Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Nov 11th 2008, 2:06 am
#16
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Would very much appreciate a recommendation. Cheers.
Nov 11th 2008, 2:10 am
#17
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
I've got someone from Mayflower coming over Thursday night to give us an estimate. I'll keep everyone posted.
Nov 11th 2008, 8:13 am
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 79
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Franki, I would love to have the shipping company details too as that's very reasonable.
As far as moving furniture goes, it is a bit of dilemma. A lot of my furniture may not go up the stairs in a tiny English cottage or through the door so I'm having to think about size more than anything. I do have some nice things though that have a lot of sentiment so on this basis I would be happy to pay for a container. I've got to ship 7 industrial machines and my entire workroom so I have to get a container anyway. I may as well fill it.
But I guess the main thing is asking yourself if the furniture you have is going to be of any use in a UK house. If not, you can always sell it then go to some of the auction rooms when you get home. Now that's good fun.
As far as moving furniture goes, it is a bit of dilemma. A lot of my furniture may not go up the stairs in a tiny English cottage or through the door so I'm having to think about size more than anything. I do have some nice things though that have a lot of sentiment so on this basis I would be happy to pay for a container. I've got to ship 7 industrial machines and my entire workroom so I have to get a container anyway. I may as well fill it.
But I guess the main thing is asking yourself if the furniture you have is going to be of any use in a UK house. If not, you can always sell it then go to some of the auction rooms when you get home. Now that's good fun.
I probably should have mentioned that we packed everything ourselves for that price but if you do it over a period of time, it's not too bad. Our couches were the biggest problem to fit, it was a very tight squeeze getting them through the door but we managed. Christoph at Rinkens was great!
Nov 11th 2008, 5:54 pm
#19
Feels great to be home!
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Steventon, Oxfordshire
Posts: 471
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
I came back with my clothes and 13 cardboard boxes of personal items and books. (I'm 53 and had lived in the US for 30 years.) I didn't have much furniture, and what I had wasn't worth spending money on shipping. On the other hand, I did spend $3000 getting my two dogs over here . . .
I live in a VERY small house, and there's just me (and the dogs), so I've just got the barest essentials. I think I've spent about 3000 pounds on the furniture (all from Ikea), a fridge and washer/dryer. I'm still using a few things that were loaned to me by one of my sisters.
I think it depends on how little you're willing to get by on. Not everyone could stand to live the way I do!
(But that was true in the US too.)
I live in a VERY small house, and there's just me (and the dogs), so I've just got the barest essentials. I think I've spent about 3000 pounds on the furniture (all from Ikea), a fridge and washer/dryer. I'm still using a few things that were loaned to me by one of my sisters.
I think it depends on how little you're willing to get by on. Not everyone could stand to live the way I do!
(But that was true in the US too.)
Nov 11th 2008, 6:04 pm
#20
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,006
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Here's the shipping company we used..http://www.rinkens.com/
I probably should have mentioned that we packed everything ourselves for that price but if you do it over a period of time, it's not too bad. Our couches were the biggest problem to fit, it was a very tight squeeze getting them through the door but we managed. Christoph at Rinkens was great!
I probably should have mentioned that we packed everything ourselves for that price but if you do it over a period of time, it's not too bad. Our couches were the biggest problem to fit, it was a very tight squeeze getting them through the door but we managed. Christoph at Rinkens was great!
My only piece of advice is to remember that all these companies are just conglomerates of small companies - so you might ask which local company they will use for the pick up/pack and the drop off/unpack - and then look for referrals on the local company.
I had an unfortunate experience in that the local company in NC were absolutely crap and my stuff ended up falling all over the place in the container (I can send you some photos if you want to see the evidence). This was the first time Rinken's had used them (and from some emails I received later, I think Rinken's subcontracted to a local company, who in turn subcontracted to another company). Christoph was very embarrassed and said he'd do me a deal if I ever need to move again - hopefully I'll be taking him up on his offer in the not too distant future ...
Nov 11th 2008, 7:05 pm
#21
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Joined: Jun 2008
Location: Back in the UK after 12 years in Australia
Posts: 579
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Mission Australia but many church groups do the same sort of thing for the homeless and for refugee families.
The Salvation Army will actually come and take away stuff if you tell them you have a few rooms worth. Stuff that may be worn but serviceable is what they are after.
For example your old computer and desk may not be worth taking back to the UK, but could make such a big difference to someone who has very little, ie having access to computer enables them to apply for online etc etc, same with furniture, kitchen stuff etc.
Just an option for people, especially if you just can't be arsed with a garage sale and people haggling you, do some good instead.
The Salvation Army will actually come and take away stuff if you tell them you have a few rooms worth. Stuff that may be worn but serviceable is what they are after.
