What to do for furniture when waiting for shipment?

[tori0609]

Hi all

 

We have just got our visa (Hooray!) and based on it taking an average of 10 weeks for our things to arrive (is that about right?) We think we may be in our first rental property for about 4 weeks without any furniture - we aren't taking all of our things but we will be bringing the cot-bed for our girl and our bed & mattress - any ideas on what to do or what other people have done in this time space? we aren;t bringing a huge amount of money and don;t have a house to sell so don;t have a great deal to spare (so we want to get out of the 'temporary' accomodation ASAP!

 

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated!!

 

all the best

 

Tori x

[Hutchy]

We went to Bunnings and bought a patio table and chairs to use until our furniture arrived. We didn't bring many electrical items either, a lot of our stuff was past it's best, so went to Good Guys and got a great deal.

[snifter]

I'd say invest in a couple of air mattresses for sleeping on. We use them a fair bit her and our son has been happy camping out on one (since he was 2) when we have guests. Just don't really inflate the one the kidlet sleeps on as sometimes they can roll off if its raised.

 

And yeah, the garden furniture idea is a good one. Buy something you want to keep long term, even if its second hand and use that for eating/sitting at.

 

Also check places like Gumtree and local ads (and stuff on here in the For Sale section) to pick up a few bits to tide you over.

 

We plan to ship our furniture well before we actually depart UK shores. Make do this end with the stuff we are not shipping or can borrow from people, then flog it/dump it before we go and have a 2 week holiday somewhere before flying out. All being well we'll only have a few weeks then before our stuff arrives.

[Rob and Mel]

We have some spare stuff that we have collected over the two years we have been here.

We keep hold of some of our older stuff and let the newies use it as long as its kept in a condition that we can lend it out again.

Let us know when you are due to arrive and we MIGHT be able to sort some stuff out.

 

This is just something nice that someone did for us and we are trying to help others out as we realise how hard it is when you touch down.

 

Rob and Mel

[jtct]

Saw a shop in the Colonnades (Noarlunga) where you can rent various bits - http://www.rentlo.com.au/

[tori0609]

We went to Bunnings and bought a patio table and chairs to use until our furniture arrived. We didn't bring many electrical items either, a lot of our stuff was past it's best, so went to Good Guys and got a great deal.

Thanks for that idea Hutchy - will do that! Seems as though all common sense has left our brains whilst sorting out this mountain of 'stuff' to do!!

[tori0609]

I'd say invest in a couple of air mattresses for sleeping on. We use them a fair bit her and our son has been happy camping out on one (since he was 2) when we have guests. Just don't really inflate the one the kidlet sleeps on as sometimes they can roll off if its raised.

 

And yeah, the garden furniture idea is a good one. Buy something you want to keep long term, even if its second hand and use that for eating/sitting at.

 

Also check places like Gumtree and local ads (and stuff on here in the For Sale section) to pick up a few bits to tide you over.

 

We plan to ship our furniture well before we actually depart UK shores. Make do this end with the stuff we are not shipping or can borrow from people, then flog it/dump it before we go and have a 2 week holiday somewhere before flying out. All being well we'll only have a few weeks then before our stuff arrives.

Great idea about the mattresses - think we will do that too!! (once again - why didnt we think of that?!) Thanks for the tip for gumtree too - most appreciated!

[tori0609]

We have some spare stuff that we have collected over the two years we have been here.

We keep hold of some of our older stuff and let the newies use it as long as its kept in a condition that we can lend it out again.

Let us know when you are due to arrive and we MIGHT be able to sort some stuff out.

 

This is just something nice that someone did for us and we are trying to help others out as we realise how hard it is when you touch down.

 

Rob and Mel

 

Oh WOW!! that would be SO helpful and SO appreciated!!! Oh how kind of you!! obviousyl understand it's just a possibility at this stage but how nice of you to keep things for us newbies!! We hope to arrival April - will book flights this weekend (Yikes!) Hope life is good for you out there! x

[tori0609]

Saw a shop in the Colonnades (Noarlunga) where you can rent various bits - http://www.rentlo.com.au/

 

Thanks for that tip - will have a look! x

[tori0609]

Wow - thanks for such a helpful response everyone - think I'd be lost in this move without this forum and hope to help other newbies along the way too!

All very much appreciated! x

[Guest monkey-74]

You can also get lots of decent stuff cheap at garage sales. They advertise them On gumtree

[tean]

I saw this week, a Queen size , self-inflating mattress for $60 in Cheap as Chips.

