UKNZAUS

Hi

I'm in the middle of trying to convince my DH that we should take everything we own with us (within reason - not taking the chintz). I only want to take necessities - beds, kids toys, extra toiletries and kids medicines (Calpol,Nurofen etc), TVs, kids bedroom stuff (can't get it over there for love nor money!) and make-up lol.

Is there any reason I should leave it - ie: expensive to ship, inexpensive to buy furniture in NZ ??? I'm really stuck !! I am definately shipping photo's and toys over anyway but can stick them in a couple of boxes and wait at the other end for them ... decisions, decisions !!!

What did you do ?? What would you do ?? Ship or Dump ...

Michelle & Carl

poppets

we brought everything with us, & i susupect most people here will tell you to do the same. This may sound a bit silly but we also packed lots of all our favourite toilettries & make up , just so we didn't have to worry about where to get X item from. Bring kids medicine esp cough as i find it quite expensive, but the Calpol equivalant is just as cheap here. If you're kids are at the age where they use the kandoo toilet wipe, bring loads , the only similar things i have found are sorbent (andrex i think) wipes , 40 in a pack & about $5 a time.
as well as the meds we also got clothes for a yr for the kids (mainly cos grannies went mad) but i would say that as mad as it all sounds it made it much easier to settle , cos not so much to worry about , been here nearly 6 mths & now browsing round shops at lesuire to see who sells what , for how much & what quality.
sorry for the ramblings of a mad woman
good luck
oh yes our kids both had birthdays just after we arrived so we put a load of new toys in the cotainer, when it arrived not only where they reunited with thier toys but they had a few new ones too!
best wishes

sky

I would bring over the lot, we did and wished we had brought a lot more stuff that we gave away thinking we couldnt bring it. Stuff like old tools and wicker ware, our lawn mower and a huge family sized tent, we regret leaving all that stuff cos things aren't that cheap here.
The lawnmower would have needed a good wash but the other stuff would have been ok.

Genesis

Ship ship ship!!!!!! We took a forty footer and never regreted it..we did have a good sort out before we filled it though!!! Know of a couple who got rid of everything...they REALLY regreted it...big time. However I did ditch all our white goods....duuh!!!!!!! Only cost us $9000 to re stock the kitchen in white goods!!! See? It really pays to take what you have. All things leccy in the UK work here...except older TVs (you get piccy but no sound). All you need is an adaptor for the plug (we run US type plugs here). They are freely available and cost aboy $11-$13 each. I bought 20 when I came...got a discount for bulk!!!!! NZ is everything we dreamed of and more inspite of all the problems this type of life changing event brings. Palmerston North (inspite of its poor reputation) is a totally wonderful place to live...sooooooooooooooooo much to do for kids and adults alike...we adore it!!!!! Never been sooooooo content or happy to be somewhere FOR EVER!! Would never willingly return to the UK..ever!!!!! Great country, great people...living a dream to coin a well used phrase!!! You have much to look forward to...I am very envious of you guys starting out..it is soooooooooooooo exciting....ah halcyon days!! Best of NZ luck!!!!!! DomXX

Watt Dabney

Bring everything and more! Moving to a new country is hard and stressful, you will have enough to to finding your feet and getting settled without having to go shopping for everything needed to start again. Even now 4 yrs down the track we mention things we wished we had brought with us.

Paula

kwprwn

ok its a personal thing really, we only bought two items of furniture with us and they were ones my hubby made so more personal, we didnt bring beds, sofas or anything like that...we bought a DVD player but have never used it as we bought a video/dvd player here

we didnt bring any white goods and to be honest dont regret not doing so (but as washer blew up 2 weeks before we left then glad we didnt), the only thing we havent got yet is a microwave, and that is due to lack of space in rental house kitchen...we intend to get one when we get our own house

we have bought all kitchen stuff since we got here, its not the most expensive, but it will do us for now...have also bought bedroom stuff and lounge suite and dining room stuff..not major expensive but will do us

i only wish i had bought more sheets for beds and more towels...I am not keen on the bedding here (but thats just me)

we bought more personal stuff...photos, books, cds etc

Jude J

We are definately in the minority here, we brought nothing apart from what would fit in our suitcases. It was a proper adventure, we didn't even have anywhere to live when we landed at the airport, nor did we know a soul here.
There are a couple of things I would still like to have from my old house, a Mark Rothko framed print, my wedding dress (we got married 2 months before leaving uk) but not much else.

Genesis

We knew no one, no accomodation, 4 days later we'd bought a house, 2 weeks later the container arrived and we moved in. I admire anyone who can make the move without their belongings, don't think I could do that!! Good on yer!!

SarahB

Totally agree with this post!! We gave things away thinking it would be cheap to replace stuff.... well it isnt!!

Bring everything you can!

UKNZAUS

Thankyou all for you wise, experienced input!

I just told him we were shipping it all over and if he wants to replace anything, then we can do it over there! haha. Soooo I started sorted through bits last night (the excitement, haven't even got a job offer yet!) to give to charity/local groups yay

Now to find a reputable company who's not going to rip us off left, right and centre! I'm in North West England if anyone has any recommendations - much rather that than having to find out the hard way!

Thanks again all (off to stock up on my Avon now, I'm an agent and seen that NZ is quite behind UK with Avon stuff) lol

Michelle & Carl

IainW

We were the same. We did ship a few tea chests over, but needn't have bothered. Our furniture in the UK was pretty much past its sell-by date and it was a great opportunity to de-clutter. Cost wise, the £3k we saved on shipping more or less covered getting set up here. BIG proviso though - there's just 2 of us and we have lived in apartments/ small houses. We've bought now, but it's only a small 2 bed villa. If I was thinking about kitting out a family home, that'd be a different ball game.

poppets

Crown relocations did our packing & shipping of container - cost £4500 for 20ft (pack, load, unpack & take rubbish away) , highly recommended,

leedge

We used PSS to ship from Lancs to Wellington £3500 for 20ft container. The two lads who came to pack were great - they even went for a night out in Wigan :scared: . They filled the container ABSOLUTELY full...you couldn't have squeezed anything else in...very impressive. But don't try to bring any wicker stuff (sorry Sky!) it's one of the few types of furniture that MAF won't allow in - too easy to hide nasty bugs it seems.

And whatever you do, start sorting stuff out now....however long you think you've got it'll turn into a panic in the last two weeks

Laurence

Andrew Cross

I would say the same as the majority, bring it all with you. I dont think the quality is as good for the same price you pay in nz. We brought most things but my biggest regret is my front loader washing machine. It was pretty new and I gave it to a friend who's machine was on its last legs.... The top loaders here are not so good..

sky

I so wish we'd brought ours too, the top loaders here seem very american and cool when you first get here but our clothes get ripped to shreds in our washer and it doesn't even have one of those middle agitator things to blame it on. You should see our towels :scared: poor things are in tatters and T shirts have little pin holes in them in a matter of washes. Maybe it's a combination of harsh machine, harsh minerals in the water, harsh washing powder and harsh sun