jetbedlam

Hi guys...

We are currently still waiting to hear about our fiance visa, but unfortunately shortly I have to move from where I'm living and am going to be living in a tiny room at a friend's for the next while (well, until I leave basically). Because of this and the lack of space, I am going to bite the bullet and just ship my things when I leave this flat! I will have to do it later anyway and it saves me money on storage in the mean time...

The only things I'm struggling with is trying to work out cost, I'd like a quote at least fairly soon, if not ensuring I have a pick up arranged for when I need it but at present my stuff isn't all fully packed so its hard to know what I'm asking for a quote for!

I'm not moving any furniture, purely personal belongings, clothes etc and am in the process of a mass clear out to reduce this (car boot sale on sunday!). I live in a shared flat so don't have a great deal of stuff, its going to be mostly essentials.

I've looked at a good few thread but people are referring a lot to crates worth of stuff, which seems as though that would be for furniture etc too.

Anyone done similar kind of move or sent over a similar amount of stuff able to give me any pointers or examples of how much you paid?

Here's to living like a nomad for a few months!

Bob

It really does depend on weight/volume, so if you don't have a clue about boxes, get some movers in to give you a quote.

Clothes just bring it with you, same with personal items, everything else, sell it.

jetbedlam

Yeah, I'm having a huge clear out, really being ruthless...thinking about if shipping is cheaper than buying new and if not then I'm getting rid!! Hard work to an extent but also a little refreshing in a way!

The only things being kept are clothes, things that can't be replaced and sentimental items.

mayhemuk

If your clothes come down to an extra couple of suitcases then pay the extra for checked baggage.
If you end up with a couple of personal boxes (Say wine box size) then post them.
If you have more than that. Say a van load (Transit van is approx 200 cu ft) then start asking shipping companies for quotes.
We shipped 200 cu ft. Cornwall to San Francisco and it came in at around £1400.

With our stuff the shipping company (allied pickfords) stored it at the other end until we were ready for it and did the delivery and unpack still as part of the deal and the insurance for the stuff in storage was continued aswell (which it wouldn't have been if we stored it ourselves!)
Good luck!

goatherder

and remember that its likely that you cannot send your stuff duty free to the US until you arrive.

jetbedlam

Really?? That's really going to scupper my plans! Is duty liable to be a lot? I presume so or you probably wouldn't have mentioned it! I guess I'll have to weigh up the cost of the duty against the cost of storing it for months

I was quoted £50 per month for storage, give or take a little cos I didn't know exactly how much space I needed, which is why I was hoping to opt for just sending the darn stuff instead of wasting money when it could just be sitting in my soon (ha) to be new house instead!!

Has anyone else done this? Sent stuff before they're actually living in the US?

I'm sure most people don't have an issue with this as they don't be move until they move, but sadly I don't have an option, my lease is up and I can't sign a new lease as I can't guarantee how long I will be here for *sigh*

jetbedlam

Ok...new plan!

My parents have agreed to make some space for my stuff for the time being. Might make the overall shipping process more expensive because I live in Edinburgh and they live up north in the middle of nowhere but probably work out ok not paying duty and/or storage....

goatherder

From what our movers told me - yes it is.

Really you have two options - you can store it in the UK or you can store it at a bonded warehouse in the USA (Not cheap). Our removalists stored our stuff for 6 months and then sent it on to the US once we had arrived (we timed it so that it arrived in the country a couple of days after we did.

If you only have a few items its worth checking out people like excessbaggage or whatever they are called. If you have access to the TNT magazine in the UK there are a heap of people that advertise in it and will move a couple of tea chests and can store it as well. I sent a bit of stuff to Australia (Electricals) and the rest to the US of A.
It cost us around 200 a month including insurance for about 2/3's of a container.

jetbedlam

I think my only option is to store at my folks and organise the shipping to take place once I've actually moved, will hopefully work out ok that way...and probably the cheapest option, unless they decide to charge me for storage Ha ha

bromleygirl

Interesting as I've just had Pickfords in to quote on my move and if you are moving personal posessions that you have owned for 1 year or more you do not pay any duty on them.

emailrob

Also check out the airlines baggage allowances. Some are more generous and this would be much cheaper than air shipping. Clothes and shoes weigh a lot in a suitcase! So that extra 30lb's will make a lot of difference.

Air shipping is expensive, so if you can I would advise sea shipping if you don't need the stuff for a month / six weeks. Really depends on volume.

jetbedlam

I wasn't planning on air shipping? I was just going to do normal shipping...

Bob

make as much use as possible of it while you can, because you can't do that from the US.

jetbedlam

Can't do air shipping? Or can't do sea shipping?

goatherder

Thats correct if you enter the US prior the items arriving. If you don't then they can charge you duty on all of the items as your not a resident yet (assuming you are not an LPR or citizen..)