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Original poster

has anyone moved from UK to North America?

14 replies

skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 19:21

We are moving to Canada from Ireland in the next few months and I have no idea if it's worth shipping the furniture or not... I have more specific questions if anyone would like to reply! Thanks!

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Chandra · 27/08/2005 19:31

I have lived in 5 diferent countries and my advice would be not to take with you things that may cost cheaper bought again than sent. After all, you don't know yet (I assume) where you are going to live therefore you can't be sure if your current furniture would fit/look nice in your new house (unless we are talking about very valuable antiques or iconografic furniture ), same goes for electronics, which in my opinion, are better to buy them over there with the money you save from carrying them around (consider also plugs and voltage).

We have some friends who moved from Germany and, because they considered UK so expensive, they went and bought everything in Germany and then had to pay £4000 to bring it over here. I still doubt that all the furniture they brought was worth half the price of the shipping! They could have spent those 4000 in nicer things over here...

HTH

Original poster
skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 19:50

True. I do have a few antiques that aren't worth a fortune, maybe aren't so much antiques as just quirky bits I wouldn't find easily (large dressers etc. we got at auctions.) I've lived in four different cities and three countries since college but this is the only place I've accumulated "nice" things! I still haven't got shipping quotes so I suppose that will be the deciding factor.

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Original poster
skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 19:51

And thanks for replying so quickly! If you don't mind my asking, where do you live now? And where did you live previously?
I'm Canadian, lived there until I was 25, went to Japan for 2 years and have been in Ireland for 8!

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 27/08/2005 19:51

No. Moved the other way round and shipping furniture was WAY too expensive. Unless of course you have a company relocation package.

Original poster
skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 19:53

That's probably true. Sigh. I just hate the thought of shopping around and setting it all up from scratch AGAIN...

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Ameriscot2005 · 27/08/2005 19:55

I've moved from the UK to the USA twice. Happy to answer any questions.

We shipped everything, but it was a company move. I think it would be a good idea for you to get some quotes from mover before making any decisions. You may be able to work out the cost of replacements via furniture retailers' websites.

My personal opinion, but inexpensive and moderately priced American furniture is fairly naff looking (all bulky dark wood and turned oak). Stylish furniture is really expensive.

expatinscotland · 27/08/2005 19:58

Stylish furniture is hard to find there as well. We lived in Texas, and my mom bought almost all her furniture in Mexico or at antique/estate sales.

Original poster
skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 19:59

Thanks Ameriscot! As we're not even moving to a big city I dread the kind of usual offering in the furniture stores... puffy couches etc. I think we have too many boxes of other stuff (dishes etc.) to post it so we'll need a container anyway, in which case I should be able to ship a few pieces I really like. Or can you buy half or even less than half of a container?

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Original poster
skerriesmum · 27/08/2005 20:00

It is really great to know there are a few out there who have been through it anyway. Thanks again! Will post next week I suppose after I get some moving quotes.

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turquoise · 27/08/2005 20:07

We moved from Kent to NJ and back again - but it was a company move. We bought a quite a bit out there though. Don't know if 'Restoration Hardware' is in Canada as well as the US, but it was good.

expatinscotland · 27/08/2005 20:09

Restoration Hardware is brill. So is Pottery Barn.

turquoise · 27/08/2005 20:50

Also Crate and Barrel oh how I loved that place.
Bed bath and Beyond, and even JC PEnneys if you search through the crud.
Never thought I'd be feeling nostalgic!

Ameriscot2005 · 28/08/2005 07:01

SM,

You can share containers with other households, but obviously this will cost a bit more per square foot than if you had your own exclusively, and the loading and unloading will be a lot more complicated (involving other vans etc.) There are cost-effective ways of shipping tea-crate type loads, if you are talking about your personal effects other than furniture.

highlander · 28/08/2005 11:34

we've just returned from Vancouver to the UK

When we moved to Canada, we bought all our stuff from the display section in Ikea. It was a temporary move, and it would have cost us too much to ship everything over there for only a year.

We shipped stuff back. The big bulky stuff (bed) came by ship as you pay per cubic metre. Other stuff came by air, where you pay per kg.

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