Countdown to Qatar: Downsizing to Four Large Suitcases

What I Really Need or Love (Part 1)


My colleague, Henry, helped me get the new job.  One year ago, he finished a 3-year contract in the same job.  He's been a marvelous resource.  When I asked about the move, he said he moved in two suitcases.

A new Facebook friend, who moved to Dubai last August, said he moved with two suitcases, a carry-on bag, and his laptop case.

Lordy, lordy.  From the mouths of men . . . .

Employment Benefits

As I decide what to take, what to store, what to ship later, and what to give away beforehand, I am influenced by the following benefits offered by Qatar University College of Law.

• $2,000 moving allowance.  I've checked.  I could carry 10 suitcases on the plane for $200 each for this international flight. I could also ship, by boat, additional items, but I don't have pricing on that yet. I do know it takes three months to cross the ocean and make it through customs. 
• $10,000 allowance to buy furniture and other furnishings.   What a wonderful way to start over. I think I'll buy modern furniture in light colors. They do have an Ikea now.
• $16,500 interest-free loan to buy a car. Or, $500/mo to hire a driver.
• A housing allowance that should allow me to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the Qanat Quadriere in The Pearl District of Doha. 

Four Giant Suitcases

So, my goal is to take only four giant suitcases with me on the plane.  I will need three for clothing, jewelry, scarves, and shoes.  I can already tell. I'll need the fourth one for office related materials, including a few books, my Yeti mike that I use to record webinars, and some other electronic items that won't blow up on the new electrical voltage. I might take my unframed diplomas, court admissions, and my award plaques. 

I will also take my computer bag and my summer, white patent-leather Michael Kors purse.  It was road-tested last year during the Silver Jubilee vacation in California.

I bought three of the giant suitcases in April, on Tuesday, when I get my senior citizens discount at Peebles. They have a limited selection so I bought four of the five suitcases they had in that size.  None of them match.

The sale people were curious about the need for all those suitcases and excited once I told them of my plans.  Here they are helping me out to the car in typical fashion for folks in Grundy.

This week, on Tuesday, I went back for the fourth suitcase. They have one more left, in the event I need it.  Here is a salesperson helping me with that one. 

Brenda and I started packing one of the suitcases this week.  I gave away all the clothes stacked on the ironing board.  (P.S. This is the bedroom suite of furniture she is claiming.)

We are using a WalMart version of the Space Bags to compress the clothes so I can fit more in each bag.  

Storing Stuff

I am a little reluctant to put anything in to storage.  I may not be coming back to the U.S. any time soon.  So, I envision it moldering in some storage unit in humid Grundy or featured on some future episode of Storage Wars.

After some thought, I've decided to leave some stuff in storage for the next six to twelve months until I can get a feel for what I might need in Qatar or in a future life back in the U.S.

I've given away most of my winter clothes.  Won't need them EVER in Qatar. Already, the daytime temperature is 91 degrees. But, I thought I might need winter coats, some fleece, a few sweaters, and three beloved wool suit jackets for any Christmas visits back to the States. The wool has gone to the dry cleaners before I pack it up with moth balls. It will all fit in three boxes. I've got two of them packed.

I've got to make a decision about my CD collection. What is shown here does not include the CDs upstairs or at the office. 

Henry suggests I get it all in the Cloud. Any suggestions for the best way to do that? When I used my work computer to transfer CDs to my iPod, I was not happy with the sound quality. This might be a task I can delegate to a professional. He or she could do it even after I move to Qatar.  (Happy Buddha is going with me.)

I've got tons of paper.  I pitched tons of it, but I still have more. Mostly research for scholarly projects and my tax records.  Then I have all my ADR resource files at school that fill three file cabinets.  I also have two file drawers at home filled with materials from my three-year coaching programs with Christine Kane.   I can scan all of the most important material, but it is a daunting task that will take all summer.

And finally, all the old family photos.  Scan those, too?  Take a precious few with me and store the rest?  

Shipping Stuff

Which brings me to the decisions about what to ship and when. More about that in the next posting.