More often than not when you make the move to Roatan the home you rent or purchase on the island will be furnished; including dishes, other kitchen stuff, and linens.
Chances are though you will have items from wherever you are moving from that you will want to bring with you—those bits and pieces that are a part of your everyday life.
However when you move to Roatan your priorities of what you need to set up house and home will change; some by choosing a simpler, less cluttered lifestyle, and others because… well… chances are it isn’t going to survive here!
A lot of what you may need or want can now be found on Roatan compared to when I moved here. I never realized how important coat hangers were until the previous owner of my cabana took them all with them when they moved out. It took me two weeks of searching every store in my quest to get my clothes hung up. I finally found some in the Fruit & Veggie Market in Coxen Hole. Silly me, I had been looking in hardware stores and at the Carrion—Roatan’s version of a Walmart; which is absolutely nothing like a Walmart. You no longer need to worry about bringing coat hangers when you move to Roatan; there are many places that carry them. If you do decide to bring some though just make sure they are plastic! Guaranteed, metal ones will rust, and that sheet of paper covering the metal frame will go mouldy!
Here is my list of must bring items to Roatan:
• a stainless steel (heavy duty) cheese grater
• a stainless steel (heavy duty) can opener
• those little silica packets in shoe boxes (don’t bring the shoes)
• zip-lock bags in various sizes; including extra, extra large, for storing… everything!
• a Swiffer Sweeper Vac and numerous packages of Swiffer dust clothes and filters
• tri-light bulbs
• a cooling fan for laptop
• crank flashlight
• Yorkshire pudding mix—if you like Yorkshire pudding but not to make it from scratch
• acrylic paints and brushes—or your preferred art & craft supplies
• needles, thread, sewing accessories—that I store in a zip lock baggy with those silica packets from the shoe boxes
• extra batteries, cords, accessories for computer and camera equipment
• An English calendar—not that I worry too much what day it is, but I always have had a calendar on the fridge—habit.
• Feather and down pillows
• bedding / linens—still not much to choose from on Roatan
• Couch (sofa) with springs & frame, and puffy cushy cushions … I haven’t got one yet, but trust me I will one of these days. On those evenings when I want to kick back and relax on the couch, it ain’t gonna happen unless I bring my own!
What NOT to bring
• an alarm clock—being on time for something on Roatan is to be at least a ½ hour late.
• rollerblades—majority of paths are loose stones or sand, not so good for rollerblading
• an iron—the humidity will remove all wrinkles
• metal heirloom picture frames—they will rust through in no time
• any pieces (furniture) made from fake wood—termite candy
• any article of clothing that you never wear, but think you might—it will go mouldy
• chairs or stools covered in plastic—sweaty, sweaty, sweaty
• Leather stuff—I brought one leather belt… anytime I wear it I have to wipe the mould off first!
So what about you? Getting ready to make the move, what would be on your list of must bring?
Just remember when you make the move to Roatan, you’ll be too busy doing stuff to worry about what stuff you brought to Paradise!
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Genny Ross-Barons moved to Roatan, Honduras in 2007 where she shares a cabana with her husband and island dog Mona in Sandy Bay, Roatan.
She spends her day-to-day life and ‘positive initiatives’ on Roatan, sharing untold stories through her blog ‘Life & Writing, on Roatan’
