, nutmeg, etc.) be brought into the country? I have a feeling that is a negative, but I know when we moved to Colorado from California years ago, we had given away all our food, spices etc. The spices turned out to be hard to replace because each bottle is so expensive, and there are so many of them! What about unopened bottles (new, sealed)? Are spices more expensive in the U.S.A. or in Mexico? Any insight would be appreciated.

That's a question you should address to the local Mexican consulate, or may find the answer on Google. Maybe found under "menage de casa".

Don't bother with the small stuff like spices, don't take up valuable space with that. They are all available here. If not, you can grow them and make your own.

Just bring what you LOVE (pictures, CDs, favorite kitchen stuff, clothes, hobby supplies, electronics, etc) and bring the things that are hard to get here (100% cotton towels, dish towels, sheets). Everything else is available here and part of your new adventure will be finding them.

If you have extra time probably the most valuable thing you can do is jump into a Spanish 101 class, if you don't have any Spanish. Everything else has pretty much been covered.

Buen viaje!

And with Amazon MX in full swing there is really nothing you can't get delivered to your front door in a couple of days. We rarely have to venture into Guadalajara to buy things anymore. I shop online with Best Buy, Home Depot, Costco and Amazon.

CB, if you buy electronics online at Best Buy, or things from HD or Costco, how do they get to your house? The items come from Guad or the US?

The items come from Mexico, direct from their distribution centers which are either near the border or CDMX. They are delivered by either DHL or Fed Ex. Occasionally on Amazon an item will come from the US via either USPS or DHL.

I ordered a Roku Express last week from Amazon and it was here the next day from a DC near the border. I have Prime so it was free shipping. Just amazing.

I'll say! I order from Amazon frequently, no problems. But I was wondering about Costco and Best Buy. I want to get something from BB, I never thought of just ordering online. Thanks!

You can't buy fresh food from Costco and get it delivered, right??? With the exception of the local people who are providing that service.

spices
prices it depends on the spices
Mexico grows some spices to be used in cooking as well as in medecine so if you know where to look you can get them cheap
some spices from North Africa are not available , same with Indian and sometimes Asian spices. The mix spices like gara masala or raas ala mut you can make yourself and you can find the basic ingredients that go into them but some like berberries and sumac , galangal and others you cannot find.

so it all depends.. My cousins from France buy lots of pepper her and bring back the seeds of the pirul tree they pick as the late and they are the same as the expensive baies roses you find in the States or Europe..