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Newly moved from the US - help with home shopping please.......

39 replies

YesNoMaybeSo · 27/03/2007 16:43

Hi

I have just moved from the US and am settling into country life in the sticks. I am linked to the internet etc., and pop down to London once a month or so but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on websites or catalogues that I could look up to purchase stuff for myself and my kids (Milly aged 4 and Matt aged 9). I need EVERYTHING from clothing, home products, toys, furniture, holiday ideas - you name it.

Thank you very much!

An appreciative yank

OP posts:
mckenzie · 27/03/2007 16:47

welcome to the UK YesNoMaybeSo

www.johnlewis.com is a good department store website, They don't have everything on there that is in their stores but it's still pretty good I think.
www.boots.com for toiletries, perfume, gifts, children's clothing, holiday bits.
www.mothercare.co.uk for baby bits.
www.gltc.co.uk for toys, chidlren's furniture etc

Good luck

mckenzie · 27/03/2007 16:48

how could I have forgotten???
Good old www.marksandspencer.com for clothing, bedding, furniture and home products.

scotlou · 27/03/2007 16:52

www.argos.co.uk - furniture, toys, appliances, home products etc.

children's clothes - www.pumpkinpatch.co.uk
(or boden if you're feeling rich!)

Mercy · 27/03/2007 16:52

Hello, and welcome

marksandspencer.com - food (not delivered though), clothing (mens, womens, childrens) some home stuff

Don't forget you can discounts from various places by shopping via Mumsnet adverts!

Oooooh, there must be loads! Just can't think right now.

PestoEasterMonster · 27/03/2007 16:52

www.play.com are good for books, dvds, etc and do not charge postage & packing

TeeCee · 27/03/2007 16:53

Verbaudet for children's clothes

PestoEasterMonster · 27/03/2007 16:54

www.next.co.uk are also good for clothes and if you order before midday, they usually deliver the following day.

Mercy · 27/03/2007 16:54

Am obviously slow today!

How about Ikea? Lots of basic furniture and loads of things you never realised you needed!

TeeCee · 27/03/2007 16:55

La Redoute for children's clothes

TeeCee · 27/03/2007 16:56

ELC for kids toys

paulaplumpbottom · 27/03/2007 16:58

www.boden.co.uk
www.Lauraashley.co.uk
www.GreatLittletradingcompany.co.uk
www.Elegantresorts.com

If you want any American Groceries may I recommend www.skyco.co.uk

TeeCee · 27/03/2007 16:58

Mulberry Bush

Urchin

Letterbox

Great Little Trading Company

TeeCee · 27/03/2007 17:00

Bright Minds

PrincessPeaHead · 27/03/2007 17:01

Ha ha! The expert is here.
OK.
The site you should not live without is www.johnlewis.com. THis is the shop to get absolutely everything for the home, all at very good prices, fantastic service (re returns etc), immaculate delivery, it is perfect. You can buy everything for the kitchen (fridges, washing machines, ovens etc), plates, glasses, flatware, wooden spoons, kitchenaid stuff. Everything for the bathroom - laundry baskets, mirrors, scales, bath mats, towels. Sheets and valances and mattress covers etc. Lighting is particularly good. Everything basically. You can also get everything audiovisual, all electronic goods, a good selection of toys, and also furniture - beds, wardrobes, whatever. This should be your number one stop. It also does clothes but not high fashion - still, good basics. CLothes are better in the shop than they are on the net. Also kids shoes are fantastic in the shop but not on the net.
www.marksandspencer.com is also good - good basic everything. You are probably familiar with M&S.

Also look at www.tesco.com or www.ocado.com or www.sainsburys.com for groceries - see who delivers to you. Tesco also sells everything but is a bit low-end for eg clothes - very good for electricals and CDs etc though.

www.thewhitecompany.co.uk does the best and best value towels and sheets in the uk - really great quality for the price. also does some decorative accessories for the home and great towels, bedding, furniture etc for childrens rooms. nice pyjamas and dressing gowns as well. have a look - great site.

Children's clothes. www.boden.com (discount if you click through from this site). Many people clothe their children completely off this site - and you can get at least 50% back by selling them on ebay when you have finished with them. The archetypal english middle class clothes!
People like www.verbaudet.co.uk but I've never got on with it.
Wet weather clothes for children - www.muddypuddles.co.uk are excellent. Good for skiwear too. General outdoor stuff.
www.gltc.co.uk is good for all sorts of things to do with kids - eg outdoor toys, bedroom furniture and accessories, clothes (but only up to age 5 I think).

