# Shipping Advice



## tiffanddrew (Dec 1, 2010)

Hi everyone I'm new on here and after some advice/help/pointers on shipping items over to San Francisco from the UK.

My wife (U.S. Citizen) and I are moving in May next year and we will have a newborn baby to take with us as well (I know, we didn't plan that very well did we!!!) so we are needing items to be shipped over which we will need immediately ie moses basket, bottles, sterilisers etc etc as from what I can gather our belongings will take a while to get there from start to finish?

We are already only taking bare essentials like clothes, sentimental things, 2 expensive bicycles ( I race) and so forth so nothing big and heavy like furniture.

I know when my wife initially moved over she only had approx 6 boxes and got it flown over. Can we do that now? 

I've searched on the internet but it's like a minefield and all a bit confusing.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Andrew


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## AmandaL (Feb 20, 2009)

Now, my experience is 18 months old now, (I did work in logistics for years though) but it will take at least 6 weeks to ship stuff over to SFO - unless you have a whole container - which will be marginally quicker but still 3 weeks odd with customs clearance time too..

I would suggest paying excess baggage or planning a trip to TOYSRUS as soon as you land...

I shipped with Doree Bonner - I think they do airfreight - but you do pay a premium - but would be pretty quick.

Good luck.


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## theresoon (Apr 11, 2008)

tiffanddrew said:


> Hi everyone I'm new on here and after some advice/help/pointers on shipping items over to San Francisco from the UK.
> 
> My wife (U.S. Citizen) and I are moving in May next year and we will have a newborn baby to take with us as well (I know, we didn't plan that very well did we!!!) so we are needing items to be shipped over which we will need immediately ie moses basket, bottles, sterilisers etc etc as from what I can gather our belongings will take a while to get there from start to finish?
> 
> ...


I moved with a 6 month old and a 2 year old a couple of years ago. The difference is that now you are only allowed 1 suitcase each, so 3 in total. You are also entitled to bring all the baby stuff- car seat, stroller(no matter how big). For the sterilizer you'll need a converter so I wouldn't take it. I am not sure if you can take the moses basket with you, but you can take the pack n play (playpin) and some of them are very elaborate with a changer, a baby bed and all sorts of stuff. With my second child I didn't even bother getting the moses basket out of the closet- I had her sleep in that for a few months. And the pack and play went with us on the plane as did the double stroller, and 2 car seats, 8 suitcases and 4 carry-ons.


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## tiffanddrew (Dec 1, 2010)

Brilliant, thanks for the replies. What about DHL? Do they send over personal items and the such like?


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## AmandaL (Feb 20, 2009)

They would do but it will cost you the GDP of a small country


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## wynos25 (Apr 19, 2009)

*Dhl*



tiffanddrew said:


> Brilliant, thanks for the replies. What about DHL? Do they send over personal items and the such like?


I would recommend either UPS or FedEx. DHL has a very small presense in the states now and you may pay an additional premium as a result. I would research all however.


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## Lemontree1 (Dec 4, 2010)

Hi Andrew

I've just gone through this myself, with a wife and 2 young kids, I understand your stress! We are moving to NJ so it's easier. However the fundamentals are the same, needing to get kit to the US in varying ways, some sea some air and some you leave behind. Currently 90% of our stuff is on the sea and we have the remainder waiting to go by courier. I would definitely recommend the people we just used to manage all this, they know their stuff very well, are small, and can give good sensible advice. Let me know if you want their details.

Cheers


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## tiffanddrew (Dec 1, 2010)

Hi Lemontree1 that would be very helpful thank you very much.


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