urno2002

We are packing to go to Brisbane in a few weeks - and have 40kg each (there are 4 of us, so 160kg). Do I pack towels/bedding. I've heard that they are really expensive out there (is Oz cheap for anything???).
Or, do I pack kids toys instead?? or buy loads of summer clothes for us and the children (are they expensive out there????)

Anyone there already - any advice on what you wished you had packed?



Mrs. urno (slightly stressed and wishing it wasn't school holidays soon...)

OzzieNurse

I am going through the same problems as we only have 40kgs each, not sure what to take and what to leave. We were planning on leaving bedding and taking all our sons toys! mind you if we take all our sons toys it will cost us a fortune to ship so maybe we can compromise.
My mother in law told me she has lots of bedding we can use so I am leaving that behind. I am in mid panic at the moment as we still have a house full of things and not sure when to start packing up!
We leave with any luck late August.

C&R

Bedding is really expensive here. Today I was in Target, and the cheapest I could find for a queen size duvet cover was $90 and that was in the sale. Sheets were around $49 - $69 each. I am going to check out Kmart and see if they are cheaper tomorrow. If you have really really nice bedding I would bring it. Only bring the clothes you actually going to wear.

gjs

I wait for the sales usually,got a kingsize duvet cover for $22,one for $40both in Target.
Also got 2x kids appliqued duvet covers at $39 each and sheet sets $12 in Spotlight,not in the sale.Big W also good value.
Ikea for duvets-$25 each,non sale price.

rebnatoli

I packed way too many clothes - as they were all summer clothes and its been Brisbane's coldest winter for years I've lived in 2 pairs of jeans - T-shirts under the 2 shirts I bought, a fleece jacket and an $8 fleece from Big W. Even if it had been warm I didn't need all I took and since it only took 7 weeks door to door for our container I easily managed.

I did bring the the kids favourite bedding with us and was really glad - they were thrilled to have it when we moved into our rental and bedding does seem pricey here although the sales have been on - we've been buying flannelette sheets as they are the cheapest (and as we were freezing in one of our short-term rentals we discovered they are really warm) - so I think rather than extra clothes I would have taken our duvet set + sheets - and an electric blanket! We did bring towels and were glad that we did - I even slipped some tea-towels in and they were useful.

We gave the children a box each and got them to choose which toys to bring and ended up with a largish bag full. I wish we had bought a few more things to do in the evenings - games/books/dvds - my visions of warm evenings drinking beer/wine outside were replaced with huddling very close to a heater watching Neighbours and Big Brother! The travel games we had for the plane came in handy.

Some things I did bring in the suitcase that were useful was a full set of cutlery and a couple of sharp knives, corkscrew etc. I think maybe a couple of saucepans may have fitted in and been useful. We took a laptop with us which was useful for watching dvds and also my OH packed a small bag of tools which was great when it came to assembling the bits of furniture we bought before our container arrived.

Ultimately you can buy everything here but although I love shopping, having the kids and OH in tow in unfamiliar shops with unfamiliar brands isn't always that much fun - you can get a bit tired of staring at shelves trying to decide if it matters whether you get 150 thread cotton or Eygptian or....

C&R

Yeah I noticed that today, 250 cotton count, or 350. I just want a plain fitted sheet and a flat sheet thank you. No frills. Preferably in a light blue and under 20 pounds each. Thats all.

Pollyana

get a friend to buy from Asda and post it

birdynumnum

Cotton not poly mix sheets are realy pricey here too....

worzel

We didn't really have any problem taking clothes and bedding witin the 40kg. We vacuum-shrunk doonas, towels, bedding and even pillows and airbeds and that was a perfect fit for one large suitcase. One of the vacuum bags leaked so the suitcase swelled up but no dramas with that. Assuming you will have an unfurnished place and still be waiting for your container to arrive for a few weeks I think by weight and size this was the best possible use of the extra 20kg.

OzzieNurse

Clothes are starting to bother me, cos at first we are heading for Perth so wasn't going to pack heavey duty coats, jumpers etc, then we decided we might go to Tasmania so I really don't know what I need. I can't just buy new clothes as I am a big girl! Will just have to take a selection and leave some behind with mom. She can always send some onto me I guess. The bedding is all old that we have anyway so I wont be bringing any, maybe just my sons bedding for familiarity

OzzieNurse

Oh yes didnt think about those vaccuum bags might be able to get more things in hey? Will go buy some today! Thanks for jogging my memory!

Vim Fuego

Is Oz Cheap For Anything?

Hell yeh, I just pulled this off the Coles website ...

----------------------
Purchase 2 Mrs Macs giant sausage rolls 175g ea in one transaction for $4.
Offer available between 6 June and 24 July 2007, or while stocks last.
-----------------------

Let's hope those stocks last.

hitchcock71

we used the vac bags brilliant used 5 of them 1 each 4 the kids 14 oh 1 4 me and the other for towles nappies etc manged to get them in 2 suitcases weighed in at 19kilos and 17kilos . did take some trying out to get them to fit in suitcase


but glad we did use them as no way would we have been using just 2 suitcases.

we are getting more of them for when we finally move to perth and use another 2 suitcases

cop3

Hi,

Any idea where you can by these vacuum bags from - think they will come in very useful!!

Sue

Lornagoingtobrissy

Hi
Just bought some from Asda

Lorna