How did you time everything?

[Gemrock]

We’ve had our visa granted and accepted an offer on our house in London. Now I’m wondering how an earth to best sequence the big move to Adelaide! We are planning to use a large movecube for some of our furniture, books, kitchenware we don’t want to leave, toys, prints etc. We’ll need to sell the rest of our furniture and give away/recycle what we can’t sell. I’m just wondering how to make sure we get rid of everything before we move out, but aren’t in our house for too long sitting on boxes and sleeping on the floor (we have a toddler and a baby)!

it would be great to hear how others timed it and how it worked out. For instance, I’m thinking we book the movecube for a few weeks before we move out, try and sell everything else in the last week and send a couple of large boxes of stuff we’ll need immediately by surface mail in the last days. We’ll be staying with my parents when we first arrive. 

[calNgary]

If you have friends or family near by could they lend you things for the last week or two. Failing that do a bit of indoor camping,lol

I really wouldnt bother sending a few boxes ahead, we didnt although we really didnt bring much. What would you send by mail? K mart Big W etc do really cheap kitchen stuff, outlets like fantastic furniture do cheap furniture and if you dont mind second hand items  Gumtree as just about anything you could need.

Paperwork you will need in your first few weeks is better coming with you in your cases.

Cal x

[ali]

We rented fully furnished until our container arrived (12 weeks), it meant we were comfortable at least - especially with children starting school.

There are a lot of reasonably priced furniture places and you can't beat Kmart for cheap kitchen ware 

[Gemrock]

Thanks for your replies! We’re lucky that staying with my parents means we don’t need to worry too much about our initial arrival - if the movecube hasn’t arrived by the time we find a rental, we can hopefully borrow most necessities from them and get the rest from ikea/Kmart.

Just wondering how long it took people to sell the things they weren’t taking before they left and if they booked movecubes/shipping containers a few weeks beforehand or at the last minute? 

[rammygirl]

Well it depends when you are moving, some times are busier than others.  I wouldn’t wait till the last minute to book removals, get the quotes, pick one and book them in provisionally at least. You can always move the date if necessary. Otherwise you may end up having to go with whoever can do it at short notice.  In some areas move cubes are limited to certain days for pick ups.  It depends how near to the depot you are.

Start de cluttering and selling stuff sooner rather than later, you will be surprised what you can live without!

 

[LKC]

Before we left the UK, the shipping container was packed on the Thursday/Friday, we stayed at OH's parent's house over the weekend, and flew out on the Monday. 

When we moved back, we had the shippers in on the Thursday/Friday but they left us with the mattresses/bedding and a few basics such as plates/mugs/kettles/a few toys and books for the kids etc.  On the Monday we flew, the mattresses were picked up by a mattress recycling company, we took the last few bits to the tip/charity shop, packed anything else that we were bringing either in the suitcases or the box of air freight we'd arranged (which was picked up that same day), locked the door and left the keys with the estate agent to give to the new owners once settlement happened.  It was stressful at the time, but looking back it was fine.

I had done a massive declutter before we put the house on the market, and I rented a storage unit where I put a load or ready packed boxes, so I spent probably six months doing that.  Having said that, we were renovating/decorating at the same time so I could have got it done much quicker if I'd put my mind to it.  We booked the shippers to come round for quotes about six weeks before, but we didn't need to book them until about two weeks before we left.  

[Gemrock]

Great, thanks! That’s a good point about the mattresses - we’ll be selling the beds but I’m guessing most people won’t want the mattress in which case we can at least sleep on those until the final day and then organise disposal as you did. And try and sell the sofa, tv cabinet etc 10 days or so before we go which leaves enough time if we’re not successful to offer them on Freecycle. 

Going to start the decluttering now! 

[Emmys Gran]

If you have any unwanted furniture that you can’t sell then The British Heart Foundation will be grateful to have it as a donation. They will also collect free of charge

[Guest]

We did UK to Adelaide with a Movecube.

Iirc we booked it for a week before we were due to fly out. Had worked out well ahead of time what we wanted to ship. And knew what we also wanted to sell/dump/give away.

We shipped personal effects, chair, computer, all kitchen stuff, 2 sets drawers, deal and bikes.

White goods we chose to take to the recycling tip the day before we left. Though sold tumble dryer and washing machine a few days before. 

Sold most of our furniture about 2 weeks before and kept a mattress and heap of cushions for a sofa and slept on air mattresses for the final week or so.

We booked our Movecube to arrive midweek. We listed all the stuff to sell then also, gumtree, buy and sell pages etc and priced it to sell and be collected over the weekend before and after where possible (as generally lots of people free then and so able to collect).

We borrowed a few kitchen bits to use till we left. Also kept a few things we were going to throw away and did a run to the top the day before we flew out. We had dinner out the last night and breakfast was from the local bakers. 

We also shipped one extra holdall bag (27kg in weight) with an excess luggage company (kids/adults clothes, few toys etc) and had that picked up the day before we flew out and it arrived the day after us. I’d not send a box surface mail as would cost a lot. Research excess baggage companies. 

Also what visa do you have and has it been validated? If not and it’s PR check IOM for their migrant flights and generous excess baggage deals and also Singapore airlines as iirc they offer an extra 10kg baggage for an invalidated PR visa (per person). It was only me with the visa (spouse) but it got us an extra 10kg of baggage and meant husband could ship his bike with us without paying extra. We hit the limit weight wise and fitted in a huge amount in our luggage. 

Depending the time of year you plan to arrive in Adelaide, ie summer, you could get away with the bare minimum kids clothing wise. A few tee shirts, shorts and sandals, hat and you’d be set. Can buy stuff here cheap enough for the hot weather if you need more. 

[Gemrock]

Thanks so much Snifter, this is incredibly helpful. My husband has an invalidated PR visa and I’ve already been in contact with IOM, but no reply yet. We’re actually wanting to fly Singapore Air and would book direct with them anyway so I’ll definitely call them about the possibility of an extra 10kg. Unfortunately we’ll be arriving in early July in line with Hubby’s visa requirement, so just as winter sets in!