# Advice on packing please!



## South View (Jan 26, 2013)

Preparing for move later this year into a one-year rental in Portugal.

Would appeciate a few pointers on what to bring - for example our white goods (new-ish and good quality) and TV - or buy new in Portugal?

Any other tips greatly appeciated

Thanks
South View


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## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

Hi and good luck with the move.
You did not say what type of property you are moving in to, a house? flat? Villa?
So assuming that you have space in the new accommodation I would suggest bringing as much as you possible can. We did, and in some respects I wish we had done more. Top of the list would be as follows:
White Goods, TV´s, Computers, Telephones, Garage eqpt. Tools, Furniture as needed, plug adapters (get many more than you think you will need) and the rest of your personal choices depending on how you intend to ship the goods and the cost involved.

HTH

Rob


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

UK Washing machines and dishwashers require a blanking plug for hot fill, as Rob says I'd tend to bring everything but as it's only a year the decision is a little more difficult for you, if your intention is to stay then easy but if you find you don't like and return?


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

we have a hot and cold fill washing machine that we bought here. But everything else came from the UK!!!


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## jerryceltner (May 15, 2012)

I agree with what Robc says. With adaptors I bought another 20 from ebay at £1.02 each including shipping to Portugal and thought that it was a good deal. These were rated at 7.5 amps and the ones I bought here were rated 10/16 amps but 3 times the price if you can find them Continente in Tomar does not stock them any more.
I just swapped them round and used the 10/16 amp ones on electric kettles, chip fryers and alike.
If you bring your phones then you will need adaptors for them also as the socket is much smaller than the UK ones. I think it is a J39 but don't quote me on this and again bought from ebay.
When we came here we bought everything but the kitchen sink....a 40 ft lorry at a cost of just over £7500 which included them packing but us unpacking. My wife bought over 43 boxes of clothes out of 259 boxes + furniture + white goods + garden stuff. I bought 7 boxesf clothes over.


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## South View (Jan 26, 2013)

canoeman said:


> UK Washing machines and dishwashers require a blanking plug for hot fill, as Rob says I'd tend to bring everything but as it's only a year the decision is a little more difficult for you, if your intention is to stay then easy but if you find you don't like and return?


Thank you both for your prompt replies - we can now get started on a comprehensive list. We're planning for our move to be permanent so aren't worried about having to transport it back to the UK again.

thanks again
South View


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## South View (Jan 26, 2013)

Thanks for your help - sorry but I'm with your wife on the clothes boxes!

South View


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Then bring everything personally I'd replace plugs rather than use adapters, unless it was computer or tv, dvd etc equipment I was using a UK surge protector then I'd just replace that plug


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## notlongnow (May 21, 2009)

Just a slightly different attitude in the mix......how old are your existing TVs, white goods etc.? They're bulky items that will contribute to your cubic meterage and unless they're still covered for a while by a warranty that will definitely be honoured in Portugal I wouldn't be so committed to bringing them. After all, all of those things are available here and everything electrical has a 2 year warranty in Portugal.

Just an opposing point of view, but here's no way I would, for example, bring over an aging washing machine unless it was a very expensive one - easier to sell in UK, pay less for shipping and buy new. 

B

PS. re. international warranties, it's worth checking the small print - recently had a problem with a brand new iPhone I purchased for my wife, SIM free from an Apple Store in London. Turns out Apple's "international warranty" excludes iPhones, so we have to go to London to get it fixed. Outcome: wish I'd just got her one in Portugal...