For example your old computer and desk may not be worth taking back to the UK, but could make such a big difference to someone who has very little, ie having access to computer enables them to apply for online etc etc, same with furniture, kitchen stuff etc.
Just an option for people, especially if you just can't be arsed with a garage sale and people haggling you, do some good instead.
Nov 11th 2008, 10:26 pm
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 612
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Mission Australia but many church groups do the same sort of thing for the homeless and for refugee families.
The Salvation Army will actually come and take away stuff if you tell them you have a few rooms worth. Stuff that may be worn but serviceable is what they are after.
For example your old computer and desk may not be worth taking back to the UK, but could make such a big difference to someone who has very little, ie having access to computer enables them to apply for online etc etc, same with furniture, kitchen stuff etc.
Just an option for people, especially if you just can't be arsed with a garage sale and people haggling you, do some good instead.
The Salvation Army will actually come and take away stuff if you tell them you have a few rooms worth. Stuff that may be worn but serviceable is what they are after.
For example your old computer and desk may not be worth taking back to the UK, but could make such a big difference to someone who has very little, ie having access to computer enables them to apply for online etc etc, same with furniture, kitchen stuff etc.
Just an option for people, especially if you just can't be arsed with a garage sale and people haggling you, do some good instead.
Cheers.
Nov 12th 2008, 5:47 am
#23
Wishing on a star...
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: UK.
Posts: 539
Re: Has anyone "given up everything" to repatriate to the UK?
Hi everyone. DH (UKC) and I (USC) have been living in the states for 4 years now and last week he received his US Citizenship.
For quite a long time now we have been discussing moving back to the UK, but now that he has received his citizenship, the discussion has become much more serious.
FYI, my husband is 49 and works in IT. I am 54 and am a Legal Secretary. We own a small but nice house here in South Carolina, and just finished remodeling a 2-room annex in our back garden. Our plan is to let out the annex and the house once we move. I already have a NI number as I did work (briefly) for a Solicitor right before we moved to America. We know that we can stay with family in the London area (Kew) while we look for jobs....but here is my question:
Has anyone here up and sold everything in order to make the move back?
When DH and I start talking about moving back to the UK, we both agree that "traveling light" (i.e., with just our clothes) makes us much more flexible with regard to accomodation (ex.- we have a gorgeous king-size 4-poster bed but can you imagine the restrictions it would put on us in searching for accomodation if we were to ship this over?). Additionally, shipping virtually nothing over saves us loads of money.
There was a time in my life when I wouldn't be able to do something like this but the idea of "traveling light" has appeal. It seems like the older I become, the less attached I am to "things" and the more content I am with living in simplicity.
Just wondering if anyone has been down this path before? Or if not, I would love to hear the various "plans" people put in place in order to make the move back to the UK....when you really don't have much $$$. (Selling our house here in the US is not an option - we've only been in it 2 years, have very little if any equity built up, and housing market is - as everyone knows - not good at the mo'. With closing costs, we'd probably end up losing money on the deal if we were to sell the house.) It seems like every time I read a post in these forums (and others), the people repatriating are returning with hundreds of thousands of dollars - this is certainly not the case for us!
Cheers.
For quite a long time now we have been discussing moving back to the UK, but now that he has received his citizenship, the discussion has become much more serious.
FYI, my husband is 49 and works in IT. I am 54 and am a Legal Secretary. We own a small but nice house here in South Carolina, and just finished remodeling a 2-room annex in our back garden. Our plan is to let out the annex and the house once we move. I already have a NI number as I did work (briefly) for a Solicitor right before we moved to America. We know that we can stay with family in the London area (Kew) while we look for jobs....but here is my question:
Has anyone here up and sold everything in order to make the move back?
When DH and I start talking about moving back to the UK, we both agree that "traveling light" (i.e., with just our clothes) makes us much more flexible with regard to accomodation (ex.- we have a gorgeous king-size 4-poster bed but can you imagine the restrictions it would put on us in searching for accomodation if we were to ship this over?). Additionally, shipping virtually nothing over saves us loads of money.
There was a time in my life when I wouldn't be able to do something like this but the idea of "traveling light" has appeal. It seems like the older I become, the less attached I am to "things" and the more content I am with living in simplicity.
Just wondering if anyone has been down this path before? Or if not, I would love to hear the various "plans" people put in place in order to make the move back to the UK....when you really don't have much $$$. (Selling our house here in the US is not an option - we've only been in it 2 years, have very little if any equity built up, and housing market is - as everyone knows - not good at the mo'. With closing costs, we'd probably end up losing money on the deal if we were to sell the house.) It seems like every time I read a post in these forums (and others), the people repatriating are returning with hundreds of thousands of dollars - this is certainly not the case for us!
Cheers.
