Moving to Spain: What to bring/What to leave behind
One of the biggest decisions when moving is what to take with you and what to leave behind. This is doubly true when the move is to another country and moving costs and ease of replacement become major factors.
There’s no one answer to the above question. It’s a personal issue that varies greatly between individuals. I talked about our experience in this article. Here, I’m going to offer specific suggestions and important things to consider. I’m also making the assumption that the move is from the US.
Get rid of things that include a motor
Power in the US is 110–120V (60 Hz) whereas power in Spain (and many other countries) is 220–240V (50 Hz). Things that don’t have a motor, such as a table lamp, are easy to adapt. Replacing the actual US-style plug with a European standard plug (and swapping light bulbs) is all that is required. Or you can use an adapter that converts from one plug configuration to the other.
Things with motors, however, are a different story. You cannot plug something with a 60 Hz motor (e.g., hair dryer, blender, drill, etc.) into an adapter and expect it to work. Instead, expect it to start smoking and die.
You can use a voltage & frequency converter (VFC), but you’ll need one for every location where you plug in US-standard appliances. We have friends who did this and they’re happy. Just realize these VFCs take up counter, wall, or floor space. And they aren’t cheap. Be sure to consider both your available space and the cost of VFC units vs replacing small appliances. In our case, replacing made more sense.
Note: Some electronics and appliances are switchable from US power standards to EU standards. Our big screen TV, for example, had a switch on the back for 110–120V (60 Hz) vs 220–240V (50 Hz).
Purge all but the most special collections, keepsakes, and art
If you are like me you have collections packed away or on display and keepsakes in the same two categories. Most houses/flats in Spain are smaller than most houses/apartments in the US. You may find that you don’t have the space in rooms for display shelves. You probably don’t have the same amount of storage space for boxes, either.
Collections and keepsakes can be some of our most personal and prized possessions. My suggestion is to keep only those that are most precious and take pictures of everything else. This part of the move process was one of my most difficult. I had over 75 tiki mugs, 150 unique martini glasses, and close to 100 mermaid figurines, paintings, statues, etc. I had been collecting all these things for years, but I realized that not only did my new home not have the space, the “theme” was going to be very different.
I went through everything and chose one tiki mug, four martini glasses, and a small handful of mermaids with the most important memories. I took pictures of everything else so I still have a way to look at them and enjoy their memories. I eliminated almost 100% of my childhood keepsakes. They were packed in boxes in a storage room. I hadn’t looked at them for years. I spent a day going through them and taking pictures. Then I closed the boxes and walked away. I never asked the estate sale company what they did with them. I have my pictures and that’s good enough.
Art is one place I’d make an exception to the “purge, purge, purge” rule. A few pieces of art you’ve collected and proudly displayed in your home can help your new home in Spain immediately feel like yours and keep ties to places and people who matter to you.
Avoid moving books
I get it. I loved my books. I love to read. But there are two big problems with books: they are heavy, and therefore expensive to move, and they take up a lot of space in a home.
I had ten, yes TEN, bookcases full of books. I also had the space for them. Many of my books I’d already read multiple times and there were many more in the “I’ll read these someday” category.
Books can be replaced. Also, digital copies take up zero space in a home. Although I’m old school and still prefer physical books, I am also a realist about the advantages of digital copies. I can own thousands of digital books and not need a single bookcase.
Our home in Spain is smaller with a more open floor plan, and therefore fewer walls for bookcases. We pared our ten bookcases down two two copy-paper sized boxes. One each. I kept only the irreplaceable, beloved first editions and personally signed books. Everything else stayed behind.
Bring few clothes
I was recovering from foot surgery before the move (one of the most stupid things I’ve done in my life) and trying on all my clothes and shoes felt impossible. I brought everything with me. I wish now I’d brought almost nothing.
