So after a year or so I get my visa to move to Oz, I then get a buyer for my house..... but what about all my stuff? To Bring or not to bring, that is the question!

Any expats that have made the big move - what is a must to take and what should be left?

I know this is a bit subjective but everone must have given this one some thought.

Any tips or pointers please.....

In general - my opinion at least - one should:

LEAVE - junk and anything impractical to take (eg cordless phone, fridge, most TVs/VCRs)

BRING - everything else.

Jeremy

We don't have any furniture to bring, 'cus we were given a lot of second hand furniture when we were married, and we are selling all our furniture to a friend when we leave the country. But I would say that look at the monetry value of things that aren't sentimental in value and work out the price of shipping it out if shipping it costs more than it is worth maybe best not to bother. Having said that some people have posted that decent furniture is hard to get in Oz, which I'm not sure can be true when they have Ikea lol.

Good luck from Katie

IKEA is in most major cities in Aus, also look at Freedom, they have beautiful things. Can't understand why anyone would say good furniture is hard to find!!
KAZ

Hi Kaz maybe you are another Ikea fiend. I love Ikea and have really missed it living in Northern Ireland, there is not an Ikea store in the whole of Ireland. I am really looking forward to going shopping with my sister in Ikea to get housey things, she is also a fan.

We're taking the lot apart from the fidge.

Good luck

Walla

Apart fom the Ikea fiends...if you are happy with cheap stuff - stacks of plastic drawers and cheap MFI type, or have lot of dosh for top of the range gear, you'll be fine. The problem in Oz - as we discussed on here a few weeks back, is finding mid-range priced stuff.

Besides the cost, you will also be unfamiliar with places to buy from, and will have better things to do in your first few months

Bring all your gear!

Bring............................................. lots and lots of $$$$$$$$$$$$$








and some for me too please.

We brought all our stuff, except for the TV and the fridge/freezer.

When we finally saw all our furniture and other things - our place immediately felt more like our home. The familiarality did us a world of good. We don't have really expensive furniture, probably what you would call mid-range - with a few bits of cheapo ikea in-between.

Thats exactly the same as me - I actually brought very little furniture as The Bloke already has his own stuff, but the couple of bits I did bring made a big difference to the feeling of being at home. Same with ornaments - bring some with you on the plane and put them up at once while you wait for the shipping - gives the place a feeling of familiarity, even even they are only a few small things.

On the same tack, I found that a few framed pics of Uk family/friends also helped make me feel 'at home'. And, of course, a pile of my fave books!

Anya.

Zapprabbit,
i'm up for taking the Lot, appart from some old furnature that's the wife dosen't like.

The real question you have to ask is can you afford to replace everything. The last time I did the house contents I valued it at £40K now I know some of that won't be comming, but that still leaves a big bill.

I figured that I can put it all of the stuff have to good use.
Probably have the quaranteen people lookingat all my pine furnature, but it will make the place home.

Bye
Mark

We will be taking some ornaments and sentimental stuff. When you start out fresh and you are building your home from scratch again, its hard to beat Ikea. Its accessible and well priced - sure it wont last to pass down to your kids, but its perfect for getting set up, comfortable and well designed.

We are in a different situation though having no furniture to bring out, I can understand if you have furniture you love wanting to bring it out, I understand that it costs a lot to ship out stuff, then there is quarantine costs on top of that.

Good luck with what you decide.

From Katie

Help!!

After reading this thread its got me thinkin'.
This probably seems like a thick question but Im just wonderin can you take antique furniture out to Oz?? Its more sentimental than anything.
Im unsure as to whether its a good idea, I wouldnt want it to be devoured by termites??!!! Am I right to presume it can be treated to prevent this happening?? Also the question as to whether antique stuff would look out of place in an australian house??

Thanks, Cheeky

Hi ,
we havent got our visa yet ,but we have had a couple of costings for shipping our stuff to Brisbane, both quotes were about the £2000 range we are taking Smeg Range (cooker), American style fridge fortunatly its not got C.F.C's in it (the guys who priced our shipping said a new law had been passed in Australia regarding these gases) a Victorian bed room suite,
2 oak sideboards,2 oak tables with barley twist legs,2 victorian nursing chairs,2 leather sofas,2 70's black faux leather swivel chairs, the T.V 42" screen and about 20 boxes, 2 of the boxes contain nice bedding bought from various places this seems expensive in Australia ,. we have had to get rid of lots of furniture and just have picked the items that mean things to us . My friend took all what I thought what was rubbish,went to a boot sale and brought back £300.00 needless to say gave her half of the money.(I was at work and unable to go to boot sale), we are how ever having to leave one bed room suite it has got untreated cane products in headboard and side tables and shippers said customs could be funny about this.
hope this Helps.
Dawn