# To Ship or Not to Ship????



## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Hi All,

Hubby is due to fly out in two weeks, and the children and I will hopefully be joining him once our family visa is ready - Hopefully around Mid December.

We are in a Dilemma.... Do we ship all our furniture to Dubai, or do we start again and ship only our personal/sentimental things?

Please help!!!


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Your husband's company should be paying for all your relocation costs in which case ship the lot. If you are paying then it you have to calculate the cost of shipping it back as well. Is the value of your furniture worth the cost of shipping twice? or would it be more cost effective to buy here?


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## INFAMOUS (Apr 19, 2011)

If by starting fresh you mean: - SELL EVERYTHING and have 0 storage fees then YES this a pretty good option.

If you mean that you will: - STORE EVERYTHING and then buy new here, then you are much better off shipping your stuff over!


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks Guys,

Husbands Company will pay for the cost of up to a 40ft Container and a small allowance, or we can have the whole lot as an allowance.

If we decide not to bring our furniture, it would mean that only a few boxes of Personal Stuff, one large mirror and a couple of pictures coming.

Oh and the three cats (costing an arm and a leg!!!!)

In such a quandary about it x


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## Gavin123 (Oct 6, 2011)

ask yourself this: does the furniture have sentimental value or are they valuable antiques?
If not, I'd probably buy new in Dubai. you are already paying for transporting the cats. 
Plus, you could probably sell all your furniture in the UK for a good price and use the money towards buying better newer furniture in Dubai, which is good if you want to have a completely fresh start with new decor etc.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Plus consider how long you are likely to remain in Dubai. If it's just for a year or two, then probably better to keep items in storage and do things on the cheap here. If however, you are planning to stay for quite a few years, it makes sense to ship your stuff over.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2011)

By shipping your stuff, you won't have the hassle of going to shop for furniture, dishes, appliances, etc., and you won't have to deal with trying to sell it when you leave.

You will also have familiar stuff around you, which may help your living accommodation feel more like home. Having all new things may make it a little harder for you and your kids to settle in, especially if any of them are apprehensive about the move

I got all new stuff when I moved to Dubai, and in hindsight I would have shipped everything over instead.

Good luck with the move


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

We have been living overseas for 16 years in 5.5 countries (twice in same country, but different cities ) but feel like we are always living in the same relative environment because we have everything we own with us.

For sure, different lay-outs every few years, but the same furniture/etc keeps the familiarity feelings the same.

Plus, it is much quicker to set up new home when you are arranging the same furniture. When we walk into a potential new home, my mind immediately starts laying the furniture pieces


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## INFAMOUS (Apr 19, 2011)

^^^ Must be some quality furniture with a timeless sense of decor! I hope your TV isn't that old LOL.


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Thanks Guys!

You can see the Dilemma!!! Do we ship to help the familiarity for the Children? or Do we have a "Fresh Start"? Will my rather English love of solid Pine Furniture work in Dubai, or am I going to want a more light and airy look??

I guess it was a bit of an impossible question to get a definitive answer for, and I can see both sides of the argument!!! Back to brain ache then!!! xxxx


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

INFAMOUS said:


> ^^^ Must be some quality furniture with a timeless sense of decor! I hope your TV isn't that old LOL.


Just aged teak furniture from Indonesia, very easy to blend in different environments. Since they are aged wooden furniture, any scratches and dents will just add "characters"... 

Actually, the 65" plasma is getting old now (almost 5 years), but I am still waiting for Sony to have their 65" version of HX929 available in Dubai before changing out. Once you go big, you can't go back...


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## ladynotingreen (Aug 5, 2011)

For what it's worth, I agree with Gavin. If you've something of sentimental or monetary value, bring it. If not, sell it and buy new when you arrive. I used to move around a great deal as a kid, and I don't remember ever really having any attachment to the household furniture. Our pets, yes, the friends I left behind, yes, the old brown polyester sofa - no.

On the flip side, I am bringing my king size brass bed with me. It's one of a kind and made in Italy.


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

We are here!! Living in JVC. Thanks for all your advice. We chose to ship in the end xx


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Em03750 said:


> We are here!! Living in JVC. Thanks for all your advice. We chose to ship in the end xx


Been reading the thread, did you just arrive now? How's it been without your hubby? Mine arrived last night and we hoping to join him in August unless we get school places before that! How was the shipping side of it? Just planning mine now!


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## Emaroyds (Apr 18, 2011)

We chose to ship, as over the past few years we've bought some nice solid wood furniture and didn't want to sell it all as we knew we wouldn't get back what we paid for it. We also liked the idea of it feeling more like home quickly, as we felt this would help us to settle. We are so pleased we chose to do this, despite a couple of chips and a broken picture frame everything arrived safely and was delivered door to door in under four weeks! We sent it ahead of our move and managed with borrowed matresses and crockery etc in the UK for the last few weeks. So after just a couple of nights in a hotel we had unpacked (at least the important stuff) and we were all moved in. We now have all the comforts of home and it doesn't look sparce and unwelcoming. my son also has all his toys and my husband has all his electronics - everyone is happy!!!


