What UK essentials do you ship from UK to overseas

[Clueless2727]

Specifically singapore.

Other than all our normal stuff, want to buy some bits that will hard to get or really expensive there (dh company paying for shipping)

So far...

Kids uv suits (and bikinis for me)
Kids summer clothes
1 tog superking duvet
Suncream
Tonnes of john frieda frizz ease stuff for dd and me (think may be too big a battle but will try)
Mabelline mascara plus few other beauty bits i can't live without
Nespresso capsules

Will the removal company let us take liquids (above beauty stuff)

Lastly, am i right in thinking removal companies won't let us take dvds in case they get checked by customs? Does that include computer console (wii) games?

Thanks

[Saltedcaramellavacake]

You can get nespresso capsules here for about 90 cents. Not sure if that's expensive or not?
Strange, but if you have Brabantia rubbish bins, the replacement bin bags are very expensive here!
Pool toys/floats are expensive here. I would bring some.
Spare sheets/duvet covers if you are bringing a UK bed as the local ones are a different size.
We brought DVDs over with no problem. We don't have a games console, but the removalists should know.
A Kindle if you like to read - books are pricey.
A big stash of greeting cards if you like to send them - very expensive here and not a great selection.
If you can I would bring birthday presents for the kids' next birthdays as toys are expensive here. This is a must if your kids are small and they like Early Learning Centre stuff as that is eye wateringly expensive here. Ditto kids paints and craft supplies.
I'll keep thinking!

[Saltedcaramellavacake]

Wine! How could I forget! If you're allowed to bring some do so - you will pay $35 for a bottle of £4 wine Tesco here.

[Clueless2727]

Thanks, yes that's about double uk price for nespresso. Thx about craft stuff. We have a tonne of that but was going to leave it, will rethink that. Same with cards, got loads kids ones. The ones i buy for my friends are usually rude, won't have any friends in singapore to start with and not sure if i could give someone i dont know well a rude card, make or break a friendship

Got few pictures, will i be able to put mirrors pictures up in rented accommodation in singapore?

[Portofino]

35$

[Clueless2727]

At $35 a bottle of wine, it's going to be expensive business making new friends, have always found wine better icebreaker than coffee. Maybe have to resort to lewd joke cards, not sure whether will get in trouble for that in singapore

[butterfliesinmytummy]

Wine is $20 (GBP10) a bottle (standard Aussie Sauvignon) and up - I think you can bring in 1 bottle each before applying for a license to import (this is how it was 5 years ago).

DVDs are fine, as long as they're not copies, same for any fake designer stuff.....

[butterfliesinmytummy]

Meant to say fake designer stuff not OK to bring in!

[Shanghaidiva]

We took dvds, games consoles to China, but there was a limit on the number. Your removal company should have a list of restrictions.
I live in China, but some of this may also apply to Singapore:
bras
shoes if you have larger feet
check to see if book depository ships to Singapore as they ship for free and prices are good
agree with cards

[ripsishere]

I live in Malaysia and would say this.
Tampons don't appear to be available beyond super. If you are heavy and not a mooncup user - get some super plus in your shipping.
Bras and shoes for the bigger bapped/footed lady. Hard to find and expensive.

[soapnuts]

definitely second the kindle - not only cheaper than books but it doesn't take up space in the tiny singapore apartment that is also costing you a fortune in rent
i wouldn't bother with the duvet personally - have just chucked all of ours as too hoht for them- we have a sheet and very thin quilt (which generally ends up on the floor)

don't bring too much is my advice - i'm having to seriously downsize or belongings at the moment having just moved here from a house elsewhere in asia

[HollyMadison]

If you have young kids, children's toothpaste. The Macleans 1-3 years stuff. Our Singaporean dentist said this is far superior to the (bubblegum flavored) stuff here in SG.

Don't worry about make up as there's loads here for all skin tones an your current products may not be so good in the humid climate (make up counter woman told me BB creams don't go we'll here in the climate).

