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Dianamo
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 12-27-2005
Location: SF Bay Area, CA when not in El Cardonal
Member Is Offline
Mood: ...still in Baja
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finally, I'm moving to Baja
My time to move to Baja is rapidly approaching. I need guidance on moving household items into Baja. I will be bringing two large chairs and a king
sized bed, clothing, personal items and other household items. The plan, right now, is to buy a box truck to bring my stuff down. In 15 years, I've
never brought anything down that required declaration. How do I prepare to bring my stuff with as little problem as possible? Does anyone have a
checklist of things I need to do before heading south? All input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Minds are like parachutes...they only function when open!
\"The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men.\" - Plato
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7084
Registered: 8-5-2011
Member Is Offline
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Maybe this will be helpful:
https://www.mexperience.com/menaje-de-casa-importing-persona...
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 4999
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: INTP-A
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Do you have temporary or permanent resident status in Mexico?
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
https://www.regionalinternet.com
Affordable Domain Name Registration/Management & cPanel Web Hosting - since 1999 |
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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It's way easier to move a bit at a time, or get rid of stuff and buy new. Importing your items in a huge ruck is expensive and is quite a bit of work.
Buying a box truck is very expensive, you could buy all new furniture with all that money. Also, life in Baja is different than where you come from
and the the furniture may not be appropriate. Beds are different sizes, they don't sell USA size sheets there, etc. Consider lightening your load,
sell or give away your stuff and move on to new things.
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BajaNomad
Super Administrator
Posts: 4999
Registered: 8-1-2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: INTP-A
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https://www.lineaships.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/moving...
When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.
– Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
We know we must go back if we live, and we don`t know why.
– John Steinbeck, Log from the Sea of Cortez
https://www.regionalinternet.com
Affordable Domain Name Registration/Management & cPanel Web Hosting - since 1999 |
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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I remember that we hired a gentleman from Ensenada to get some of our furniture etc. across the border officially. It went smoothly.
WE brought down so much stuff in our pickup too, do not remember any issues except with 3 new boogie boards I bought for the surf club competition
very many years ago. I paid some small amount and was happy to pay.
Nowadays I heard from friends who recently moved from California to Punta Abreojos that if you are male, you cannnot bring down women's clothes - even
if it is your spouse's and vice versa. Obviously, if you are together, this is a moot point.
Best of luck with all the moving!
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BajaParrothead
Nomad
Posts: 460
Registered: 12-4-2012
Location: Portola, CA / Los Barriles
Member Is Offline
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Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  | I remember that we hired a gentleman from Ensenada to get some of our furniture etc. across the border officially. It went smoothly.
WE brought down so much stuff in our pickup too, do not remember any issues except with 3 new boogie boards I bought for the surf club competition
very many years ago. I paid some small amount and was happy to pay.
Nowadays I heard from friends who recently moved from California to Punta Abreojos that if you are male, you cannnot bring down women's clothes - even
if it is your spouse's and vice versa. Obviously, if you are together, this is a moot point.
Best of luck with all the moving! |
They have never checked close enough to see what clothing I was bringing down. The last trip, last month at Tecate, they weren't even interested in
my declarations. They were interested in the boat, trailer and very interested as to weather we were trying to bring beer into MX. He left me
standing at the rear of the truck with receipts in hand and 8 boxes of lights and ceiling fans staring at him.
I guess you just never know who you're gonna get!
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BajaTed
Senior Nomad
Posts: 859
Registered: 5-2-2010
Location: Bajamar
Member Is Offline
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The smaller Mexican appliances for the kitchen are real ingenious. look hard @ the options.
Es Todo Bueno
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tbnoble
Junior Nomad
Posts: 34
Registered: 2-18-2017
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When we moved down several years ago, I had an enclosed 8x6 and my truck with a canopy and moved the household items down in several trips. I had
lists of what I was carrying in English and Spanish but I still knew I was skating the actual law. Tecate had an abogado there at the time and he knew
I knew but we came to an agreement and I paid a couple of hundred each trip.
But as had been mentioned I should have left most of it there and not bothered, everything I needed was pretty much here so in some respects it was
wasted time and energy.