CLothes for you - I don't really do mailorder clothes as I like to try things on, but look at the aforementioned Boden, also www.monsoon.co.uk, www.netaporter.com for seriously lovely designer stuff, well edited, www.schuh.co.uk for shoes.

Furniture for kids rooms - best ones are www.gltc.co.uk (discount from this site), www.johnlewis.com and also have a look at www.aspace.co.uk for great beds with truckles underneath them for sleepovers, matching furniture like desks etc and good accessories.

Furniture for you www.oka-direct.co.uk.

Holidays - www.lastminute.com is owned by Travelocity and is good. www.scottdunn.co.uk does high end holidays with children in mind. www.markwarner.com also kid-friendly holidays. www.elegantresorts.co.uk if you are pushing the boat out. www.thomson.com good for good value package holidays. www.kuoni.com has good holidays but their site drives me mad. www.sanctuary-villas.com and www.ppa.co.uk for fantastic villas in europe.

Other sites I use are www.pedlars.co.uk for just wierd stuff, www.crocus.co.uk for the garden, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk for homewares, www.divertimenti.co.uk for lovely kitchenwares.

I'm sure I'll think of more!

PrincessPeaHead · 27/03/2007 17:03

oh and if you need a car I wouldn't bother with a dealer, go straight to www.drivethedeal.com - MUCH cheaper than going direct to a dealer (even if you buy a car from the site you contract with a main dealer anyway so the guarantee etc is exactly the same).

PrincessPeaHead · 27/03/2007 17:04

ps where do you live? then we can give you more shopping ideas.

oh also look at www.activetoy.co.uk for great swingsets etc for the garden, which you can also get through john lewis or www.elc.co.uk

PrincessPeaHead · 27/03/2007 17:05

www.figleaves.com for underwear and swimsuits

www.unopiu.co.uk for garden furniture (tables and chairs, benches, umbrellas etc)

Mercy · 27/03/2007 17:08

Yes, John Lewis is just bloody fantastic imo! It caters for most budgets (although furniture is expensive imo) and they provide great guarantees for white goods etc.

And their sister shop Waitrose which does food and wine is fab (pretty pricey though)

paulaplumpbottom · 27/03/2007 17:31

www.CathKidston.com -cute glasses and plates, tea towels, aprons, cutlery

YesNoMaybeSo · 28/03/2007 09:43

Morning! Thank you so, so much, this is all so great, I can't thank you enough!

I look forward to trying all of these sites out, I am going to be very busy today I think.

And to top it all off the sun is out.......

OP posts:
YesNoMaybeSo · 28/03/2007 10:43

Princess Pea Head your list is AMAZING-thank you so much. I'm feeling kinda selfish this morning and have just checked out the clothing sites so far, that Net-a-Porter site-Oh my goodness!

I am in Westerham, Kent. It's very quaint and all but thank goodness for the internet!

OP posts:
skirmish · 28/03/2007 10:45

hi yesno...westerham isn't far to drive into bromley which has a lot of the shops mentioned (boots, mothercare, m & s etc) or tunbridge wells, slightly smaller but has a fenwicks deparment store, or sevenoaks, for quaint little boutique type shops

cazzybabs · 28/03/2007 10:54

fatface for cool kids clothes
white stuff for nice clothes

amazon and play.com for books, DVDs and CDs.

paulaplumpbottom · 28/03/2007 10:56

I love shopping in Tunbridge Wells. My Husband's Aunt lives there and I frequently find reasons to visit. You'll want to make it one of your first stops.

YesNoMaybeSo · 28/03/2007 15:08

Thanks Paula, it's on the list.

Just going through the websites and I LOVE the little girl's dresses on the Marks and Spencer website (it's really fast too-very impressive). Not really feeling their toys so much though, although like you say Letterbox and Mulberry Bush have some cool stuff. I have to say though, the Great Little Trading Company is winning the vote so far. There's so much stuff! It's Milly's birthday next month (oh my goodness FIVE!) so I'll be getting some of their party bags and goodies(FYI check out the cute purses!).

Thanks for the Brightminds recommendation too, excellent educational stuff on there for Matty.

Boden kids is just too cute too!

All this surfing is a bit tiring maybe time for a cup of tea and a look at the holiday websites

OP posts:
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