leaving everything behind
 

A lot of postings seem to be about what to/not to ship. Are there many of you who have left for Oz with just a suitcase of clothes?

We intend to do just that and leave all our clutter behind (furniture, pc, tv, playstation (working on the kids to do that) and start over once we arrive. Anyone with experiences of this they would like to share, good or bad don't hold back.

I think you might find it easier said than done - especially with kids. A lot of stuff you can get rid of, its the perfect chance for a new start. But its when you actually start looking at things like favourite books and CDs, and all those personal things that everyone accumulates. I've even got mugs that have sentimental value!( I know, thats really sad!)
If you can do it, congrats; I know I couldn't!

I just can't get my head round dragging a load of MFI/Ikea type furniture half way round the world.

Maybe you've got a point re CDs, books etc. Maybe we should start sorting the "can and can't live without" personal stuff to see if we can condense the latter to fit a pallet.

Mind you Ive heard a horror story about ships captains being able to ditch containers overboard if they believe the ship to be in trouble. I wouldn't like to think i've taken all that care wrapping and packing for either the crew to pillage my stuff or the captain to take a dislike to the container it's being transported in.

A tricky dilema.

we have had a good sort out but could never settle without personal bits and pieces .Also have promised our kids that they can take everything and redeocrate own bedrooms gives them some order

Regards Sally

ships do lose containers overboard. The rubber ducks that loated around the sea for years, were from a container that was washed overboard.

Captains can also jetterson cargo to save the ship. After all it's not worth it all going down , and the crew drowning, for the sake of a few containers.

If however your goods are washed/pushed overboard, you do get the insurance money

Maybe go without the furniture, but I am sure there will be loads of things that you will not be able to ditch when the crunch comes. And it will probably be nice to see a few familiar things in your new house. Also what about the cost of replacing absolutely everything, that will be a fortune and will really eat into the cash you take with you.

We planned on doing the same thing, but after assessing just how much time and money it would cost us, and reading what every one else had to say about regretting that they didn't take more stuff with them, we decided that we would take as much as we can.
Removals in today. PSS. Recommend so far. Glad we made this decision in the end.


Whisky

Re: leaving everything behind
 

Hi arg

We're doing the exact same thing, going to a few car boot sales, friends and family want some stuff too. Like you say, i can't really see the point of hauling all your home contents halfway across the world.
The family and i want a totally fresh start when we get over there and to furnish your home the exact same way would kind of defy the point.
You also get a decent amount of baggage allowance to take a few bits and pieces anyhow, maybe some cd's, videos, photo albums, books, kids toys and obviously clothes.
As long as i have the basics to start with ie, fridge, cooker, bed sofa, etc, then i would be more than happy to build on that over time and impliment a more ozzie feeling to my home.

Re: leaving everything behind
 

When we moved from OZ to USA we got rid of everything, just walked out with a couple of suitcases. Mind you we had 50 odd boxes (containing kitchen ware, TV's, Computers, Bedding and personal belongings) in storage in another country and had no choice but to ship them over (cost a fortune just for those). We got here and bought all new furniture. It's nice to have all new stuff. When you weigh up the cost of shipping as to buying new (and see what you can get for your current goods).l It will probably work out cheaper to get rid of it all and start fresh.

The hassle of having to buy everything over again has persuaded me to take every decent thing we have got.

Cost wise people have said it saves money if you take things with you as well. If your furniture is not worth taking then just pack a few boxes of personal things- excess baggage charge around £30 per tea chest if you send more than 10.

We brought a full container and are pleased we did. You get sod all for things when you sell them and the replacement cost is high when you probably need the money for other things. There are a few things we did leave which we now regret.

Your bits and pieces are your history, you chose them they are a part of you, who you are. To just get rid of it will probably result in regrets later on.

You are who you are, and all your chattels define you as an individual. Moving to the other side of the world does not change that.

Rob

Very true Rob. And while I'm for starting a new life there are bound to be those moments when you want to relive parts of your old life, or when you just yearn for the comfort of how things used to be. The familiar things around you will make Australia seem less "strange".

We've just shipped 6 large boxes of tools and 4 tea chest sized boxes of other stuff photos,cd's, dvd's and the entire kitchen contents[well looked like it to me]
Sean;)

[We bought only personal things, but once we arrived had to spend valuable holiday time shopping for boring but neccesary items like tin openers and spoons !
It got realy boring once the novelty of shopping for new stuff had worn off ( and expensive ) so we would bring it all if we had the choice again

It got realy boring once the novelty of shopping for new stuff had worn off ( and expensive ) so we would bring it all if we had the choice again [/QUOTE]


I can empathise with this- when you are looking for treats shopping is fun but when you have to kit out your whole house from scratch it must be a real chore.

