Yarn Stash and Canada Customs....

[yarnyviolet]

As I have mentioned before I am a Canadian married to a British soldier. We have bought a home now in the part of Canada we want to live and I am moving back in a month or so. My husband has a year and a half before he retires but there is a good chance he will be away for at least six months in that time and I would rather be in Canada than Germany.

 

So, I look up on the internet about bringing belongings back into Canada duty free. They had a hobby category but it said the items had to be used and I wasn't sure how that applied to yarn. It also stated I had to itemize and give a value for every item. I decided to phone them up. Needless to say to amuse himself my husband was right beside me as I asked the customs people questions about bringing my yarn stash into the country. I first asked the man about the used part and he said that yarn would be ok as you couldn't really use it or it would be something. Then I asked him about itemizing it and asked if I could just give a total weight of all the yarn. He asked how much yarn I had and I said maybe 10 kilos (my husband was making faces because he thinks it is more like 100). He said I could do that or break it down into how many skeins I had and then wanted to know if skeins was the right word. The worst part was that all the items I declare have to either enter the country or follow me so I won't have much yarn when I move back home. I am sure the customs people will be laughing for days about me. People just don't understand....

 

Anyways wish me luck getting my yarn in the country. I must have yarn!

 

Rachel

[MarvieN]

Good luck with your move! I'm almost dreading the time when we PCS back and the movers see all of my yarn stash, which isn't all in one place so they'll be discovering it in nearly every room rofl. I kinda hope hubby isn't home when they pack us out so he doesn't actually see it all *g* he knows I have a lot, but he doesn't know just *how* much

[eurolyons]

As much as I want to move back to the states in the next year or two, certainly by 2008, I'm not looking forward to this part of it...it was so much easier when we moved here...we just mailed 13 boxes of stuff and took 4 bags each with us on the plane and that was it...bought everything else as we needed it...but going back with be a full on move...and we have a full house...sure some of it will be downsized...but still...regarding the yarn though...you've just motivated me to keep my stash down...meaning, whatever I buy should be made into something as much as possible. I'm sure I'll still have a packing box or two (maybe three) of yarn...(I don't even want to think about the rubberstamps, fabric, sewing notions and Barbies and board games...)

 

Good luck with your move...what part of Canada will you be moving to?

[yarnyviolet]

I am moving to the beautiful Yukon. I lived there in there 90s for 6 months and have always wanted to move back. We found a really cheap duplex/semi-detached and decided to buy it or I would have had more time to de-stash. I think we will do what you did moving over to Europe Eurolyons and just mail a few things we really want. I am flying Canadian Affair from London after I sell our british car there. They are one of the cheapest but have a small weight limit and my 4 month old doesn't even have a weight limit. She has the most stuff!

 

A year from now I will look back and laugh I am sure but right now I am stressed.

 

Rachel

[eurolyons]

Yeah, I was pretty stressed moving over because it was my first time even going to Europe, much less moving there...

 

Good luck with your move Rachel...

[Sakkasie]

I am moving to the beautiful Yukon. I lived there in there 90s for 6 months and have always wanted to move back.

 

Rachel,

 

My Mom lived in Whitehorse for five years and I think it's probably the most beautiful place on Earth. Even when it's -40 degrees. Good luck with your move, I envy you.

 

April

[yarnyviolet]

Whitehorse is gorgeous. I will be a little north of there. I am very stressed about the move. The logical side says I don't need to bring anything but clothes but the more sentimental side wants to bring more. My husband isn't flying with me so really I can't bring too much on the flight with a 2 year old and little baby. However we got the 3 bedroom duplex for $22 000 Canadian so we saved a lot of money and won't need a mortgage. It needs some paint and a fence etc. but what can you expect for that price. It is move-in-able. The town is surrounded by mountains and trees so the views are gorgeous but all the Yukon is gorgeous in my opinion. It is cold but not much colder than Alberta where I grew up.

 

I just have to keep looking at the positive side to get through this really stressful time. If I was moving to the UK I would have a lot more help but the military won't help at all with this move which is too bad. They didn't help with my move over here either so I just showed up with my bags and a cat 14 weeks pregnant at the airport. I never want to move again.

 

Rachel