So you’ve got orders to South Korea & you’ve discovered that the Army will only allow you to bring so much weight. They’re great at telling you all the regs, but not so great at telling you all the little details that you’re most concerned aabout.

Don’t panic.

The list below (while not yet complete) is a good starting point of what to add to your ‘bring to Korea’ list. Keep in mind, this is just the opinion of a lowly wife at Camp Humphreys – and what works for me, might not work for you.

But based on my experiences here, this is what I would recommend for you. If you don’t see something on the lists below, feel free to shoot me an email & ask away!

Last Updated: 7/11/2010

Absolute Must’s

• Comfort items (see further explanation below)
• Mattresses (keep in mind King sized beds may / may not fit – or at the very least be extremely tight)
• All your kitchen items
• Christmas decorations & fake Christmas tree (the base will sell live trees at the last moment, but the number is limited)
• Sheets, linens
• Curtains & rods
• Art supplies, craft supplies
• High-end salon or make-up products you can’t live without
• Bicycles, kids sporting equipment
• Music, all your DVDs
• At least one formal dress with shoes & accessories
• Good winter coats for everyone, snow boots, wool socks, gloves, scarves & hats

Optional, but Replaceable Here

• Small to mid-sized BBQ Grills (only available seasonally)
• Camping gear

Leave At Home

• Washer & dryer (you’ll be issued American made ones here)
• Expensive china, crystal or silver – unless you just can’t live without it
• Your most fragile Christmas decorations

Comfort Items

While the list below may seem trivial & you may consider leaving this stuff behind in order to save weight, stop & consider this. At some point, you will be homesick. Not just once, not just twice. True, out & out, why-did-I-ever-agree-to-come-here homesick.

So look around your house. What makes you smile? What would you miss terribly even if it’s of no value? What things make your house feel like a home? If you were on a deserted island…what would you want with you?

Now ask that question to your husband & your kids. They’ll need comfort items, too. So to give you an idea of what I’m talking about, here’s what I wish I had brought:

• Artwork, not all of it – but more pieces
• More of my home decor’ – silk orchids, vases, etc.
• A few of my less-fragile Christmas decorations – I didn’t bring any & bought new (read ugly) stuff here.
• A few of my side tables – they’re much prettier than Army issue
• My couch – while at the time I thought it would be too massive to fit, I still miss it
• My living room rug
• All of my DVD’s, not just the few I picked
• Family photographs – I left them all at home