Good quality kids clothes are expensive but try to bring cotton or linen clothes. DS ha a major sweat issue in some of the cheap t shirts here.

[RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief]

Calpol and Karvol

[butterfliesinmytummy]

Yes to kids toothpaste - although we use a German brand called Elmex (the mint junior version) that our dentist says is excellent and can be bought at the German shop here.

You can get Calpol but not the sugar free version and not in sachets (and not the 6+ one either). No Karvol but plenty of Chinese versions that smell the same

[ThisIsYourSong]

I thought you couldn't ship coffee as its considered food.

[EggsEggSplat]

When I was in Japan (so not all of this may apply to Singapore), the things I always brought from UK were: decent non-drowsy, antihistamines, children's nurofen, contraceptive pills, strong sunscreen, bras (everything in Japan was tiny and heavily padded), super-plus/super-plus extra tampons (could only get regular/super), Marmite, vegetable stock cubes.

[Saltedcaramellavacake]

It's easy to get contraceptive pill in SG (on prescription). Not the same as Japan like that. We could bring 12 bottles of wine but more than that we would have had to pay duty. It would have been worth it to me as the choice is not great unless you spend a lot. That said, I drink less here as it is too hot for wine and you need ice in it to keep it cool in the glass! I'm only half-joking...

[Clueless2727]

Thanks, i didn't know about food being banned. Oh hope not. I love my nespresso machine. Oh will take advice on toothpaste, tampons and shoes. I am a size 12 which i think is normal, but from what i can read that is massive in singapore, but i am 5'10" which i didn't think would matter as won't need long length stuff as won't be wearing many trousers, but i do have size 8 feet

[Cerisier]

There is a shop in Tanglin Mall called Ziegler that stocks size 8 shoes/sandals but they are expensive. They do have a sale twice a year though when you can pick up a bargain.

Holland Village Shopping Centre shoe shop has fitflops in size 8 (42) which are very comfy.

If you will have a Christmas tree in December bring out some decent fairy lights and some decorations, there is a very limited selection here.

[Saltedcaramellavacake]

Just on shoes, I have gone up at least a size here (to a 41) because all my normal sized shoes feel tight when my feet swell when walking in the heat. Don't go crazy buying shoes at home unless you're sure you won't swell! That said, I find it really hard to get nice size 41 shoes here so buy some that feel too big when I'm at home.

[stitchinline]

Clueless - this is helpful re food

www.ava.gov.sg/InformationForTravellers/BringFood/

[HollyMadison]

Sorry it's Aquafresh toothpaste, not Macleans.

[ripsishere]

I'd also stock up on the Tesco paracetamol/brufen that costs less than 20p a strip.
I got my DH a couple of strips of the 10 tablets. They were 70p a strip.

[papooshka]

Agree with alot of these, greetings cards are mega expensive so I always stock up on the cheap GBP1 ones in Tesco. You can get ibuprofen here but only in packs of 12 and you have to buy from the pharmacy so definitely stock up on those.

I've got big feet too - size 7, but spend the day in flip-flops/fit flops/birkenstocks and you can get big sizes in those here.

Cheap kids clothes can be found in H&M, Cotton On here but yes definitely get a few years worth of rash vests for the kids as they don't last so long here as they are constantly used.

Suntan lotion i wouldn't worry about, you can get a large 'banana boat' factor 50 in a shop called Mustafas for about 18dollars (9quid) ,so thats where I go!

Yes you can put up pictures/mirrors in rented accom, you just have to make sure that you fill in the holes when you leave the property, but check this with the landlord first.

There are lots of european shops here so clothes for you aren't a big problem - H&M, Zara, Mango etc

[takeaway2]

I would echo what almost everyone have said about clothes, especially for the adults. I am a size 8 and I think I'm an M/L? My DH is 6ft2 and usually an L in M&S UK, he's an XXL (and he's not fat).

Shoes too - the common size in the UK is probably around 5/6? in Singapore it's more like a 3/4.

Socks (for the DH)...