Wish Id packed that!

[Guest barb]

What do you Poms in Adelaid wish that you had brought over from the UK , or was there something that you wish you hadnt? In winter do you need a duvet on the bed...so will I need to bring one?

[angelab]

yes you will need a duvet as it gets cold in winter

[jo_marnes]

YES! High tog duvets a must - yes you could get one here but they'll cost 3 times as much!

 

I wish I'd packed slippers. And enough cheap pants for my boys until they are old enough to buy their own.

 

Also, I wish I'd bought lots of stock of all my toiletry staples - makeup etc that I KNOW I love. When you get here it is hard to find the time or have the energy to search for the little things - I've been here 18 mths now and still have no idea where/ what to buy as alternatives to my UK faves.

[snifter]

YES! High tog duvets a must - yes you could get one here but they'll cost 3 times as much!

 

I wish I'd packed slippers. And enough cheap pants for my boys until they are old enough to buy their own.

 

Also, I wish I'd bought lots of stock of all my toiletry staples - makeup etc that I KNOW I love. When you get here it is hard to find the time or have the energy to search for the little things - I've been here 18 mths now and still have no idea where/ what to buy as alternatives to my UK faves.

 

Awww about not being able to find something close to your faves back in the UK. What brands did you use if you don't mind me asking? Often all it is is they package them and call them something else over there, so it might be right under your nose just you've not realised it.

 

Slippers = ugg boots round the house when we are in Aus (at least in my MIL house). Although I do always bring a pair of slipper type shoes I often don't end up wearing them.

[Diane]

Argos reclining patio loungers! Bought two but they're wearing out now and really wish I'd filled at least half my container with them as you just can't get the same here!! (Believe me, I've looked!! Got some cheap versions but the Argos ones have outlasted them)

[Guest WhatNow?]

I did pack one of these but wished I packed one for each room. A safe block with 4 or 6 sockets. Replace the one plug with an Aussie one and use your appliances until you get round to changing the plugs on everything. Especially useful if you have a laptop and several mobile

phones to keep charged up as the double sockets here are not big enough to take 2 individual UK/Australia adapters.

 

For safety, change your plugs as soon as poss but the adapters will keep you going for a while and will be much appreciated by your UK visitors!

[Guest guest3462]

Boots no7 make up. aussie mate shampoo, chicken bisto, clarks shoes in numerous sizes for the kids (they sell them here, but cost a fortune)....my list is more than pathetic as you can get the same product by a different brand here, I just can't even after 2 years get over wanting/needing the products I knew and loved in the UK. We are going back with empty cases in 6 weeks, preparing to buy new baby grows and unisex newborn stuff that I simply can't find here when i know good old next and M&S does a great selection!!

Definatley bring a winter duvet, it gets so cold in winter and you'll be amazed at the cost of them here. You do get used to what is available to you on the Aussie market, but there is nothing wrong with the odd indulgence in special products you have loved for years in the UK :-)

[adelaidenow]

I am lucky (well, I am perfect) I didn't forget anything, but many seem to leave their sense of humour at the airport (or they throw it away when registering on here).

[Prema]

Bring lots of always ultra, the ones they have here are not great.

[adelaidenow]

I really don't understand why people don't bring everything?

 

Obviously Fridges need to stay in UK, but other than that bring your whole house contents. When you move house in UK you don't leave half of your belongings behind.

[Guest Trakki]

Boots no7 make up. aussie mate shampoo, chicken bisto, clarks shoes in numerous sizes for the kids (they sell them here, but cost a fortune)....my list is more than pathetic as you can get the same product by a different brand here, I just can't even after 2 years get over wanting/needing the products I knew and loved in the UK. We are going back with empty cases in 6 weeks, preparing to buy new baby grows and unisex newborn stuff that I simply can't find here when i know good old next and M&S does a great selection!!

Definatley bring a winter duvet, it gets so cold in winter and you'll be amazed at the cost of them here. You do get used to what is available to you on the Aussie market, but there is nothing wrong with the odd indulgence in special products you have loved for years in the UK :-)

 

Julia, I really struggled to get bulk buys of baby grows etc when we had Kian, can't beat the tesco ones but did discover that if you go to the Target sales you can get loads of baby clothes cheap.

