We only had a 900kg allowance when we came here from the UK in 2007. Our friends that had gone out here before us told us: "Don't worry, just pack what you want, they won't check it". So we did, and went over with nearly 300kg... - and of course we were the only ones that had to pay (massively!) for the overweight... Bummer.
So when we came here, we decided we were going to leave with a container, so we would not have to think more about limiting our packing, ever.
Well... as it turns out, we actually didn't want to bring much of the furniture we had bought whilst here. A lot of it was IKEA stuff that can be replaced, some was made to measure by a local carpenter, some was broken or worn down and some just not our taste anymore.
Plus, initially when we had decided to leave, we didn't know what kind of house we were going to get. Maybe our furniture wouldn't fit, or be the same style, so we quickly decided to start selling it all off. Leaving here, our allowance is now 1300kg. It's still not an awful lot.
I have been super organized though when it comes to our packing. The very day Nathan resigned, we had some friends around for drinks, and when they heard we weren't planning to take anything, they immediately put their names down for different pieces of furniture!
I then made a list of all the big stuff, furniture, carpets, curtains etc, and sent it out to our friends, and nearly all of it got booked straight away! I might have under priced myself on a few things, but rather that than standing with it all in the last minute. Plus I know it's all going to good homes! :)
We actually also found new tenants for the landlord, Beenal and her family will move in when we are gone. The landlord was really happy about that, and I could sell some Beenal some of the "fixed" things in the house, like our fridge, mounted shelves, our desks, curtains etc.
Finally, I've used this local FB page for selling most of the other stuff we're not bringing. As we are trying to keep the weight down, I've sold the most weird and wonderful things off. Some of them will have to be replaced of course, but I also realized how much stuff we had, that we never really used!
I've sold everything, from used pots, dress-ups, tools, bed sheets, toys, photo frames, fake plants, carpets and electronics to iPhones, computers, golf clubs, scrapbook stuff, kitchen things, bags, storage boxes and nail polish etc etc etc. Everything! Now I'm down to only our bare necessities.
Of course I've sold all the things very cheap, but it all adds up in the end and I've made a good amount of money for us to start over with in Abu Dhabi. I'm so grateful this FB page exists, it's really been a huge help for us.
I really do hate waste, so if what I don't need anymore can be useful for someone else, win-win!
I also have donated many boxes of clothes and other things, and there will be more just before I go. It feels good knowing that everything I leave behind will come to good use somewhere else.
This is the third time I'm properly moving country (as in moving a whole home/house, previously it was just me and my two suitcases!), the second as a family.
Moving from DK to UK we brought a truck over, so we could bring nearly whatever. We had a two bedroom apartment then, and I did all the packing myself.
Moving from the UK to here as I said, we only had 900kg, ended up bringing about 1100, and I did all the packing myself. We came from a four bedroom house, and we were a four person family.
Moving from here to Abu Dhabi, we have 1300kg, I'm not doing the final packing this time as that's included in our shipping fees this time, but I'm doing everything else.
I'm thinking next time we move anywhere - we are taking a container...
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