Before moving or making a long trip to the United States, it is important to prepare your medical records in advance. This matters especially for families with children, for people who take medicines regularly, and for anyone who needs to continue treatment after arriving.
Well-prepared records help you explain your medical history to a doctor more quickly, confirm the vaccinations you have had, and avoid repeating tests or procedures that have already been done.
Documents and organisers
Before the move it is worth buying a good folder or document organiser. In the first few weeks you will be reaching constantly for your passport, visa papers, medical certificates, driving licence, certificates and other documents.
It is better to keep originals separately from copies, and to keep the most important documents in electronic form as well. Small clear wallets or folders are also useful, so that documents do not get creased or lost during the flight.
Chargers and adapters
The electrical system in the United States differs from the one used in many other countries. American sockets run at about 120 V and household sockets are a different shape. So it is worth checking all the equipment you plan to bring in advance.
It is particularly useful to buy:
- an adapter for US sockets;
- a universal adapter;
- charging cables;
- a spare power supply;
- a power bank.
If a charger says, for example, 100–240 V, it is normally designed to work on different supplies. Devices made for one voltage only, though, may need an additional converter or may turn out to be unusable altogether.
A first-aid kit with the things you are used to
A small travel first-aid kit can be very useful in the first days after you arrive. Even if you plan to buy medicines in the United States, it can be more convenient to have some familiar remedies to hand.
You can put together in advance the basic remedies you normally use for minor everyday problems. Medicines do call for caution, though. Before carrying prescription medicines and anything containing controlled substances, check the American requirements on bringing them in. It is especially important to carry medicines in their original packaging and, if they were prescribed by a doctor, to have the supporting documents.
Personal care items
There is no need to bring a large stock of shampoo, soap or toothpaste — all of that is easy to buy in the United States. But a small set for the first few days is enough to save you having to look for a shop straight after a long flight.
Into your travel bag you can put a toothbrush, toothpaste, a small pack of toiletries and other familiar items you will need as soon as you arrive.
Clothing for the season
Before buying clothes, think about the climate of the particular state and city you are moving to. Do not buy huge quantities of things just because they are cheaper at home. Clothes can be bought in almost any city in the United States, and seasonal sales often make substantial savings possible.
Before the move it is better to buy the things you will need in the first few weeks: comfortable shoes, underwear, basic clothing and clothes for the season. If you are moving to a cold region in winter, good warm clothes and footwear can matter a great deal right after you arrive.
Comfortable shoes
Good comfortable shoes belong on the list of priority purchases. In the first weeks after the move you may have to walk a lot: to government offices, banks, shops, interviews and other places.
Comfortable trainers or other everyday shoes will therefore be more useful than several pairs that simply take up space in your luggage.
A small day bag
A separate small bag or rucksack will come in handy almost every day. It can hold documents, your phone, a charger, water, a small first-aid kit and other necessities. A rucksack you can use both on the flight and, after you arrive, for work or study is particularly convenient.
Useful things for children
If you are moving with children, prepare a small set of things in advance that they will need on the journey and in the first few days. That might be a favourite toy, familiar toiletries, a few sets of clothes, school supplies and other small items that will help the child settle in more easily.
Do not buy too many children's things before the trip. There is a wide choice of clothes, toys and school supplies in the United States, so shipping bulky items usually makes little sense.
A laptop and the devices you need
If you plan to work or study in the United States, you may need a laptop or tablet almost straight away. That is especially true for remote work, online study, job hunting and dealing with various documents over the internet.
If you already have a device and it works properly, there is no need to buy a new one specially before the move. But before you travel it is worth checking the charger, the cables and whether it can be plugged into the American mains.
Glasses and contact lenses
If you wear glasses or contact lenses all the time, it makes sense to prepare a supply in advance. Losing your glasses or running short of lenses in the first weeks can cause needless difficulty. So take a spare pair of glasses and enough lenses for the transition period. If you have a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, it is useful to keep it in electronic form.
Cosmetics and familiar toiletries
You can buy favourite cosmetics or toiletries in advance if you know for certain that they will be hard to find quickly in the United States. That applies particularly to certain brands or products sold only in your own country.
But the same rule applies here: there is no need to stock up for several years. Better to take a small supply and, once you have moved, see what equivalents are available on the American market.
A small supply of familiar foods
Many people want to bring favourite foods from home. This is exactly where American customs and agricultural rules matter. Meat, some dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, seeds, plants and other agricultural goods can be restricted.
So a food that seems perfectly ordinary should not go into the suitcase automatically. Check the current CBP and USDA requirements before you travel.
What not to buy
There is a category of things that it usually makes no sense to buy in advance purely for the move.
There is no need, for example, to stock up unnecessarily on large quantities of:
- crockery;
- household cleaning products;
- furniture;
- large appliances;
- bed linen;
- bulky items of home furnishing;
- foods with a short shelf life.
Things like these take up a lot of space and push up the cost of shipping. In most cases it is simpler to buy them after you arrive, when you already know the size of your home and what you actually need.
What is better bought in advance and what in the United States
Before the move it helps to draw up two separate lists. Buy in advance: documents and folders, adapters, chargers, the medicines you need, glasses, contact lenses, seasonal clothing, comfortable shoes and small personal items.
Buy after you arrive: furniture, large appliances, crockery, cleaning products, most foods and other bulky goods. This approach keeps your luggage from being overloaded while still giving you everything you need for the first few days.
Check the restrictions on what you can carry
Before packing your suitcases, check not only the weight of your baggage but also the rules on carrying particular items. Some things may be prohibited or restricted by the airline, and foods, plants, medicines and other goods may be subject to American customs requirements.
If you are unsure about a particular item, it is better to check the rules in advance than to run into a problem at the airport.
Make a list before you buy
A good way not to spend more than you need to is to make a list before you go to the shops.
Split it into three groups: Absolutely necessary — things you will struggle without in the first days. Desirable — things that will make settling in more comfortable. Can be bought later — goods you can easily do without at first.
That way you can keep costs under control and stop preparing for the move turning into endless shopping.
Before moving to the United States it is better not to buy everything in sight, but only the things you will genuinely need as soon as you arrive or that are hard to replace quickly.
Pay particular attention to documents, adapters, chargers, medicines, glasses, seasonal clothing and comfortable shoes. Other goods — especially furniture, large appliances and household items — are in many cases better bought once you are in the United States.
The point of preparing this way is not to fill your suitcases to the brim but to make the first weeks after the move as comfortable and orderly as possible.
End of the article.
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