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What to bring from Australia household wise?

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4

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 23 August 2016 - 10:06

I think the things you have originally listed definitely bring. But for electrical goods, things are cheaper here than in Australia. I know they're more expensive here than in the UK and the US, but they are up to 2/3 cheaper here than in NZ and Australia. You will find that applies to food and groceries as well. Like others have said, if you bake, bring a[i'> litre[/i'> of real vanilla essence :evil:. And act naive if they catch you at Customs here :idea: Haha. Can you believe it's considered contraban because it's preserved in alcohol. But I bring it nevertheless, I'd rather bake with that than with aluminium in the fake stuff. I don't like OXO cubes but there is a powder stock I like (can't remember the name) I like because it doesn't have MSG, that is hard to find here. Manuka honey costs a fortune here, if you like it, bring it. If you have HIGH quality pots and pans - or just a couple that you've invested in, I would bring them, because I found it a pain to have to go any buy them all again. You will find it a culture shock when you first arrive and the landscape is a bit of getting used to, but you will soon find that you can actually LIVE LIFE here. You can afford to go out, you can afford to buy nice things for yourself and your children and even to invest for their future. you don't feel ripped off by the tax man every pay day. You don't have pornography shoveled down your throat every night on TV - even in advertising - your children wont be exposed to the front of playboy magazines when they buy chewing gum at the News Agent, or drunk people passed out in the gutter when they're out with Mum and Dad after a movie late at night. NONE of that here. you literally would have to go out and search to find that here. This is one big reason why I hope to stay here until my girls are at least university age.

26

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 20 August 2016 - 18:04

Double yes to the dish cleaning brushes with the sponge on the end!! And enough refills for a year, we never buy enough and I've only ever found them once here in many years! Liquid chicken/beef stock in the boxes, vitamins and supplements are far cheaper in Oz with more brand selection, organic beauty and food products (Aus made stuff), also shampoo and conditioner is much cheaper and has a much better selection I found in Oz. And I agree about the underwear too, I always stock up when I'm back home. Lastly bring some bacon over in your suitcase (to go in hold) if any of you are as addicted as my husband is (bacon here is pretty sad looking and expensive for what you get). And bring a compact bbq, selection here is really limited. Good luck!

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:57

Definitely sheets and towels! I miss a lot of Aussie foods like Gravox, Keens curry powder, all Allens lollies..oh I cld make a looong list!! We brought a lot of furniture over with us and regretted it because it's too big for our apartment. We lived in a large double story in Aust and now we are in a 2 bed apartment so things like our dining room table are way too big but we have nowhere to store it. We have been here just over 2yrs and it's a big adjustment, I had a baby here so not having my family around is hard. Like others have said join lots of groups because it gets freaking lonely sometimes!! Thank you for your reply. Fortunately we don't have many furnitures to bring along- I would've cried if I had to choose which special piece I can bring!

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:56

We came from Brisbane with 20kgs, in addition to our luggage and we have been able to buy pretty much everything we need, including a Tempur bed. We have one in storage at home. I did bring with me sheets and towels, Sheridan and Country Road. I haven't been able to find anything that is comparable to Sheridan in thread count and towels I have managed to source some decent ones but I paid a fortune for them. All of the appliances I have managed to get here. But you will find that the water here is really hard on your steam iron. I am on my second one in 3 years. The must haves that I always buy when I am home is Maggi powdered chicken stock, those kitchen brushes with the sponge on the end and 12 months supply of the little sponges. Beef oxo cubes, for some reason they have vanished off the shelves here. DH buys bonds undies and singlets for under his business suits. Vanilla extract, the real stuff! Oh Sheridan and Country Road.... yes I can see a friendship already forming here! I am loyal to those brands as well. But I hope I get to find other brands there which as parallel in quality. A lot of people seem to only drink bottled water there. Is that true? Can't we just boil the tap water? I'm certainly taking notes on Bonds stuff!!! They're the best :D

