TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

I stress myself out at moment just thinking about it but it could be a reality soon so I need to make a decision.
I would like some advice from those of you who have gone through this.
If I ship my furniture out to Queensland how did you manage in UK before you left for OZ? I will probably be letting my house out due to current market so will probably not be tied to sale of house.
Been told shipment will take approx 16 weeks so how did you manage when you arrived in Oz? Do you buy the essentials until your furniture arrives when you find a rental? Do you stay with family/friends? do you pay for furnished holiday rental which will be expensive as time goes on.
Or do you buy everything when you get there and maybe just ship boxes out?
really confused how everything will fall into place. Do I go a couple of weeks before i start my job to sort everything without income or do i try and sort things while i work?
someone help me please:eek:

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Take the lot!!! We are also going to Queensland (Brissy) we are staying with friends for a couple of weeks and they will help us out (fingers x).

Send stuff out a cple of days before you leave, (good excuse to eat out)

We are using Simpsons they told us 8 to 10 weeks. You'll manage. Try and rent a fully furnished place for a few weeks.

We have already done it once so second time around for us. You can buy stuff from Crazy Clarkes and Target will keep you going.

Good luck.

Kath

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

thanks for support:thumbup:

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

if its in good nick and you use it take it, remember everything you use that you leave behind has to be replaced, even down to the silly things like the veggie peeler and coat hangers! amazing the cost of replacing stuff

furnished places can be harder to find also might not be able to get a short term rent, we fell lucky and found a private rental for 3 months but mostly here in Tas anyway they seem to be 6 month contracts.

otherwise you could buy outdoor settings, picinicware etc and use it inside until your stuff arrives also try garage sales :)

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

We've shipped everything. Took exactly 9 weeks. Left our house in UK on 6th July and was unpacked here on Tuesday past. Overspill still to come.

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

I used Seven Sea's Worldwide - fully recommend them very efficient - anyway mine only took 6 weeks ! i mainly bought personal stuff, excuse for new furniture :)

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

We brought everything with us and boy am I glad we did. We've still had to buy some stuff (new tv units etc) but it would be rather expensive if you bought everything here, let alone a righ royal pain. You don't know which shops sells the good stuff or not until you've been here a while either. We were advised to bring everything and from our point of view, it was great advice.
We rented a fully furnished property for a month once we got here and managed on air beds etc until the stuff arrived. We sent it 3 weeks before us too so didn't have too long to wait once we were here. Good luck but am sure it will all work out for you.

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

I agree with previous posters, bring as much as you can, it would cost a fortune to replace both in money and time when you first arrive. Shipping takes about 10 weeks (give or take a couple) and if you've got friends and family close by in the UK then I would send your stuff as early as possible and beg and borrow from them for your last couple of months at home then hopefully when you move to your rental over here should be about the same time as your container.

Good luck!

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Another vote - take everything as everything will work. Except Braun coffee machine that uses pods as they do not sell them here, and UK digital radios also do not work. Everything else does....

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

excellent point possums ... we were like the good fairies giving away stuff even though we were shipping and now i think ... what did we do that for?! :D

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Would agree with everyone else bring everything, you can always replace things when necessary and depending on finance. It is very expensive to start from fresh and rebuild everything again. We have been here nearly four years and noticed at the weekend that we left something as simple as a large hose on a reel, and just to replace something like that is not cheap, just the little things soon add up. The cost of shipping things over is so much cheaper than buying all new good, luck with everything:thumbsup:

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Ditto. It's expensive and time consuming to start up again and you'll struggle to replace with equivalent quality. I've been here a year and I'm still replacing stuff in dribs and drabs which is downright annoying! Pack it all, you won't regret it one bit.:thumbup:

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Hi yeah having been thru this process, I would say if its worth keeping ship it. It's not just about replacing things but it also gives you familiar stuff around you when 'everything else' is new. It worked for us. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Yep, agree with everyone else - ship everything decent. It's like Christmas when it arrives the other end and really helps having your familiar things round you. IMO better to ship early from the UK (ours left 6 weeks before we flew out) and we lived on airbeds and the bare basics until we left. Stayed in a cheap motel when we arrived in Oz and then our stuff arrived not long after we moved into our rental. My top tip would be to buy the plug adaptors on ebay for your electrical items - we got a 10 pack for £1.50, bargain. It's personal preference obviously but IMO you'd be better to arrive a few weeks before you start work to acclimatise and recover from jet lag etc. Lots of boring things like sorting out your drivers license, medicare, bank etc can only be done weekdays so tricky to do if you're working.

Re: TO SHIP OR NOT TO SHIP, THAT IS THE QUESTION?
 

Can any of you give me an idea of costs you paid for shipping, size of container etc. Would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Karen