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how did you ship your belongings?

how did you ship your belongings?

Old Jul 27th 2005, 6:42 pm
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Default how did you ship your belongings?

We are beginning the long process of researching how best to ship our wordly posessions when we move to the states and I thought you all may have some words of wisdom.

Most of what we have is disposable so is it better to sell it all and start anew? Or shall we take what we have. And if we do, is it better to have things packed professionally? Do we need a whoel container or do they do shared containers?

Any advice greatfully received!
Han
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 6:46 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Hannahmichelle
We are beginning the long process of researching how best to ship our wordly posessions when we move to the states and I thought you all may have some words of wisdom.

Most of what we have is disposable so is it better to sell it all and start anew? Or shall we take what we have. And if we do, is it better to have things packed professionally? Do we need a whoel container or do they do shared containers?

Any advice greatfully received!
Han
I see this is your first post. I'd suggest you do a search on this site for similar posts and then come back with questions. People here are very helpful, but this question has been answered at length before, and recently too.
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 6:51 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by dunroving
I see this is your first post. I'd suggest you do a search on this site for similar posts and then come back with questions. People here are very helpful, but this question has been answered at length before, and recently too.

Please don't be mean. Actually it's not my first post. Even if it were, however - I have been here for awhile and have looked around quite a bit. Unfortunately I didn't find what I was looking for. But, hand-slapped, I shall go back and look again. Perhaps I just wasn't looking in the right place.

Han
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 7:32 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Hi

When I came over last year I used Excess Baggage Company based in London.
They operate throughout the UK . I was satisfied with their service, and would recommend it. Several others used it and commented favourably on here too. Their website address escapes me but if you Google Excess Baggage Co. it should find them.

I didn't bring furniture or appliances - left everything except clothes, books, cds, photographs. I used 2 tea-chest size boxes and 3 book boxes and with insurance I think it cost me around 525 pounds stirling. Brought the rest in 3 suitcases. The boxes took 5 to 6 weeks from memory - collected and delivered door to door.
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 7:39 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Check this thread from a couple of months ago.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=298653
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 7:40 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Dimsie
Hi

When I came over last year I used Excess Baggage Company based in London.
They operate throughout the UK . I was satisfied with their service, and would recommend it. Several others used it and commented favourably on here too. Their website address escapes me but if you Google Excess Baggage Co. it should find them.

I didn't bring furniture or appliances - left everything except clothes, books, cds, photographs. I used 2 tea-chest size boxes and 3 book boxes and with insurance I think it cost me around 525 pounds stirling. Brought the rest in 3 suitcases. The boxes took 5 to 6 weeks from memory - collected and delivered door to door.

Now see, that wasn't so hard was it? Thanks very much for your reply and I'll look into that company. It's not one i'd heard of so I do appreciate your answer.

Han
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Hannahmichelle
Now see, that wasn't so hard was it? Thanks very much for your reply and I'll look into that company. It's not one i'd heard of so I do appreciate your answer.

Han
Crown relocation were very good - not cheap though!

There have been a number of threads on this in the last month though with loads of companies assessed - good luck!
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Old Jul 27th 2005, 11:26 pm
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

most of your stuff, chuck or sell it, be cheaper to replace, unless it's quality furniture, beds might be worth bringing over as they tend to be shite and/or expensive over here, but then bed sizes are also different, so bring sheets for them...bring curtains and duvets too because there hard to find over here, and if you can, they tend to be well expensive, and a bit naff.

Small stuff, send it in the mail, shipping is cheap, takes a few months though.
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 12:09 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Hannahmichelle
We are beginning the long process of researching how best to ship our wordly posessions when we move to the states and I thought you all may have some words of wisdom.

Most of what we have is disposable so is it better to sell it all and start anew? Or shall we take what we have. And if we do, is it better to have things packed professionally? Do we need a whoel container or do they do shared containers?

Any advice greatfully received!
Han
A few pointers, having just done the move:

Don't bother bringing anything electrical (and I mean anything) because it won't work on 110V. Sell everything for whatever you can get and buy new over here - it's more cost effective in the long run because you'll only have to buy a voltage adapter for every single piece of electrical equipment you bring. They're expensive, large and unsightly so not worth the hassle, believe me.

When you've got a few quotes from different removal companies, do a search on this site for the company names - you're bound to find threads discussing them and that will give you first hand knowledge of how good (or bad) they are.

BRING BEDDING!! I made the mistake of chucking all mine out, thinking I'd be able to get new stuff over here, but a) it's incredibly expensive and b) duvet covers are pretty hard to find - they don't really go in for duvets in the US.

Bring personal stuff and any furniture which was particularly expensive (e.g. I brought a sofa because it cost 1200 quid and I would only have got a couple of hundred max if I'd sold it so it was more cost effective to bring it. Ditto a dining table, although that got ruined in the move so ended up being a waste of time!)

The companies normally charge based on volume, not weight, so discard large, cheap items and bring small, expensive ones (e.g. kitchen utensils - worth bringing cos you can pack them up small, wouldn't be able to sell them anyway, and at a few pounds each, it would cost a fair whack to replace everything).

Good luck!
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 12:15 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

The company bring us over paid for shipping......so anything that was not MFI came with us......

I got everything new for our other house......so far we've spent 12k.....still a bit to go....but its cheaper than you think to buy everything you need.........
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 12:26 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Wintersong
A few pointers, having just done the move:

Don't bother bringing anything electrical (and I mean anything) because it won't work on 110V. Sell everything for whatever you can get and buy new over here - it's more cost effective in the long run because you'll only have to buy a voltage adapter for every single piece of electrical equipment you bring. They're expensive, large and unsightly so not worth the hassle, believe me.