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 18 August 2016 - 10:53

Thanks for shedding a bit more light on things. I wouldn't worry too much about electrical goods as you can buy the same or very similar goods ( this is all dependant on your budget). I'd say bring a few things that make you feel happy ie pictures, small nick knacks , etc.. Try looking up second hand Dubai (UAE), dubizzle is a great site too, also have a look in the classifieds here. I loved my time here in the UAE both Dubai & Abu Dhabi, each emirate to me had a different feel (sorry I can't comment about Sharjah only that it's a dry emirate no grape) If this is your first expat posting, you'll find things different. My advice is patience, things at time happen very slowly. I've found you have to be direct asking questions (not in a rude way) and sometimes hubby will have to do simple things for you (frustrating yes). Bring a usb stick with passport pics and also a few printed (10 should be heaps). Get every certificate you have attested you'll need your full marriage certificate. Make sure your wills are upto date make sure you get it sharia compliment. Always have an emergency file (grab file important documents) and a good cash stash for emergencies if possible. The main thing I can offer as advice is don't shut yourself off from the world, it will be a shock to the system. Join coffee groups, look up different fb groups get out and explore. Hope this post helps, enjoy the journey :cool: Thanks Missy Moo- again, very useful insight :) I have heard that things take a while to kick start here, and that i shouldn't be expecting Australian level of customer service. These might take a while to get used to....

767

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 17 August 2016 - 07:36

Just bring the things you really like from home, you can get almost anything here but might not be to your exact taste. What I miss (not Australian) is some interior designed pieces from where I live. I feel there are a lot of low quality cheap furnitures and difficult to find stylish good quality that isn't a designer brand that cost a complete fortune. Good quality electronics there are lots and prisewise I think they are ok too.

68

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 16 August 2016 - 23:34

Definitely sheets and towels! I miss a lot of Aussie foods like Gravox, Keens curry powder, all Allens lollies..oh I cld make a looong list!! We brought a lot of furniture over with us and regretted it because it's too big for our apartment. We lived in a large double story in Aust and now we are in a 2 bed apartment so things like our dining room table are way too big but we have nowhere to store it. We have been here just over 2yrs and it's a big adjustment, I had a baby here so not having my family around is hard. Like others have said join lots of groups because it gets freaking lonely sometimes!!

1050

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 16 August 2016 - 13:36

We came from Brisbane with 20kgs, in addition to our luggage and we have been able to buy pretty much everything we need, including a Tempur bed. We have one in storage at home. I did bring with me sheets and towels, Sheridan and Country Road. I haven't been able to find anything that is comparable to Sheridan in thread count and towels I have managed to source some decent ones but I paid a fortune for them. All of the appliances I have managed to get here. But you will find that the water here is really hard on your steam iron. I am on my second one in 3 years. The must haves that I always buy when I am home is Maggi powdered chicken stock, those kitchen brushes with the sponge on the end and 12 months supply of the little sponges. Beef oxo cubes, for some reason they have vanished off the shelves here. DH buys bonds undies and singlets for under his business suits. Vanilla extract, the real stuff!

100

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 13:33

Thanks for shedding a bit more light on things. I wouldn't worry too much about electrical goods as you can buy the same or very similar goods ( this is all dependant on your budget). I'd say bring a few things that make you feel happy ie pictures, small nick knacks , etc.. Try looking up second hand Dubai (UAE), dubizzle is a great site too, also have a look in the classifieds here. I loved my time here in the UAE both Dubai & Abu Dhabi, each emirate to me had a different feel (sorry I can't comment about Sharjah only that it's a dry emirate no grape) If this is your first expat posting, you'll find things different. My advice is patience, things at time happen very slowly. I've found you have to be direct asking questions (not in a rude way) and sometimes hubby will have to do simple things for you (frustrating yes). Bring a usb stick with passport pics and also a few printed (10 should be heaps). Get every certificate you have attested you'll need your full marriage certificate. Make sure your wills are upto date make sure you get it sharia compliment. Always have an emergency file (grab file important documents) and a good cash stash for emergencies if possible. The main thing I can offer as advice is don't shut yourself off from the world, it will be a shock to the system. Join coffee groups, look up different fb groups get out and explore. Hope this post helps, enjoy the journey :cool:

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 11:16

Hi comp99, Thanks for your reply. The only reason we are bringing Tempur mattress is because we paid good bucks for it. And also because they have the brand there. We are just planning to buy one of those base beds only with no frame. Hopefully that would be easy to find later. Thanks for the link. We sure will check it out ?