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Hi Tricktrack,

The children and I arrived on 20th January, after spending approximately 8 weeks at home in the UK without my husband . Being without him over Christmas was really hard. Packing up the house and arranging the shipping n my own was hard too. We used a great company, and our furniture arrived 3 days before the children and I did x


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## Emaroyds (Apr 18, 2011)

Em03750 said:


> Hi Tricktrack,
> 
> The children and I arrived on 20th January, after spending approximately 8 weeks at home in the UK without my husband . Being without him over Christmas was really hard. Packing up the house and arranging the shipping n my own was hard too. We used a great company, and our furniture arrived 3 days before the children and I did x


OMG! It's like reading an account of my own story!!! My husband arrived on Dec 10th and my son and I followed almost eight weeks later from the UK on Jan 31st! We didn't enjoy Christmas without him either! I too packed up and dealt with the shipping by myself too! Sorry, don't know why I got so excited... I'm sure there are many folks with similar stories - it just seemed spookily close to my own! Hope you've settled in as well as we have! Enjoy the Dubai adventure!


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## Gavin123 (Oct 6, 2011)

Children will adapt to anything quickly, you're moving country already so changing the furniture isn't going to make a blind bit of difference to them. Pobably better to get the WHOLE culture shock out of the way in one go and have new surroundings (including new furniture). 

Maybe the best thing for you to do is weigh up what the cheapest option is...
how much will it cost to put you furniture in storage in the uk until you come back? (if you're even coming back?)
how much will it cost to ship the furniture to dubai?
how much will new furniture cost in dubai?
roughly how much (£) will you get if you sell the furniture in the UK?


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Em03750 said:


> Hi Tricktrack,
> 
> The children and I arrived on 20th January, after spending approximately 8 weeks at home in the UK without my husband . Being without him over Christmas was really hard. Packing up the house and arranging the shipping n my own was hard too. We used a great company, and our furniture arrived 3 days before the children and I did x


That must have been hard for you all over Christmas (the 2 em's!!) sounds like you're getting all sorted and settled now! Who did you use for shipping please as just getting my quotes in now? Yes it's weird sorting things like that out on my own, sold my car yesterday, sorting shipping, getting house ready for rental with decorators, electricians etc, sorting schools has and still is the biggest nightmare though but I guess that's a whole different thread!!!!


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Emaroyds said:


> OMG! It's like reading an account of my own story!!! My husband arrived on Dec 10th and my son and I followed almost eight weeks later from the UK on Jan 31st! We didn't enjoy Christmas without him either! I too packed up and dealt with the shipping by myself too! Sorry, don't know why I got so excited... I'm sure there are many folks with similar stories - it just seemed spookily close to my own! Hope you've settled in as well as we have! Enjoy the Dubai adventure!



Hi Emaroyds, nice name!!!! Where abouts are you? X


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## Emaroyds (Apr 18, 2011)

Em03750 said:


> Hi Emaroyds, nice name!!!! Where abouts are you? X


The name is thanks to my friends at sixth form and at the time I started dating my husband and he thought it was very amusing so it stuck... Not all that funny when you reach your 30's!!! 
I'm in Jumeirah 2 not far from Safa park. How about you?


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## Emaroyds (Apr 18, 2011)

Tricktrack said:


> That must have been hard for you all over Christmas (the 2 em's!!) sounds like you're getting all sorted and settled now! Who did you use for shipping please as just getting my quotes in now? Yes it's weird sorting things like that out on my own, sold my car yesterday, sorting shipping, getting house ready for rental with decorators, electricians etc, sorting schools has and still is the biggest nightmare though but I guess that's a whole different thread!!!!


We used Robinsons, who had been recommended to us by our friends who moved to New Zealand. I found the packing team very efficient and friendly. They didn't mind me hovering! To be honest we were a bit off the ball at getting quotes. We only got the two and they were about even so we went with the recommendation. I have to say everything 'fell into place' for us, including the school arrangements. We were so lucky to get our son straight into the school we wanted - the right place at the right time I think! He's very happy and settled so we are really pleased. Good luck with it all!!!


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## Em03750 (Sep 5, 2011)

Tricktrack said:


> That must have been hard for you all over Christmas (the 2 em's!!) sounds like you're getting all sorted and settled now! Who did you use for shipping please as just getting my quotes in now? Yes it's weird sorting things like that out on my own, sold my car yesterday, sorting shipping, getting house ready for rental with decorators, electricians etc, sorting schools has and still is the biggest nightmare though but I guess that's a whole different thread!!!!


We used Crown Relocations. I have to admit that they were fantastic and took a whole lot of stress off my shoulders.
I have heard that people are having a nightmare with the schooling. I must confess that we had it easy as DBS had a space for my daughter in year 6, she sat her entrance assessment at her old school and started a week after we arrived. if you need any advice with anything just drop me a line and I will help,if I can x


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## Tricktrack (Dec 15, 2011)

Em03750 said:


> We used Crown Relocations. I have to admit that they were fantastic and took a whole lot of stress off my shoulders.
> I have heard that people are having a nightmare with the schooling. I must confess that we had it easy as DBS had a space for my daughter in year 6, she sat her entrance assessment at her old school and started a week after we arrived. if you need any advice with anything just drop me a line and I will help,if I can x


Thanks 2 em's, I've got quote from crown but haven't looked at robinsons so thanks for that. Wow you are both so lucky to have got schools sorted out so easily! I have 3 to get places for so it's been a stressful time!!


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