RebeccaMatt Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Were only beginning our visa but as its a long process and the actual moving will take at least a year we came up with an idea to make waiting a bit more exciting lol we bought big suitcases for each family member that are going to be filled with new little things for oz. If it god forbid it doesn't work outout, it would be a good holiday suitcase, but fingers crossed lol so were adding to them each month. So ideas of things to pack would be very helpful! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Boots own brand cosmetics and skin care would be my choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Lol I was thinking I would probably have to stock up on my favourite skin care just in case ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I have done the same... TK Maxx is our saviour. We got some Hugo Boss grey towels for around £8 each for a bath towel. We bought 5 and they are in our suitcase as our 'new house' towels. We get Animal, Quicksilver etc swimwear in there occasionally though it is hit and miss. Also Similar style boys Tshirts (surf brands). Now we are getting closer, we are packing childrens t shirts and shorts from Asda, M&Co, Tesco and Sainsburys. I allow myself £200 a month for clothes but there are 5 of us so that doesn't go far. Especially for adults clothing! We just wanted to make sure the children especially have enough to arrive with to last a year or so without looking worn out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickyplum Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I am not taking many new things [i can only carry so much in my 40kg luggage allowance!] but have purchased duplicates of certain pairs of shoes and clothing items that I wear all the time. I'm also taking a big bottle of my "special" shampoo. But I am not taking too much, as sooner or later I will have to find new equivalents in Australia as I don't want to have to keep getting stuff sent from the UK all the time :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I do like Accessorize sandals (the ones with the wicker bottoms) as they keep my feet cool... I will be topping up these! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaclyn Hayes Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Isn't it strange how we women all do this... I also have done the same! Started with new knickers/boxers for each of us, bras, then progressed to my son's clothes/pj's etc! I bought 4 pairs of flip flops (thongs) in last summer's sale! Getting excited! Xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieV Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Glad we're not the only ones that do this!! I've got a box full of cosmetics (skin care, shampoos baby products etc) as they're expensive in Oz. I've also started stocking up on t shirts and shorts for our 2 year old so that we don't need to worry about buying him new things for a while once we're there! It's a good excuse to do lots of shopping :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Lol I think I'm just as excited about packing my suitcase as I am about going ! Its such a long wait my son is only one at the minute so I'll be needing to do the same with his clothes, he'll probably have more in his suitcase than us lol its great getting stuff at this time of year, so many nice summer clothes to gather up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boganbear Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It's funny how most of the previous posters are sticking up on things that are cheap in Australia. Thongs? This IS Australia remember! Kids clothes? Go to Target or k mart or Big W for cheap stuff. I recommend for men a good suit jacket and a couple of pairs of trousers from M&S. Suit prices are a rip off here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 It's funny how most of the previous posters are sticking up on things that are cheap in Australia. Thongs? This IS Australia remember! Kids clothes? Go to Target or k mart or Big W for cheap stuff. I recommend for men a good suit jacket and a couple of pairs of trousers from M&S. Suit prices are a rip off here. Mmm yes, I don't get this "stocking up" at all. Summer clothes are readily available in Australia. Shampoo, cosmetics and toiletries are also available and what's more you have to adapt to new product ranges anyway, so what does delaying it a few weeks achieve, other than using up luggage allowance! I don't recall buying anything ahead of the move, if anything wanted to downsize, not accumulate more to bring. But things I think might be worth considering would definitely be men's workwear (suit and shirts very expensive in Australia) and good shoes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Mmm yes, I don't get this "stocking up" at all. Summer clothes are readily available in Australia. Shampoo, cosmetics and toiletries are also available and what's more you have to adapt to new product ranges anyway, so what does delaying it a few weeks achieve, other than using up luggage allowance! I don't recall buying anything ahead of the move, if anything wanted to downsize, not accumulate more to bring. But things I think might be worth considering would definitely be men's workwear (suit and shirts very expensive in Australia) and good shoes. I don't know what to expect now! I was told clothes etc can be very expensive , but maybe that depends where we will live? thanks for the suit idea though ! I never would of thought of something like that I think the only suit my husband owns is the one he got married in lol I like the packing idea because we can add just a little each month while we wait, the wait really drags out ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 For me personally it isn't due to Australia not having what we want, it's due to us knowing financially how much we would need to spend in the UK and preparing ourselves so we don't have to go out rooting for it in Australia. If I want to buy my sandals that I like in Accessorize that cost £15 then yes I will, because the equivalent Australian branded ones appear to cost £30. I want to be organised so that when we arrive, we don't have to start searching for clothes or finding the money for clothing. I have heard many time that the fashion is not great and the clothes are expensive, if this is wrong why do so many people order from the UK and have it shipped over? Underwear for example I hear is poor in Australia, I know a lot of Brits who buy underwear from Next and have it posted