518

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 05:22

Having a mattress and then going out to buy a bed for that size is a frustrating job. We did it also.. bought mattress first in dubai and then went looking for a decent bed for that mattress size. Very frustrating. You like a bed but size is not right or the price is not right or the bed is not right ! Research before hand if beds are available in dubai for the mattress size you are keen on bringing. Dubizzle.com is an easy place to browse for second hand things. It's an equivalent of gumtree in australia. You can search for Facebook groups in past threads at expat woman but most of good things are advertised in new dubai areas which might be too far for you since you would be based in sharjah.

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 15 August 2016 - 04:32

Hi Missy Moo, Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate it ? My husband secured a permanent job there but we are only allocated 250 kg worth of personal items to bring over from Brisbane. Which is why I have to really be picky on what to bring. At the same time I am also very choosy when it comes to home decor because I want so much for us to feel at home, as you said. We have secured a one bedroom apartment in Sharjah with a spacious living room. We won't be bringing any big furniture, but just one Tempur queen mattress. May I know what the fb page names are? My husband doesn't really have the time to browse through second hand items but I personally think it's not necessary to buy everything new from IKEA as well. Would really like to know where expats normally sell their furniture online. My last question would be how was your time in UAE? Did you like it? And what are the other things you had wished someone would have told you to bring before moving to UAE? Instead of having to buy them there? As for food I think we will be fine. It's more of the electrical appliances that I'm worried because I'd like to make sure what I buy is of good quality :) Thank you!!!

100

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 14 August 2016 - 04:58

Hi Ami Just returned from my time in the UAE, I'd suggest taking things that will make you feel at home (so to say). What to take is the ultimate question! A few questions: Is the company paying for your goods to be shipped? (Both ways) Are you on a set employment contract or open ended? What type of accomodation do you anticipate securing? Reason why so many q's is you need to weigh up what's important to bring. There are many secondhand sites on fb, most of these items are relatively new as contracts are cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. If you're taking your bed, the id suggest brining sheets to suit, as sizes are hard to match Aussie beds. I found for me Aussie foods are expensive there and some you can't get. I'm happy to try and answer any other questions you may have, I hope you enjoy the adventure ahead of you, as for me I'm happy being back in Oz Cheers Missy Moo

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 August 2016 - 17:41

Hi everyone. My name is Ami and I'll be moving to Dubai by the end of November from Brisbane, Australia. I have searched high and low for any thread that discusses this matter but I couldn't for the life of me found one. What are the things I really should consider bringing over from Australia? Personal, sentimental value things aside, what are the electrical appliances that are cheaper and have higher quality purchased from Australia? I am loyal to some good brands. Here's what I have so far: 1) Philip Airfryer 2) Tefal steam iron (the big one with separate water tank) 3) Some nice 1000 threads sheet sets, and Laura Ashley quilt covers (I take my sleeping comfort seriously....) 4) Good pots 5) High quality towels What else shall I REALLY bring that might otherwise be expensive to buy in Dubai? What I think I should buy before leaving: 1) Miele vacuum cleaner 2) Nespresso machine 3) Corelle dining set I know they are available there but boy are they 3 to 4 times more expensive..... Please help me out here as I don't want to have flown there, only to realize that I should have bought a and b and c in Australia before moving. I'm also a Kmart addict and have seen their interior/living items to have improved significantly in design and quality over the years whilst still keeping the price low and affordable. Does Dubai have anything similar? I'd really love to decorate my house using contemporary design and wonder if I can do it there with a small budget. Thank you!

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