Kmart and Big W have really good value stuff for the home. We bought a kettle and toaster from Big W for $9 each and they have been fine.

There are always garage sales on at the weekend and sometimes great bargains to be found.

We used beach chairs in the house before our stuff arrived and bought beds from Haggle at a good price.

All the best, it all adds to the fun of it all xx

[Kingpin]

We would probably have a few bits we could lend out to you while you wait for your container. TV, something to sit on, chest of drawers, airbeds, kitchen bits and bobs, bed linen, towels, toys.

 

Our container hasnt arrived yet but when it does it is stuffed silly with more stuff than we are going to need!

 

Keep in touch and let me know when you get here.

 

 

Sarah

[tori0609]

You can also get lots of decent stuff cheap at garage sales. They advertise them On gumtree

Thanks for the tip - will keep a look out when we get there!

[tori0609]

I saw this week, a Queen size , self-inflating mattress for $60 in Cheap as Chips.

Kmart and Big W have really good value stuff for the home. We bought a kettle and toaster from Big W for $9 each and they have been fine.

There are always garage sales on at the weekend and sometimes great bargains to be found.

We used beach chairs in the house before our stuff arrived and bought beds from Haggle at a good price.

All the best, it all adds to the fun of it all xx

Thank-you for the tips, you're right - all part of the fun!!

[tori0609]

We would probably have a few bits we could lend out to you while you wait for your container. TV, something to sit on, chest of drawers, airbeds, kitchen bits and bobs, bed linen, towels, toys.

 

Our container hasnt arrived yet but when it does it is stuffed silly with more stuff than we are going to need!

 

Keep in touch and let me know when you get here.

 

 

Sarah

Oh that is SO kind of you!! I'm overwhelmed at how kind people on this forum are being with SO much good advice and actually going out of your way to help like this!! Hope your container arrives soon for you - I've heard it feels like Christmas when it finally arrives! What are are you in? we are unsure yet of wher eto go but have a few ideas. Hope your transition has been a smooth one and will keep in touch for sure!! thanks again!! x

[Guest sueedam]

Took our stuff 5 mnths to get here after being quoted 8 to 10 weeks. Like you we didnt bring to much furniture so didnt have a full container, so i believe our stuff waited in the UK until one was full. Good luck with the move.

[Guest guest3462]

If you move deep south we have dinner plates etc you can use. I have a box of stuff that Ijust lend out to people then it sits in the garage waiting for the next lend! It's just cheap stuff that we bought when we first arrived and waiting for our container, but it does the trick and has helped about 5 families so far! We have 3 little girls also so plenty of toys girls clothes etc here! x

[Guest bidsandrew]

Our stuff arrived last week and yes it is like an early Christmas!! So good to have your own stuff surrounding you especially when you havent seen it for 2 months!

 

We sent our stuff just over 2 weeks before we left the UK, had 10 days in South Africa, 4 weeks here in fully furnished rental and then our shipping was due to be with us. Unfortunatly it didnt work out to the day but we moved into our long term rental and had 5 days with nothing. We bought some new camping chairs, a cheap fridge off gumtree (thank goodness as our fridge has got here and doesnt work) and we were very lucky that our estate agents helped us out with airbeds and bedding and some pots and pans. It sounds like so many people have stuff you could borrow so it might just mean camping out for a few days/weeks, definitly all part of the adventure though!

 

Good luck with the move!

[Guest nic-manchester]

Congratulations tori on your visa granted.

 

We too have had lovely friends lend us table and chairs offered air beds and stuff you will find that people are very kind and more than helpful along the way.

 

Most shops here you can haggle with, we also used good guys and haggle!!!! For beds for girls got a lovely bed for $99. You will find if you shop around you will be ok. On the other hand we have gone through some serious money here so be prepared.

 

I remember when you got turned down ss, am so please that you have now got your visa.

 

Please let me know if we can help out in anyway x

 

Nicola

[trevorpayne]

Find a comfy floor .

[Guest boesman]

Yeah, we bought 3 air mattresses for the kids and two self inflatable mattresses for me and hubby. We are campers so it will be used again in the future. I am also packing in a kettle, plastic plates, knives and forks, plastic cups two pots and a pan and a few other bits needed for cooking. We are probably insane, but we are gonna camp after the first two weeks until we find a house so in goes a big tent too. Chairs and tables will just have to wait.