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## steve01 (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi,
i've lived in several countries, and almost always moved all of our stuff.
NEVER AGAIN
Average cost around 5k to move, at least 10% of your stuff gets marked, scratched, damaged in some way.
Do it yourself its a killer, pay someone else it costs a fortune.
We still have stuff from 4 moves ago sitting in bags and boxes we've never bothered to open.
Portugals a different world, suits, evening dresses, even and god forbid my wife ever reads this , half a ton of makeup etc - never used again once she aquired a nice natural sun tanned look.
We have IKEA, lots of English companies deliver here, M&S, John Lewis, lots of on-line Amazon etc - free delivery on many items.
Portugal has good electrical companies - i just bought a tv for 200 less than the uk price.
Try picsmania, Worten, F/NAC, grandemarca +others.
Sell everything in the UK, add in the £5k saved removal cost , move here and have fun getting exactly what you want.
Speak to companies like Algarve removals (£40 quote ) to deliver a large tv to move your 'vital' things.
Avoid 'English' people offering to take things for you - i got a quote from a guy who does it all the time - he wanted £150 to move the same tv 
Sell everything in the UK, add in the £5000 saved removal cost , move here and have fun getting exactly what you want.
Thats my four penneth.
Best of luck with the move


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## South View (Jan 26, 2013)

notlongnow said:


> Just a slightly different attitude in the mix......how old are your existing TVs, white goods etc.? They're bulky items that will contribute to your cubic meterage and unless they're still covered for a while by a warranty that will definitely be honoured in Portugal I wouldn't be so committed to bringing them. After all, all of those things are available here and everything electrical has a 2 year warranty in Portugal.
> 
> Just an opposing point of view, but here's no way I would, for example, bring over an aging washing machine unless it was a very expensive one - easier to sell in UK, pay less for shipping and buy new.
> 
> ...


Hi - thanks for your input - I have memories of buying white goods in Spain 20+ years ago and remember the fridge rapidly gaining a rusty front door within a few months! But of course times change. I'll do a ruthless edit of the white goods - hoping the tumble dryer will be the first to go
thanks
South View


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## Liesbetje (Aug 12, 2011)

I think it depends on the stuff you have. If your washing machine for example is still relatively new, then bring it. Otherwise: buy locally. Might make things easier if you need to get stuff fixed. I only bring my laptop, but that's because Belgium uses AZERTY-keyboards, so the Portuguese ones are difficult for me. But then, I don't have too much stuff to start with...


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## South View (Jan 26, 2013)

steve01 said:


> Hi,
> i've lived in several countries, and almost always moved all of our stuff.
> NEVER AGAIN
> Average cost around 5k to move, at least 10% of your stuff gets marked, scratched, damaged in some way.
> ...


Hi -

Thanks for your four penneth - much as I want to bring EVERYTHING - I know we've got to be ruthless. The clothes are on Ebay and unwanted stuff will go up there too. We've sold our house and are in the last 5 months of our UK rental and you're absolutely right moving is a killer - even when it's just 20 miles up the road. I was unaware that John Lewis deliver to Pt - so that's a bit of a comfort.

Thanks again
South View


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## Janina k (Nov 30, 2011)

*Reply*

Hello

For what it's worth when we prepared to pack up and move we had loads of stuff we had collected over the years but the house we moved to was big enough for our hobbies so we didn't get rid of much.

What we did do due to previous jobs as a transport manager was that as we had a number of local off licences to our home in the UK. We collected and stored lots of boxes all the same size so that packing was so much better. We used two Mercedes Sprinter vans with two huge box trailers and without careful packing we would have had to leave a lot behind. The lads we used did a really good job with no problems and they arrived ahead of time.

Fred


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## Frank Wilson (Jul 15, 2010)

Going by what people are saying on other threads I wouldn't bother with the TV as there will be little or nothing to watch


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## steve01 (Dec 8, 2010)

Frank i posted on here how to get internet tv 
Curently we have over 1000 tv channels , acess to over 20,000 movies, virtually a complete history of every major tv series ever made, a huge selection of live and recorded music concerts + all the major UK stuff - as well as over 10,000 radio stations.
If you have a good tv bring it , just think of using the internet to access programs or get one of the Portuguese packages - MEO has over 100 channels - at least half of them English speaking, MGM, Sony etc


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Frank Wilson said:


> Going by what people are saying on other threads I wouldn't bother with the TV as there will be little or nothing to watch



All you have to do is hook up to one of the TV packages and you have plenty to watch


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

DFS now also deliver to Portugal I believe


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