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JC43
Nomad
Posts: 498
Registered: 6-21-2014
Member Is Offline
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One time moving household goods is free of charge. Just fill out a declaration that you are moving your own stuff.
I moved my entire household carrying on a huge truck (16 tons truck) towing a flat bed with no problems at all.
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Bajazly
Super Nomad
Posts: 1013
Registered: 6-4-2015
Location: Goodbye Cali and Hello San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: More Relaxed Everyday
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When they say "one time", is it one physical crossing or if you needed a couple trips would it be considered a one time move but your stuff came
across over several days or a week or two?
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Dianamo, I forgot to say CONGRATULATIONS!
I was once stopped in TJ when driving south alone and of course I had lots of clothes for my scholarship students. The female customs agent balked
at my men's clothes and I told her they belonged to my husband. She was not happy but did let me go thru. She saw my shock since I had no idea that
this would ever be an issue.
Another time we were both in the car and we had a case of wine at my feet on the passenger side. The agent asked "why so much wine?" I thought about
it for a couple seconds and answered "because I like it." Ok, she said Hahahahaa
If you are bringing obviously used items, it is most likely not going to be a problem and when they do give you a tax, it is usually quite
reasonable.
Once they turned us around and made us go from TJ to Otay.
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El Jefe
Super Nomad
Posts: 1027
Registered: 10-27-2003
Location: South East Cape
Member Is Offline
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I agree with gnukid's response. If at all possible, get rid of your old stuff and buy new down here. There is so much available now that was not just
15 years ago. And one thing for sure at the border crossing is that nothing is for sure. Every passage is a new adventure. You are at the whim of the
official of the day. You could go to all the trouble of doing everything according to Hoyle with lists and declarations and such or just drive through
with not a care in the world and your outcome might be the same. I used both methods back in the day and hated every minute of it until I was safely
past the border. Who needs that stress?
It was 4:30 in the morning 16 years ago as Paula and I pulled up to the border with our Callen camper shell loaded to the ceiling with household goods
new and used. This was the moment I had been dreading. The sleepy official trundled up to my window and looked inside to see two anxious travelers in
the loaded cab. With perceived reluctance he said that he would have to look in the back. Darn!
I got out and walked to the rear where I unlocked and opened the double doors. He visibly sagged as he looked in to see all that cargo, knowing he was
in for a bunch of work at the end of his shift. But just at that moment I had an idea. Pointing to the porta pottie and ice chest that I always kept
available near the door I asked him, "Have you ever gone camping with a woman? So much stuff you have to bring!" He looked at me with the biggest
smile, pointed down the road and said "Andale!"
I immediately confessed to Paula that I had thrown her under the buss to get free of the border, but somehow she didn't mind. All part of the
adventure.
Have a wonderful and successful move. You are going to love it down here!
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64859
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Great story, Tom!
Cheers to you and Paula...
PS, is it possible to see the movie you guys made on any streaming platform?
Was it called 'The Healer's Son'? 19 years ago...
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Mulege Canuck
Nomad
Posts: 387
Registered: 11-27-2016
Member Is Offline
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When we bought our place in Mulege, we brought down a lot of Canadian junk for our shack. Only new stuff was the mattress. Never had any questions
at the Mexicali East crossing.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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What a great photo of el jefe and la jefa!
I remembered today that a Mexican here said that his brother actually had his car confiscated when they didn't like what he was bringing back - it was
just stuff he had bought for his own house, not over the limit money-wise but none of that made a difference.
The chances of being hassled, thank goodness, are slim.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64859
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thanks, that was at my Viva Baja #2 event in San Clemente, in 2001: http://www.vivabaja.com/vivabaja2/index.html
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RocketJSquirrel
Nomad
Posts: 251
Registered: 8-3-2019
Member Is Offline
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Bullwinkle and I would enjoy attending the next event.
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CasaMaximus
Banned
Posts: 68
Registered: 9-17-2020
Member Is Offline
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What El Jefe said. Welcome!
[Edited on 9-17-2020 by CasaMaximus]
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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That is the best one I have seen, Dough!
Thanks for the information!
There are so many people who wish to move here, now I have a great advice resource!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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