Junior Member
Moving, but not taking furniture...
We found that it's too much to ship our furniture over there; how much have you all found that beds, a couch, tv...etc cost? Are the prices comparible to the states?
We are trying to budget how much we'll need to furnish a rental home (eeeeek!) for 4 kids, a nana and us (double eeeeek!).
I love second hand stores and yard sales. I am not too proud to buy cheap and pre-owned. Do they have furniture resale there?
Member
That's what we're going to do. Give away/sell everything here and start over in NZ with thrift-store and hand-me-down stuff.
Kerri
Senior Member
We're doing that too...Selling all that we can and will just ship the little things (CD's, toys, books etc)
hoping to get a furnished rental (just OH and I... no kids) We will probably be hanging out with our friends most of the time so we wont really need much in the house...
Member
We are doing the same thing. We are selling, donating and trashing stuff we will not take. We have nothing of that much value in our house to justify the cost and hassle shipping a container. Plus, none of our appliances will work in NZ anyway.
Just taking our baggage allowance and some boxes. We are starting over fresh!
Good luck with your plans.
Senior Member
TradeMe is your friend. I really find that having TradeMe has changed the thrift culture of NZ so that it is substantially different than the US. The thrift stores I've been to are mostly clothes with a few couches. Not much furniture or kitchen stuff at all on a regular basis. There are discount and second hand stores that specialize in furniture so if you look around you can find it at a retail venue, but not nearly as common as I am used to.
I guess in more populated/busier areas you can also look to craigslist and freecycle, but not too much where I am so can't say.
There are also church and school yard sales that you can check out.
My advice?
Get a car that can haul things and get TradeMe set up and look to trademe asap
Pay cash whenever possible instead of bank deposit for the things you need to make you comfortable as bank deposits can take a few days and sometimes you just really want your fridge/bed/clothes washer, y'know?
Use the bank deposits later when you have time.
Have a look at TradeMe now and keep an eye on stuff in the area you'll be going to as things tend to have a common sell price. Generally fridge/freezers in my area go for about 150ish, queen beds can go for over 200 (usually including mattress) and so on. That way you'll know a deal when you see it.
If you are renting you'll probably need to buy a fridge and a washer (and a dryer if you want one, though the power will cost you!). Stoves/ovens seem to be included in rentals, but may not always be.
Kitchen stuff on TradeMe is kind of hit or miss. I got most of my stuff (utensils, dishes) on sale new (sales are great here, they don't mess around when things are on sale, look for 50% or more off), but did find a breadmaker, yogurt maker, slow cooker and microwave for good prices on trademe.
Same with linens and towels (aka manchester). If you find a sale it's a bit better than TradeMe.
HTH
Member
Yeah, well everything we have now was all given or bought second-hand. If it's all garage-sale stuff, it's not worth spending thousands to ship it. I have relatives that will probably be able to set us up with basic things like towels, old dishes, etc. We're not picky.It's freeing to not feel connected to our stuff, actually.
Kerri
Member
This is what we're doing too....selling everything and just coming over with our suitcases. I LOVE to shop in thrift stores and second hand on sites like Trade Me so I'm kind of looking forward to it.
Member
I'm going to be doing the same thing - YAY! Cannot wait to get rid of all the old rubbish we have lived with for far too long!!
Another thing to consider is renting some of your main items to start with, before you outlay hard cash on big items - especially if you're living in a rental and aren't sure if it's the right area for you. Renting furniture makes moving areas much easier, until you're sure about where you want to live. Example below is a quote given to a friend of mine:
1 x Double bed, mattress, linen and 6 x pillows
2 x Single beds, mattresses, linen, and 4 x pillows
1 x fridge/freezer
1 x washing machine
1 x microwave
The cost would be $68/week for a 6 month minimum rental period. The cost includes delivery and collection.
Rental sources include:
http://www.a4r.co.nz/
http://www.hirethings.co.nz/
http://www.mrrental.co.nz/home/index.php?id=26
http://www.rentrite.co.nz/
Hope this is helpful!
Linda
Member
I am doing the very same thing. Currently I live in a furnished studio flat in London so not too much stuff in the first place!
I have been ebaying some stuff, will get rid of all my kitchen things and sofa on Gumtree in my last month then I'm off with just my suitcases! (Anyone know someone who wants funky pink kitchen stuff, including kettle and toaster, let me know)
When I was last in NZ I rented a fridge/freezer very cheaply and I will likely do the same again at first till I get on my feet and have a job and things sorted.
Junior Member
Originally Posted by elleann
Wow, Linda, thank you!
$68 bucks for all that? That's a great deal....
We'll look into renting right off the bat. I am excited to purge alllllllllllll the junk and clutter we've gathered over the years. A fresh start.......ahhhhhhhhh ..........a sigh of relief.
But, also buying all new (gently used, of course, and cheap) things...hehe
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