over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieV Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I agree - we've been to Oz every year for the past 4-5 years (my parents live there) and some things are either much more expensive than the UK or they just do not have the choice available that we do. For example; if I want a very cheap t shirt for my toddler to wear and get messy in I could go to Primark/Tesco/Sainsburys/Asda and pick up one for £1 or £2. In Oz they don't have anything similar....possibly Target, Big W or Aldi but even then they are more expensive and don't have same the choice that we do. I understand that over time we will get more familiar with the brands/shops/what's available in Oz but since we are paying for a container anyway we may as well make most use of the space and budget and send over a couple of additional boxes. Plus, then we know what we have and don't need to budget for those items once we arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I agree - we've been to Oz every year for the past 4-5 years (my parents live there) and some things are either much more expensive than the UK or they just do not have the choice available that we do. For example; if I want a very cheap t shirt for my toddler to wear and get messy in I could go to Primark/Tesco/Sainsburys/Asda and pick up one for £1 or £2. In Oz they don't have anything similar....possibly Target, Big W or Aldi but even then they are more expensive and don't have same the choice that we do. I understand that over time we will get more familiar with the brands/shops/what's available in Oz but since we are paying for a container anyway we may as well make most use of the space and budget and send over a couple of additional boxes. Plus, then we know what we have and don't need to budget for those items once we arrive. How much cheaper do you want? http://www.target.com.au/b/targetessentials?N=1z140goZ1z140vsZ1z140w1&Nrpp=30&viewAs=grid&page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 And when I remove your selections these are the girls selection: http://www.target.com.au/b/targetessentials?N=1z140goZ27m0&Nrpp=30&viewAs=grid My daughter wouldn't wear any of these, they are more childish and these are the 7-16 range? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieV Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 How much cheaper do you want? http://www.target.com.au/b/targetessentials?N=1z140goZ1z140vsZ1z140w1&Nrpp=30&viewAs=grid&page=1 Like I said previously, it's about choice as well as cost...the number of comparable shops in the UK is far greater than in Oz. All of the major supermarkets stock 'cheap' kids clothes, Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons. Then there are the high street stores, Primark, H&M, Mothercare etc etc Target is just one option. Although the costs are comparable, it is still just one option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMatt Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Yes , I heard there wasn't much selection from people we know in Perth. They're the ones that told us we would pay a fortune for clothes there, worth the money but an awful lot to spend if you do have children that are going to have them ruined anyway. I personally love getting my boy little joggers and t-shirts in Asda, they don't last long but he would only get about two weeks out of clothes anyway . he ruined his next clothes just as quick ! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 It is different fashion here and unless you want to spend a lifetime doing mail order and hoping items fit when they arrive, you will eventually have to adapt. Target, Big W, K-Mart, Best N Less all have cheap clothes, even more so in the sales (which happen every other month for one reason or another). Cheap T shirts to get messy will set you back around $3 up which converted isnt much different to 1 GBP, but if you wait for sale you can pick them up from $1 upwards. In relation to toiletries, cosmetics and over the counter meds, i did bring a small stock pile with me, the last thing i wanted to do was to hit the shops to find equivalents in the first week or two when we had lots of more important stuff to do. The things that 9 years on i still havent found equivalents too, are small in number but are things like Buttercup cough Syrup, Childrens Calpol (yes they have kids paracetamol but my little one just spat it out,lol). So guess what id be stocking up on if i went back for a holiday,lol Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 The thing to remember for kids is that they want to fit in, there will be fashion trends that they want to follow with their mates - it's like wearing Clarks shoes when all of your mates are turning up in runners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Yes , I heard there wasn't much selection from people we know in Perth. They're the ones that told us we would pay a fortune for clothes there, worth the money but an awful lot to spend if you do have children that are going to have them ruined anyway. I personally love getting my boy little joggers and t-shirts in Asda, they don't last long but he would only get about two weeks out of clothes anyway . he ruined his next clothes just as quick ! Lol I still think adapting is key to migrating. There are plenty of clothes shops in Australia to suit all budgets. What do you think Australians wear? There are just a small selection of things that might be better purchased in UK, like business suits as mentioned. As a migrant you might need to adapt, children grow and you won't be able to pack enough clothes for the rest of their life, so you will need to get used to new shops soon enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelensvaleHoward Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Don't forget also you might be waiting a long time for your containers to arrive We're all different So some will miss some things more than others Unfortunately you won't know until you're here what the big things you miss are After 5 years I can't think of much if anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I guess you have to remember too,most aussies buy their kids clothing(and their own for that matter)at Target,KMart,Big W and so on.So unless you're shopping online from an overseas store,everyone will be dressed similarly.Kids I think blend in much better,rather than dressing your child against the "norm"lol We lived in a country town,where the latest fashions weren't at the top of parents agenda's.I still miss my flannel shirts!haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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