When you've got a few quotes from different removal companies, do a search on this site for the company names - you're bound to find threads discussing them and that will give you first hand knowledge of how good (or bad) they are.

BRING BEDDING!! I made the mistake of chucking all mine out, thinking I'd be able to get new stuff over here, but a) it's incredibly expensive and b) duvet covers are pretty hard to find - they don't really go in for duvets in the US.

Bring personal stuff and any furniture which was particularly expensive (e.g. I brought a sofa because it cost 1200 quid and I would only have got a couple of hundred max if I'd sold it so it was more cost effective to bring it. Ditto a dining table, although that got ruined in the move so ended up being a waste of time!)

The companies normally charge based on volume, not weight, so discard large, cheap items and bring small, expensive ones (e.g. kitchen utensils - worth bringing cos you can pack them up small, wouldn't be able to sell them anyway, and at a few pounds each, it would cost a fair whack to replace everything).

Good luck!

Good advice on the electricals - also tvs, dvd video and games consoles have trouble over here! Worth checking the labels on your electrics though and if it says 110-240v you will be OK with an adapter not needing a voltage converter!
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 12:38 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Off the top of my head can't remember who we used but they were very good, I will see if I still have the paperwork. The company were very good. However, we did start to pack some stuff only to have to unpacked and re-packed by the company otherwise the insurance is void. Just prior to leaving we had purchased a new bed but was advised by the shippers that beds don't ship very well and there was a good chance it would be damaged. We shipped our computer, Hi-fi, all our clothes, some books, and a lot of personal items we just didn't want to leave behind. Everything else we sold over a period of weeks at car boot sales and to friends or is stashed at my in-laws home.

From my experience and if I had to do this again here's my list.

(a) Bring some bedding although the sizes are different. I have a US duvet but none of my UK covers fit it. The comment about duvets above is very true. You can buy them but they don't often have covers. It is also a pain in the ass because a king is not a set size it can range anywhere from 90 x 100 to 102 x 120. I recently bought a new one and found a cover and had forgotten the fun and games of getting the cover on it.

(b) If you are moving to the south don't waste time shipping heavy coats and sweaters. I have not worn any of mine since I came here in 1995.

(c) Think of what you will need immediately. I packed and shipped stuff like a spud peeler, can opener, etc etc. I had to buy all these when I got here so then had duplicates.

(d) If you do a lot of cooking and use UK cook books bring your own pyrex jug (remember a US pint is less than a UK one). I now have one jug for UK recipes and one for US recipes. I now wish I had shipped my metric scales.

(e) Pack dusters and tea towels, hard to come by and something us Brits use. So far have not found anywhere to buy those yellow dusters. Have now converted to Swiffering.
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 1:08 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Lynne
Off the top of my head can't remember who we used but they were very good, I will see if I still have the paperwork. The company were very good. However, we did start to pack some stuff only to have to unpacked and re-packed by the company otherwise the insurance is void. Just prior to leaving we had purchased a new bed but was advised by the shippers that beds don't ship very well and there was a good chance it would be damaged. We shipped our computer, Hi-fi, all our clothes, some books, and a lot of personal items we just didn't want to leave behind. Everything else we sold over a period of weeks at car boot sales and to friends or is stashed at my in-laws home.

From my experience and if I had to do this again here's my list.

(a) Bring some bedding although the sizes are different. I have a US duvet but none of my UK covers fit it. The comment about duvets above is very true. You can buy them but they don't often have covers. It is also a pain in the ass because a king is not a set size it can range anywhere from 90 x 100 to 102 x 120. I recently bought a new one and found a cover and had forgotten the fun and games of getting the cover on it.

(b) If you are moving to the south don't waste time shipping heavy coats and sweaters. I have not worn any of mine since I came here in 1995.

(c) Think of what you will need immediately. I packed and shipped stuff like a spud peeler, can opener, etc etc. I had to buy all these when I got here so then had duplicates.

(d) If you do a lot of cooking and use UK cook books bring your own pyrex jug (remember a US pint is less than a UK one). I now have one jug for UK recipes and one for US recipes. I now wish I had shipped my metric scales.

(e) Pack dusters and tea towels, hard to come by and something us Brits use. So far have not found anywhere to buy those yellow dusters. Have now converted to Swiffering.

If you really want yellow dusters.....I could always post you some.....we have them in our local hardware store.....
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 2:01 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Big D
Good advice on the electricals - also tvs, dvd video and games consoles have trouble over here! Worth checking the labels on your electrics though and if it says 110-240v you will be OK with an adapter not needing a voltage converter!
good quality sound equiptment is about the only electrical stuff, along with computers that are worth bringing, wouldn't bother with monitors though....oh, and if anyone has hayfever, it might be worth bringing over an ioniser as there nae on impossible to find over here, and if you do, there well expensive...
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Old Jul 28th 2005, 2:13 am
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Default Re: how did you ship your belongings?

Originally Posted by Bob
good quality sound equiptment is about the only electrical stuff, along with computers that are worth bringing, wouldn't bother with monitors though....oh, and if anyone has hayfever, it might be worth bringing over an ioniser as there nae on impossible to find over here, and if you do, there well expensive...
I got a free ioniser......... its a Holmes one .....it came with my air cleaner.......
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