Also as I am a bit of a bargain hunter it will take me a while to find out which shops are the cheapest!

didnt wilf post a month or 2 back, (just before he did a reggie perrin), that there were quite a few 2nd hand stores that sold everything you could imagine to re-furnish a house??

Yes you can buy second hand stuff, but I want my own history, not someone elses.

Rob

I can empathise with this- when you are looking for treats shopping is fun but when you have to kit out your whole house from scratch it must be a real chore.

Also as I am a bit of a bargain hunter it will take me a while to find out which shops are the cheapest! [/QUOTE]

I hate shopping full stop. The net was a godsend for me. I did not have stuff to bring here in the first place so we have got nearly everything bar the PC from scratch

Pretty much arrived with suitcases, regretting it ever since, wondering when we will own our own beds, fridge, TV, WM etc. as still renting these. Good to buy all new stuff, but very expensive. Most will get a larger house than UK one so need more furniture to fill it up anyway.

Also, if worried about doing without stuff in Oz whilst awaiting furniture send it 6 weeks (or whatever) before you leave. It is easier to borrow everything you need off friends and family, down to cutlery or sleeping on inflatable mattresses in UK than it is to do when you arrive in a new country not knowing anyone.

Re: leaving everything behind
 

There was a post on this subject a few weeks back if you can find it. The majority who have made the move to Aus the opinion was to bring it all. The ones who said don't take your stuff (actually I think the post maybe under that title "stuff" if you want try a search on it) were the ones who had not made the move yet, the ones who were still in Britain.

Bring your stuff with you. I've done it both ways. I went out to Asia with just a suitcase , it took ages building up a household again. Plus it does cost more buying every little thing from scratch again. You think about it even something as small as a decent cutlery set will set you back a few bob. When I came to Aus I brought nearly everything with me - I was glad I did.

Cheers

we came with nothing,infact i had a point on the trip when i had all i owned in my small rucksack on my knee:eek: Granted it was full of cash but all the same its a weird feeling.We did have the dog with us though.The end result is that yes we've had to buy everything again but if you don't have a fixed agenda then its no worries travelling light.After all,with the exception of photos and really personal items,they are all just replaceable items.We may be an isolated case but we had far too much clutter and stuff that we just had to move on.A fresh start was wonderful and been quite careful purchasers we have really only bought what we need.Yes,i feel glad about selling everything and no i would'nt have brought it all with me :beer: Financially it was'nt the best move we ever made but life is too short.

Re: leaving everything behind
 

our container docked at brisbane last friday, we are so excited to be seeing our stuff again soon. we have been staying with family, and currentlyin a hotel and begin renting unfurnished place on saturday. we have around a week from then till it arrives so have bought bedding (for bed we carried from our brother in sydney on the back of our ute) and the girl we are renting from will let us use a fridge and tv and microwave.
fingers crossed all is ok. took advice from here to bring our own gear and glad we did.
karen

HiTina

This is probably a daft question but the tea chest thing is that by sending it over at he same time as you fly and paying for excess baggage allowance.
We personally are thinking of only taking bits and pieces ie ornaments,books,toys,pictures ,crockery,CD's etc and we were thinking how expensive it would be to get a container just for a few boxes.

We already have family in P{erth and we have also considered sending bits and bats by air or surface mail to arrive at their address b4 we arrive.
Have you any thoughts on this,do you think that this would be more cost effective?
I suppose the only really big item we will have is our sons bike so that might pose a problem

Thanks Diane

You can do it that way or by ship. The one I used was a nightmare but someone in brisbane had a good experience.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah - Found a Soul Buddy.

All depends on cirumstances, if you have kids and where you want to be on the social ladder. Like DeeDee said life is to short. We are doing it the other way, English couple no kids, one cat back to the UK for a while. Realised that possessions do not make the person!

Good luck to you all moving over here, not a bad place to be.

