what would you do different
 

We are moving to oz (the family) in a few months time, and would like to know if anyone thinks, they wish they had done something different? Had not left is back home or wish they had taken something with them?

Re: what would you do different
 

No, I don't think there is anything at all we would have done differently.

We rented out the house instead of selling it which forced us not to buy until we were certain about an area.
We sold all our belongings and just came with 6 suitcases, golf clubs and a dolls house - no in limbo either end without furniture/ crockery etc. Kids settled so much better with money (from the proceeds of selling their old Disney videos/ toys etc) to spend on new books/ toys etc that was in relation to their age and climate here rather than all the clutter that we never threw out when they out grew it. Op shops are great for books etc.

It was great starting afresh with new items more suited to our new life. Didn't find things too expensive either. The dearest things were the 'European front-loader' washing machines and Dyson vacuum. We came over with less than GBP10k (bought new car out of this also) and have been able to live a modest, relaxed life. We've been in Melbourne for 3.5 years and looking back I don't think there would be anything I would change. Remember things happen for a reason - it may not seem like it at the time but things should work out.
Make the best of what you have.

LJJ

Re: what would you do different
 

We would have done what the first respondent, Ljj did, perhaps. We shipped most of our stuff over but, in hindsight, I would have sold it all off, saved the money on shipping and used both lots of money to buy it all over again.

Other than that, I don't think I'd have changed anything. Maybe stocked up on some Cadburys chocolate to bring over! ;)

Re: what would you do different
 

Yes!

I wish my husband had stopped work a month before instead of two weeks before.

I wish we'd booked a whole container and bought the whole lot with us - instead we had to ditch a lot of stuff and pass it onto friends...and the tip.

I just wish we'd have been organised. I predicted 18 months before the move that it would happen, even though hub swore it wouldn't... but it did. If I can implore you to just one thing, get it done early and get it done together - don't leave it to just one person (who's looking after three children) and then expect it all to go smoothly as you pack up your last 4 years of living in a house in just two weeks. Not possible without complete and utter exhaustion.

Re: what would you do different
 

Oh, and I'd have come out 4 years earlier.

Re: what would you do different
 

We wish we had brought our Dyson vacum cleaner with us..instead of selling it on Ebay for £35!!

Re: what would you do different
 

Ack! That sucks... really. :(

Re: what would you do different
 

But it was worth it in the end? focus on that - regrets are better than what ifs sometimes don't you think? You are spot on it's hard to do it all yourself especially with little ones, well done ( I sometimes think things like that should be on resumes to show how fantastic at organisation and prioritising you are - then again you can multi-task you're a woman:p)

I did have my husband to help BUT be careful what you wish for...... we went on a last minute family holiday in June with grandparents, Aunts, cousins having not heard if we had been accepted to Oz but hoped to move out at the beginning of the following year to Sydney to be near Hubbies Nan (for her to see her grand-kids). On the way back from the airport found out hubby had been made redundant, company folded, owing him thousands in lost wages and holiday pay- our savings for Oz went on paying the mortgage and bills. 2 weeks later get the phone call that Nan in Oz had died. Day after got our Visa granted - not the jumping up and down we expected BUT it put a boot up our backsides and we were in Sydney 6 weeks later. Checked out Melbourne the next week as Nan wasn't there with ties to Sydney anymore - fell head over heels in love with Melbourne - with not having containers of stuff to wait for we were free to settle anywhere in Australia and buy furniture from wherever - and 3.5 years down the line haven't looked back.

Good luck to the OP and whatever you decide, everybody deals with things differently you can only do whats best for you at the time. But with a positive attitude things will work out it one way or other.
LJJ

Re: what would you do different
 

I would have moved to QLD rather than Perth.

Re: what would you do different
 

Of course, it's just 'stuff' at the end of the day - but there were things in there that 'stung' for a few months in... especially things that belonged to the children. :(
And if you're unpacking slowly, you find that your hub took your favourite light (that you'd coveted for ages in John Lewis and finally bought) down to the tip because the packers had missed it... (i found that out a couple of days ago) then yes, it stings. I'm not a great one for 'possessions' but the things I did have really were valuable to me.... so what, it's just a light, yeah, I know... but you do feel the occasional pang when you know that good organisation was the answer all along.

Get organised... plan well... you can never do it too early. :thumbup:

Re: what would you do different
 

I'd have shipped lots more out too, instead of selling things at car boot sales, on ebay, giving to friends, leaving with the house... the dining table for example - it was pretty old and shabby, so I left it behind, and only now, nearly 3 years later have I got round to getting a new table (as I couldn't justify it before). Still no chairs but I'm getting round to those soon...

I would have planned more and sorted out more before leaving, it was a last minute rush and a lot of things I could have sorted out weeks before. I then might not have had to have spend my last ever night in England rushing round late opening supermarkets with my mother in law trying to buy new suitcases (hurt my back, couldn't use rucksack etc).

I think I would have taken it all more seriously and realised that I wouldn't be seeing friends etc for a long time, and even if I was really excited they were a bit upset about it all.

I wish OH could have started his new job later, so we could have travelled out together but unfortunately they wanted him to start before I had worked my notice out at work. But never mind, I had a great time travelling by myself to Australai via New York and Fiji (as I frequently remind him).

But nothing major, nothing that I really regret having done or not done...

Re: what would you do different
 

Wish we had chosen Canada instead of Perth ... :unsure:

Re: what would you do different
 

Would not have taken the cats. Cost us 1k pounds and they ran off :(

Re: what would you do different
 

We took our Dyson ;)

I think we must be the only people not to like Dyson, ours would break every few months. The plastic on it seemed really brittle.

Re: what would you do different
 

Agree absolutely.

I did the house and left the garage to my husband.

Result - the last day the shippers were with us, me running around giving things away to anyone because noone had bothered to decide if they were worth taking or not.