[Guest BrianS]

also m&s will ship to aus for gbp25 no matter how big the order. even in my short time here i have used them for underwear and socks, quality and the price even with shipping is still better than here.

[jo_marnes]

I second the Always Ultra!

 

The brand I used back home was No7 at Boots - all my makeup and skincare was from their range.

[snifter]

I really don't understand why people don't bring everything?

 

Obviously Fridges need to stay in UK, but other than that bring your whole house contents. When you move house in UK you don't leave half of your belongings behind.

 

I think what people miss or don't bring are the small items like toiletries, some food stuffs, clothing that sort of thing. Often (as I said earlier in this thread) stores do the equivalent under another brand name but its often not easy to make the connection or realise. Or its imported and very pricey.

 

I know when I first went to live overseas its was usually the odd food thing or some such and couldn't find anywhere. Believe it or not, a decent tin of baked beans was impossible to find!

 

I know when we move back over we intend to ship pretty much everything but I'll be using this move as a good excuse to have a good sort out and ditch loads of stuff we've not used in years or replace it at the other end. Also some furniture will be left as well as our fridge freezer (its old anyway and I am going to try to eek it out till we move).

[Guest guest3462]

My mum and MIL have gone crazy mad with the baby shopping already - so I don't need to ship stuff over (yet!!), also we are going back on holiday in 6 weeks anyway and I can't see me walking past any shops once me and my mum get together the wallet is destined to get an awesome bashing!!! Poor Rich is dreading it!

As for Adelaide now, I have to disagree with you, when we came here we came for a one year working holiday and rented our UK house out fully furnished and didn't really want to ship all our belongings as we thought we would go back. As it is, we fell in love with the place and decided to stay - Now comes the fuss of going back to sort through everything and then shipping everything lol!

[adelaidenow]

My mum and MIL have gone crazy mad with the baby shopping already - so I don't need to ship stuff over (yet!!), also we are going back on holiday in 6 weeks anyway and I can't see me walking past any shops once me and my mum get together the wallet is destined to get an awesome bashing!!! Poor Rich is dreading it!

As for Adelaide now, I have to disagree with you, when we came here we came for a one year working holiday and rented our UK house out fully furnished and didn't really want to ship all our belongings as we thought we would go back. As it is, we fell in love with the place and decided to stay - Now comes the fuss of going back to sort through everything and then shipping everything lol!

 

Coming for a year is different to emigrating. And if you are only here a year you can live without things easier.

[Guest Nicky&Andy]

my worst regret is after shipping has gone, packing cases forgeting the kids scooter weight, we ended up chucking out our beach towels and duvet covers, only to find they will allow your cases to be abit over weight , within reason, then getting here to find out the cost of replacing them, needless to say we have only a flat sheet under our duvets.

we certainly look white and clinical lol,

[Guest WhatNow?]

When it comes to the big stuff like furniture, it may be that you would like to have familiar things around you or you may prefer to ship rather than face heavy shopping when you get here. On the other hand you may prefer a completely fresh start and UK furniture does sometimes look like something from the dolls' house in the large open spaces in houses here! Not as simple as some would have it...

 

I'd say it's a very personal decision - maybe it would be helpful to the OP to hear what people's opinions are of the quality/value for money of larger items of furniture bought here compared with the UK as it's often large things like lounge suites. wardrobes, dining tables etc that can rack up the shipping costs.

 

I shipped over a full size mahogany snooker/dining table and 4 chairs that are still in the garage in the packaging as it just wouldn't look right in my modern living space...wish I'd sold that before I left!

[snifter]

I do agree with WhatNow? about the traditional British style of furniture often looking out of place in Aussie homes. It often just jars unless the house is an older style. Same with curtains from the UK, they often won't fit the larger window sizes found in Aus. My MIL and aunt's houses both have HUGE windows and not a single set of our curtains will fit any of their windows.

 

We tend to have fairly modern furniture for the most part and will be bringing it all as tbh the cost of replacing it once we are there for like for like standard would be extortionate. Cheaper to ship for us. And anything else we buy now furniture wise I keep in mind that it'll be for us in Aus also and ensure its the sort of thing that we will more easily fit in over there.

