10083 moving furniture to Italy

Many of us gave our opinions not long ago in a similar thread:

[url]http://www.italymag.co.uk/forums/property-sales-rental-advice/8547-bring-buy.html[/url]

I really think that you have to be selective and bring what you can really use and what is worth taking with you as it will fit well with your new life. Moving is a great opportunity to get rid of many unnecessary things that we all "collect" at home.

Much has been written about this in the past on the forum so a search would be a good idea.For me I bought it all with me, to start again could be expensive and frustrating, just sourcing stuff here is time consuming, and things like duvets and good household linens are difficult to find and again for quality expensive.Do bring the contents of your garden shed, also bring things like garden furniture if wood and any large ceramic garden pots, I still regret some really large and beautiful ones I left behind!
I suppose in the end you decide what you want to bring, and the cost of bringing it out, but Italy is not cheap for household goods (though perhaps electrical goods are better value?) Treat yourself to a new cooker out here and dont bring the electric kettle!
Sure other members wil have different ideas on their wish list.
A.

Sorry, Angie, but I brought my electric kettle and I am very happy about this.... As you see, Borrini, it is a very personal decision. As for furniture, look at what would really look good in the new house, unless the pieces are antique or very good vintage. What may look great in one house may look terrible in another. As for tools, I agree, you always need them.

A year or so ago i would have said, just bring what you really cannot do without or cannot get here (that includes the things Angie and Robert say) but now I would say get the best possible quote in the UK and bring everything that will fit in the removal van. So many things have increased in price. For example an Indesit washing machine can be bought for £199.00 in UK but same costs €349 euros here from Euronics. There are simply not the online shopping opportunities available here. The price of almost everything we are buying now, costs more than in the UK. Latest examples are timers for our automatic watering system and our battery operated, Bosch hedge trimmer. Search the web for removal cos, look in Italy Magazine at the adverts and get the best price, you'll be quids in.

(A plug for deorahandricky here, who might be able to quote a good price for the removal.)

Another plug for Deborah and Ricky! I am moving to Naples in September, and Ricky gave me a very good quote, and all hassle free.

Hi, for reference I sent half a wagon load (6 loading metres) of furniture/household belongings over to Abruzzo from Manchester (door to door). The goods were loaded, by us, onto the wagon on the Tuesday morning (three house allowed) and delivered to our Italian house four days later; allowing us to hot foot-it over there by plane to meet the goods the other end.

I can highly recommend our local company Ital Logistics who provided an excellent service throughout and at an extreamly reasonable price of just £995 plus VAT.

I've just also sent over 1 cubic metre of goods comprising of two Velux windows and flashing plus three parcels of "goodies" for £85 plus VAT. It always seems to be priced on metreage rather that weight; perhaps in the future it will be cheaper to post my luggage on ahead rather than the pay the shocking Ryanair supplements.

It may be best to think twice about bringing lamps. If you do remember to bring a good supply of UK bulbs. They are all screw fit over here.

Headley's Humpers are good for getting stuff over here also.

Thank you everyone for your replies. The reason for asking it in the main is that we are planning ahead quite a while and it's deciding if something needs replacing does one do it now or wait. I had wondered if often people took all their goods and chattels and then thought 'wished we had bought new when moved'. Looks like a lorry load will accompany us !!
thanks again :smile:

"moved to italiauncovered.co.uk"

Thanks Torchiarolan

My OH thought a new start with everything new would be good but there's such a lot of stuff like wedding presents, ok 30 years old but they have memories. So I win we will have a lorry load!

Best wishes with your move. After this summer?? I can't wait to leave England. I just yearn for some sunshine!! :laughs:

And Torchiarolan's advice holds true for any Americans or other Western hemisphere transplants as well -- do use all of your luggage allowance (still around 22 kg per bag, 2 bags per person) on each trip until the "last" one -- we've found that ALL household goods are hellishly more expensive and not great quality, at least in Puglia. We do have the problem of converting electrics as well, only appliances with a 220 option can be re-wired for Italian use.

[quote=Mathematician;94490]And Torchiarolan's advice holds true for any Americans or other Western hemisphere transplants as well -- do use all of your luggage allowance (still around 22 kg per bag, 2 bags per person) on each trip until the "last" one -- we've found that ALL household goods are hellishly more expensive and not great quality, at least in Puglia. We do have the problem of converting electrics as well, only appliances with a 220 option can be re-wired for Italian use.[/quote]

I don't know whether you use it a lot in the USA, but bring with you a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker. You cannot find them in Italy and they are great for preserves and general slow cooking. I still have two I brought from Australia, one in my permanent home in Spain, the other one is already at Bagni di Lucca.

Thanks for the tip, I do have one -- managed to buy it in Canada with a 220 option -- I agree, it's a marvelous way to do any casserole/stew/sauced dish!

We moved from the UK to Umbria so electric goods where not a problem. Local lighting shop changed on/off switches on our table lamps. Favourite wall lights brought over from UK too. Plus bayonet bulbs (in almost 5 years haven't used a single one!!). But what I wanted was a home that looked more like Taschen Tuscan Interiors, rather than Hampshire Country Living, so I have painted a great deal of furniture with various finishes...matt, distressed etc. Easy to do once one has more time. Same old furniture but whole new look and you'd be amazed how effective a few coats of paint can be!

[quote=Noble;94498]... Same old furniture but whole new look and you'd be amazed how effective a few coats of paint can be![/quote]

I do that all the time. With the large number and variety of finishes you can get nowadays it is easy to change the look of a piece of furniture to suit your new décor.:yes:

Hi we went through the same dilemma and just before christmas Deborah and Ricky moved our stuff over from England (and at a very GOOD RATE) however, most of the stuff we brought over is still sitting in an outhouse apart from personal effects eg. photos!! IThe problem is non of our english furniture will look right in our italian farmhouse (currently being refurbished) plus my tastes have changed and I would love the opportunity to start again and not 'make do' ! Which unfortunately I might have to as it seems criminal to dispose of perfectly adequate sofas etc.

However, I really wish we had brought over White Goods such as a decent Cooker, American Fridge, etc. We did not realise that firstly these goods cost more in Italy and secondly that you just do not have the choice that you have in the UK.

So my advice would be really think long and hard about what you are bringing over and if it will actually look/be right in your new home.

All the best Nicola