dominoman

I've got my shipping quotes, and the company I chose was Fox. Good reviews overall, and their price was competitive (£2200 for groupage at 300 sq feet or so, all inclusive including packing/unpacking).

But now I'm having second thoughts. There are two of us flying over, so we get 6 x 25kg bags each. That means that we should be able to take most of what we need quite easily.

It would mean not taking kitchen stuff, the dining room table, sideboard, a big chair, my bike, TV and a large wall painting. But all those things I could buy in Abu Dhabi for probably the same money approximately?

Not sure what I should do?

DXBtoDOH

Remember that you are faced with the same dilemma when you return to the
UK.

IF the shipping is paid for by the company on both ends, ship. If it's out of your pocket (or you get to keep anything you don't spend out of a shipping allowance), dump and buy and dump the stuff when you leave.

Bring the bike with you on the plane. You can easily do this as excess sports cargo. Re kitchen stuff, if you have a couple very good quality knives you can slip those into your luggage quite easily. The rest you can easily replace out here.

dominoman

Yeah it's self paid. As in I get an allowance to keep or spend as I wish.

I think you're right. Better off spending the money buying new stuff. It just feels awfully wasteful to do that when we already have so much decent things here.

I want to bring things like nice paintings and a few house things so I feel like I'm at home when I arrive. But I can put those in a box and if I pack it fairly well get it in hold luggage.

dominoman

My ideal would be to hire a big box that would get loaded onto a container. Like a 1/4 of a 20 foot container that I could self-load. I've looked around at LCL and groupage and there doesn't seem to be anything like that. Does anyone know of one?

DXBtoDOH

Well, if you have a nicely kitted out place with nicer things (not Ikea crap) and you've made it pretty, it may be worth it to ship it so you'll have your nicely kitted out place to come back to at the end of the day in AD. The satisfaction alone is probably worth shipping. Remember, you can either view the shipping allowance as free money to cover shipping, OR real money that can be directed elsewhere so you watch every penny you spend. Two approaches, two mindsets.

But you and the wife may enjoy the fun of decorating a new place from scratch + a few things you fly over with you. Dubai has a much better range of furniture and home goods stores and it's only a hour from AD and many shops do free delivery if you send enough money (Crate & Barrel at Mall of Emirates is an American store and has nicely designed good quality furniture and homewares). The One is another decent option.

1one

You could sell the items or alternatively just ship them to AD if the budget is OK with you. For the same shipping cost you could easily replace furniture in AD as there are plenty of shops at all price ranges, and also reduced priced items as well from time to time.

Busylizzy

I would be so reluctant to ship paintings in hold luggage mate. Yikes.

dominoman

Yes. It's true. The smaller ones I could wrap well and put in a box I think - but realistically I would leave paintings with family.

Having thought about it more last night I decided I do still want to ship some things like my armchair and sideboard. As much as anything it's because nobody has space for them here and I can't bring myself to sell them.

I'm going to go for a cheaper, more basic groupage service and just send those things, plus probably my TV and a few boxes. The rest can come on the plane.

Millhouse

Right choice to ship it all.

Nothing more settling than finding your old home stuff in your new place.

Too many expats try and save everything and end up living in What looks like student accommodation.

But decent insurance and don't be afraid to claim.

dominoman

Yes very good point! Even if everything can be bought again, I really want to feel at home in my new apartment. I know nobody in Abu Dhabi at all - so it will be hard enough as it is. Having my pictures and a few bits of furniture will defintely help!

So, I've decided. I'll ship personal items, paintings, a few rugs, my PC and monitors, my decent coffee table, my favourite armchair (God I sound old), and some kitchen stuff. The rest I'll store in the garage and buy afresh in A-D.

Getting close now. Mixture of excitement and trepidation, and the constant trickle of bad economic news in the UAE isnt helping.

jam25mack

I wouldn't have bothered but that's me. I would have sold all the stuff that wasn't dear to me and put the rest in storage until you were over here and settled and certain that you had made the right choice. That would have allowed you the ability to buy some shiny new toys and also not have to hump all the stuff back should you decide the Middle East isn't for you.

As for the bad economic news from the UAE.... get used to it! It al depends on what profession you are in.... but the news isn't going to stop.

It may seem harsh but many long term expats see this as cyclical purging of all the crap that has been allowed to come in during the good times.

Millhouse

I actually think the local economy is picking up a bit... oddly

jam25mack

True, we have just this morning had a chat from our oh wise leader and apparently we are smashing our forecasts for this year (which were an increase on last year - the best year in the firms history) and the MENA region is standing out compared against our other international regions.

Doesn't harm that we have delivered / are working on some of the most iconic projects, however, I'm sure they'll manage to diffuse an air of doom and gloom before it gets to performance / salary review time.

dominoman

I've got my shipping arriving next week, and after spending a month in a hotel I dont know why I was in such a rush to get it all out here. I've found it quite easy to live out of a few suitcases in this hotel - and everything is provided so it works out cheaper too.

Anyway, now I have the problem of a lorry-load of stuff arriving and they need to deliver it - but I would rather wait a couple of months.

I've looked at storage, but the ones I found seemed crazy prices. Does anyone know of a cheaper storage site? If I can't find one I'll just have to take an apartment, but I'd rather take more time looking around first.

csdf

Whoever the local shipper is (the ones who bring it from Dubai port to your house) should be able to help you find storage.