 

I think bringing the basics is always good. Sofa, armchair, desk, beds, wardrobes if they are decent and you must, perhaps dining table and chairs, but even if you don't, you can always find something over there to suit. And there is always places like Ikea to help tide you over if need be.

 

FWIW things I shall leave behind will be a wardrobe as the one we have free standing is old and will take up space. Probably a single bed frame and also my big wooden desk. Its old, ugly and I shall be happy to be shot of it. O and the fridge. Other than that, furniture wise, it'll all be coming over.

 

Saying that, we are kind of minimalist with our furniture and we defo live with the less is more approach

[Diane]

Good point about wardrobes - most places have walk-ins or built-ins here - we have a lovely pine wardrobe in the garage now! Also re the curtains, yep, we have carboard boxes full of those too (also in the garage! Funnily enough, we're the only people in our street that don't keep our cars in there! Bloody poms....)

[snifter]

Good point about wardrobes - most places have walk-ins or built-ins here - we have a lovely pine wardrobe in the garage now! Also re the curtains, yep, we have carboard boxes full of those too (also in the garage! Funnily enough, we're the only people in our street that don't keep our cars in there! Bloody poms....)

 

Yup, I found that re the built ins.

 

I guess I am lucky in that I've had a few trips to Aus now and have spent all of the time there living/staying in houses long enough to get an idea of what the differences are.

 

Another big one for me is the adjustment of the layout of the houses. The British are used to two floors as a rule, living down, bedrooms up. However many Aussie homes tend to be single floor and are longer than wider from the street view. And often will have bedrooms at the front of a house and the living ones (kitchen/sitting/dining) at the rear or sides. Also pretty much every Aussie house has a utility room of some shape or form. And showers are the rule, not baths.

 

I often notice on those moving down under shows that families comment and don't like the bedrooms at the front (esp those with kids) and its always seen as a down side to a property. What they don't seem to realise is that many homes are laid out in similar ways and finding a house with sitting room at the front and all bedrooms at the back is pretty rare (at least in the houses I've seen, usually always one/two of the bedrooms at front/side somewhere).

[Guest JayBone]

Always Ultra??

 

Do women still have menstrual cycles in OZ......Not exactly the land of milk and honey i was expecting!!!:Randy-git:

 

Too late to pull out of the move now though:arghh:

[Guest nicandchris]

were lucky then as we already live in a bungalow with bedrooms at the front so no change there! Quite miss going upstairs to bed though! x

[Guest Chandan]

Boots no7 make up. aussie mate shampoo, chicken bisto, clarks shoes in numerous sizes for the kids (they sell them here, but cost a fortune)....my list is more than pathetic as you can get the same product by a different brand here, I just can't even after 2 years get over wanting/needing the products I knew and loved in the UK. We are going back with empty cases in 6 weeks, preparing to buy new baby grows and unisex newborn stuff that I simply can't find here when i know good old next and M&S does a great selection!!

Definatley bring a winter duvet, it gets so cold in winter and you'll be amazed at the cost of them here. You do get used to what is available to you on the Aussie market, but there is nothing wrong with the odd indulgence in special products you have loved for years in the UK :-)

 

 

Julia,

 

give me a week or two but I have loads of M&S and John Lewis white vests and some babygrows size 6 months + that I have and will be selling very cheaply. I was sorting some out today as my not so little 9 month old is outgrowing everything...

I am trying to find out where I can source clothing simliar to M&S and Next for kids, wasnt too impressed with what I saw or should i say what i didnt see in the shops yesterday..and a friend and I are in the process of building a online kids clothing boutique, from things we have both made and also what we can source from other places

Lets hope you have a boy and then i can help you out clothes wise lots in the future as I am sadly having no more babies, shame I didnt know you in the UK, could have brought all the stuff (all mostly brand new- my cousin worked for a supplier for M&S so I got tonnes of samples and didnt get to use all of them) that i ended up giving away. Also did you get my PM re Bumbo I am selling?

[snifter]

Kids clothing wise I always like Pumpkin Patch over in Aus. They also have outlet stores if you check online to see where they are located.