Housing accomodations for travelers

[lizbern]

I will be starting as a traveler next month and I have some general questions regarding the housing. I am going with the option of letting the agency provide housing for me since this will be my first time, it will be a lot less hassle. I am trying to figure out what I need to bring and what is provided. Do I need to bring silverware, plates, cups, sheets, shower curtain, tv? I know they provide basic things as far as couch and bed but I am looking for more information and what I should expect to bring and what to put in storage. Any answers will be helpful!! Thanks

[sweetgurly25]

you would have to ask your agency if the housing comes with all that because they can provide that for you but it might cost extra.

[Traveler4life]

I always bring my own towels and linens, a few of my favorite kitchen items, and my own audio/video set up. You can ask your housing department for a list of exactly what is provided. We never take the housewares package....it just isn't worth the dollars! We just hit up a dollar store or thrift store and pick up things like plates, cups, bowls, etc. That way when you are done with your assignment you can donate it back to goodwill and move on. It's inexpensive AND more importantly allows you to travel lite. Less is more when you are packing and unpacking every 13 weeks!

Good luck with your first assignment!!

[NedRN]

Bring housewares: sheets, pillows, towels, dishes and cookware. Usually all that stuff takes up one large plastic box for me including the usual stuff you need like dish soap, scrubbies, olive oil and the like (except pillows). Yes, picking stuff up from thrift stores is an option. I've furnished several places completely from Craigslist free ads but doing that and cruising moving sales does take time (talking unfurnished apartments here). When I first started traveling, I took the furnished agency provided housing several times. I discovered that mattresses from the furniture rental places always come covered in plastic. A little packing tape and voila: instant shower curtain! OK, incredibly cheap I know, but I refuse to carry a shower curtain and buying a new (albeit stinky) plastic one is relatively cheap until you consider the hangers.