First, styles are different between the US and Spain. Even international chains like Zara and H&M don’t carry the same clothes in different countries. If you wear your US clothes here you’ll end up looking like a tourist instead of a resident. The differences are subtle but they are there nonetheless.
Second, you’ll likely change sizes after moving. The Mediterranean diet is generally leaner and healthier. You’ll probably walk more. Most people lose weight after moving to Europe. I was quite sick before moving and had lost an unhealthy amount of weight. I actually gained weight after moving because I got well here. Not long after moving I found that almost nothing I moved fit anymore. I paid to move things I ended up donating to a local charity.
Bring enough clothes to “tide you over” and have fun finding new clothes with a more European/Spanish style to them.
Don’t bring your motor vehicle
One of the most common questions in the expat-related groups on social media sites is whether or not to bring a car or motorcycle. With few exceptions, the best answer is: no.
There are several key reasons for leaving your vehicle behind:
- Vehicles must meet EU standards
The vehicle must undergo testing and certification before it can be registered in Spain. Any vehicle imported from the US (or any country outside the EU) must undergo homologation and be certified by the manufacturer or an officially recognized laboratory. Homologation (homologación) is the procedure by which vehicles are modified/updated to comply with specific safety and other requirements. It’s a long, expensive, and complicated process and the information demanded by the authorities often varies with the region of Spain. - You’re stuck for one year
This might not matter, but it’s important to know. A vehicle imported tax and duty-free into Spain must not be sold, rented, or transferred within one year of its registration. - It’s expensive
Cost to prepare and ship a car from the US to Spain can be several thousand dollars. If the car reaches customs and the inspectors decide it doesn’t meet EU requirements (Spanish bureaucracy is notoriously anal about these things) you will not be able to register or drive the vehicle until necessary changes are made. Not only will you likely have to rent a car for the duration, you’ll have to find a reliable mechanic in a country where you know almost no one. Not to mention they may charge you a storage fee in the meantime. - It can take a while
The estimated length of time for transporting a vehicle from the US to Spain is typically 4–8 weeks, depending on the port of departure, port of arrival, and method of transport. This timeframe assumes that you submit all the required documents to the transport company and government entities properly filled out and in a timely manner, the vehicle is prepared to depart, there’s no delay from the shipping company due to waiting for other vehicles to fill a shipping container, and there’s no delay at customs in Spain because the vehicle fails to meet EU requirements. - Maintenance can get complicated
Depending on the make/model/year of the vehicle, service can be problematic. Most mechanics aren’t familiar with US vehicles here, they may be lacking necessary specialty tools, and they may have trouble getting replacement parts. - Driving them can be a challenge
First, gas here is much more expensive than in the US, and most American cars are not as fuel efficient as European models. Second, many American cars are on the larger side, especially compared to European cars. There are countless roads, parking garages, and parking spaces where an American car just won’t fit.
There are excellent and affordable cars here in Spain. For example, SEAT (an acronym for Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo that is pronounced say-aht) is a Spanish car manufacturer. It sells its vehicles under the SEAT and Cupra brands. SEAT was founded in 1950 and quickly became the largest supplier of cars in Spain. In 1986, the Spanish government sold SEAT to the Volkswagen Group. SEAT is now a wholly owned subsidiary. Their cars offer excellent quality and service is affordable and easy to find.
This is our SEAT Ateca. Eric ordered it from their website before we even moved. The car was ready for us shortly after we arrived.
The bottom line is to bring things that are irreplaceable and uniquely important to you. Don’t bring furniture unless it is an heirloom you cannot part with. Don’t bother with things that are easily replaced. Before our move, Eric ran multiple calculations on cost-to-ship vs cost-to-replace. For the most part, the cost-to-ship wasn’t worth it. We also had fun furnishing our new place. It really did feel like a fresh start and new beginning.
You’re moving to a whole new country with a different lifestyle, different architecture styles, and different culture. Why not take advantage and let yourself become somewhat of a new person. That’s part of the fun!