This thread has thrown me into a dilemma and with each post I read I change my mind again about taking/not taking everything with us to NZ. Hubby needs to take his tools anyway with him being a bricky and then theres the kids bikes and the photo albums and a few pieces of furniture which were made for us by a relative, but I was going to be really ruthless and sell or throw away everything else but Im not so sure now

We spoke to a removal company about this any they pointed out that to ship an ironing board costs about £2 and if the one you have it fine you are not going to be able to replace it for that amount of money.

We will dispose of all broken unrequired items, take all of our good stuff with us - but will have to wrench a few heart strings when we get rid of the thinsg like the baby stuff, no point moving it to the other side of the world though.

Regards,

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dibrucewillis
HiTina

This is probably a daft question but the tea chest thing is that by sending it over at he same time as you fly and paying for excess baggage allowance.


The tea chests are sent by a separate company by boat- if you want to send them by air it will be much more expensive.

Try this site www.sevenseas.co.uk and www.internationalremovals.co.uk there is also one called excessbaggage try www.excessbaggage.co.uk not sure if this is correct though.

whats an ironing board?Is that something to do with IT ;)

Thanks Tina will check those websites out.This is proving to be more of a difficult decision than I had anticipated:confused:

Diane
[QUOTE]Originally posted by tinaj

Taking absolutley everything and with this in mind have been trying to get some stunning french antique furniture. I know how much it has cost me for things for my favourite room (kitchen) and I don't think I can afford to replace them.

Asked them to pack the place as it is !!

> what's an ironing board?
It's the next destination for your washing after you take it off the sheila maid ;-)

(I will also be taking my sheila maid with me - be it Devon or Wellington).

We were (politely) laughed at for talking about wellies when we were in the Bay of Islands, what are wellies called in NZ?

Regards,

wellies here are called gummies!:) Available is black,yellow or freezer works white.No green i'm afraid,thats a pommie thing ;)
They are far better quality here too for some reason....pehaps its the lack of all those chemicals on the paddocks....i hope

To toss in my two-penneth... maybe it'll help.

We left UK just over a year ago, leaving the IKEA stuff (they have IKEA here) and bringing the good stuff (two two-seater suede sofas), along with all books, CDs, DVDs, videos, clothes, shoes / boots and keepsakes. Then add TV, video, multi-chip DVD, computer, and so on. (UK TVs need to be adapted to work here - costs around $200).

Packed most of it ourselves, removalists insisted on packing suede sofas, otherwise it wasn't covered by insurance. The stuff we packed arrived in perfect nick. The sofas (beige suede) were packed with a single layer of packing paper around them, stacked on end and wiggled, until the paper wore through - dirty black marks on the corners. Still haven't got them out - 'Er Indoors went through the roof. So - the message here - keep an eye on the buggers. To them it's just 'stuff'. To you it's important.

Only regrets - that we didn't bring the rest of the stuff (not IKEA) like weights, multigym, and so on. It was only about 4 quid per cubic foot to ship here in a container, but hindsight is 20-20....

Stuff took three months to get here, during which time we bought fridge/freezer, small radio / cassette, washing machine. Sat on exercise mats and re-discovered the art of conversation during those three months! TV here is as bad as UK, but no TV licence fee, so now just watch the films we brought, and any new ones we get on eBay.

Living in Oz is like living in the UK, with MUCH better weather and some elbow room! (We have a 116 acre property in the Blue Mountains as our 'weekender'. Just building a house to our own design on it, now.) Just don't come out here expecting to find the streets paved with gold - be realistic and prepared to work your buns off for the first few years to get back on your feet, and then ahead. Like anywhere else in the world, you get back what you put in, only here you get it back in spades.

Good luck!!!!

Thanks everyone.

I wasn't sure if leaving everything behind was a good idea (it was hubby's). But reading your posts you've reasured me, maybe its one of those times when hubby has spoken sense.

Looks like we'll be shopping till we drop for the first few weeks.

And lets face it if family are all healthy and happy (hopefully) whats a few missing pots and pans in the grand scheme of things?

Re: leaving everything behind
 

I am going back to OZ for the 2nd time next April and was going to get rid of everything as i have a home full of belongings already there. But in the 3 years i have been back here have built up a home full of goodies. Was going to car boot it all but when sitting down and working out what I can get in tea chests and dividing the cost to ship between the items inside, it came out far cheaper than selling it all here and starting again in OZ. Plus i am self employed and buy all my electrical items here trade prices and so I am taking virtualy new items. To replace all my cd's alone would be very costly. Furniture wise, Ikea and MFI stuff I am definately not taking with me. It is worth replacing new there, in my opinion.