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-   -   Furniture help please! (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/furniture-help-please-180242/)

weefi Sep 23rd 2003 1:45 pm

Furniture help please!
 
Hi,
I have been organising my move with the intention of buying furniture when I get out to Brisbane but havin read some threads here I'm wondering if this is a good idea. Would it be more economic in the long run to buy stuff here and ship it,less hassle too I suppose?
Help please:)
Cheers
Fi

HUP Sep 23rd 2003 1:50 pm

Re: Furniture help please!
 

Originally posted by weefi
but havin read some threads
I think if you read some more threads the concencus is take all that you can (If it aint knackered) Thats what we are doing. Look closely at the things that you are advised not to take.

Debate rages over things like tv's. Again there are lots of threads on this as well. We are taking our big TV and even if we don't get it adapted the kids (and dad) will have a great Playstation console.

Your gonna have lots else to do rebuilding your life without having to spend all that time buying everything again and you'll get bugger all for the stuff you sell here

Kenand Nel Sep 23rd 2003 1:56 pm

Fi,

You have 2 options.

1. Turn up in Oz with your hand luggage
or
2. Ship as much as you can out to Oz.

If you go with 1 you will have to have a great deal of cash. You will have to buy everything from beds to pots and pans which will not be cheap. You could get a lot of stuff from the OP shop ..........( OP shops are great - better than Charity shops in the UK )

If you decide that there is some stuff you want to ship, i.e. sentimental stuff like 40 years of birthday cards, family photos, favourite books, your best china etc then you are going to have it shipped. This means you either make up a small load which will be shipped as a part load or you get together a bigger load and put it in a container.

You have to decide but when we looked at it and decided to ship a 20foot container we decided to take almost everything we have and sort it out at the other end.

Look back at some of the other posts - Mr Mover is very helpful..

Ken

Sandra Sep 23rd 2003 2:04 pm

It depends on your furniture? And what bits you mean. Lounge suite...is yours nice or falling apart? How long are you planning to spend before buying a place, are you renting an apartment?

Ok few ideas to plan - lots of the houses here (if you are planning on renting or buying a house, have a lounge room and a rumpus or extra sort of room. So in our case we had a couple of two seaters from sofas direct (cheapish UK internet site) not the best, owned them about two years...we bought them and used them in the rental. Then when we bought a house they came too, they are in the extra space in the extra room - comfy for kids etc. We bought a new leather one over here after 16 months and spent a fortune for our AUS income $8000. Yes they come cheaper but we wanted an italian one!

Basically every piece of furtniture we bought over we have found a use for. I would not have bought any furtniture new to ship only because I did not know what type of house and size and decor we would have.

When costing a container talk to the people you have round to quote and ask them what adds or doesn't add that much to the space you are buying. A large wooden pine dresser was coming with us come rain or shine (just pieces I like) Garden furtniture was being left....until packing day and because we paid for single load, we starting filling up the rest of the space. Not one piece have I regreted bringing. Lots of things we haven't used that much (especially as some of them remained boxed while in rented accommodation) but the joy of unpacking 'our stuff' it was like Christmas when we finally were able to put up pictures etc.

It is all personal choice of course, but it amazing on this site to hear the same thing said again and again....bring the lot!

Cheers and happy packing

weefi Sep 23rd 2003 2:29 pm


Originally posted by Sandra
It depends on your furniture? And what bits you mean. Lounge suite...is yours nice or falling apart? How long are you planning to spend before buying a place, are you renting an apartment?

Ok few ideas to plan - lots of the houses here (if you are planning on renting or buying a house, have a lounge room and a rumpus or extra sort of room. So in our case we had a couple of two seaters from sofas direct (cheapish UK internet site) not the best, owned them about two years...we bought them and used them in the rental. Then when we bought a house they came too, they are in the extra space in the extra room - comfy for kids etc. We bought a new leather one over here after 16 months and spent a fortune for our AUS income $8000. Yes they come cheaper but we wanted an italian one!

Basically every piece of furtniture we bought over we have found a use for. I would not have bought any furtniture new to ship only because I did not know what type of house and size and decor we would have.

When costing a container talk to the people you have round to quote and ask them what adds or doesn't add that much to the space you are buying. A large wooden pine dresser was coming with us come rain or shine (just pieces I like) Garden furtniture was being left....until packing day and because we paid for single load, we starting filling up the rest of the space. Not one piece have I regreted bringing. Lots of things we haven't used that much (especially as some of them remained boxed while in rented accommodation) but the joy of unpacking 'our stuff' it was like Christmas when we finally were able to put up pictures etc.

It is all personal choice of course, but it amazing on this site to hear the same thing said again and again....bring the lot!

Cheers and happy packing


Thanks for the advice folks,
I'm taking loads of sentimental stuff and pots,pans etc,its just furniture I don't have cos I'm moving from a rented furnished place here.Is it worth buying essentials before I go,or just save my £ to spend over there?:confused:
Just want to be there and set up!!

Sandra Sep 23rd 2003 2:44 pm

In your case then take what you have save the pounds and spend dollars....and have fun doing it. For the most part when people are saying bring the heap they have it already. In your case you can buy new and get all the guarantees etc sorted in Aus. You are going to have expense one end or the other and the simplest seems to be get over here and have fun......

This is my opinion only...other might have one or two ideas about certain items to bring out that you cannot get easily here. Ann Summers seemed to be one people mentioned????? :D

Cheers

suffolkdiva Sep 23rd 2003 3:11 pm

The way we decided what to bring, was to think what we would have brought with us if we were moving to another house in the UK. If you would take it there, then take it to Aus.

We always said we would move before the children started school but for various reasons never got round to it. Consequently, we haven't bought a lot of new furniture or TVs etc, cos we were always waiting for our big move when we would really treat ourselves.

So we are going with a few pieces that we really like and are in good condition, all our kitchen and personal stuff and things like the dining room table, which must be over 20 yrs old as we bought it 2nd hand, and the leg was rickety then, are finally going to furniture heaven!

We often asked shippers when they came to quote to tell us a cubic footage and a price for individual items as that can really help you to decide.

Kiwipaul Sep 23rd 2003 10:43 pm

Agree with Sandra don't buy it new in the UK just to ship to Oz. Another thing to bear in mind if you buy new in the Uk, is that you will be liable for gst on anything less than 12 months old, you can generally get away with the odd item but if everything looks brand new the customs might slug you this tax even if you didn't declare it was new. If you declare it's less than 12 months old you will pay 10% gst, if you don't declare it's new and they think it is you will pay 10% gst and a penalty.

So forget the hassle and buy here.

weefi Sep 23rd 2003 11:08 pm


Originally posted by Kiwipaul
Agree with Sandra don't buy it new in the UK just to ship to Oz. Another thing to bear in mind if you buy new in the Uk, is that you will be liable for gst on anything less than 12 months old, you can generally get away with the odd item but if everything looks brand new the customs might slug you this tax even if you didn't declare it was new. If you declare it's less than 12 months old you will pay 10% gst, if you don't declare it's new and they think it is you will pay 10% gst and a penalty.

So forget the hassle and buy here.

Hadn't thought of GST lark. Cheers Paul.
Must get my worldly goods packed up and off to Brisvegas ASAP!


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