Moving From New York to London

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I am leaving Manhattan to go and take up a job at an art magazine in London. I have about 25 boxes of stuff to take. Can anyone recommend a cheap removal/ shipping company? Thanks.

― Mel Starr, Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Been there! Done that! Got the t-shirt! Left it at the laundrette...

(THough I didn't use a shipping company. I put my stuff in storage, thinking i'd be back in 2 years. Hah!)

I will ask my other friends who have just moved what shipping company they used, though...

― kate (kate), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Getting a large collection of books and cds across the ocean. How to?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Shipping UK to US is not the same as shipping US to UK.

Don't ask me why, but it's not.

― kate (kate), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I used the Bekins' local agent, I think it Matrix, when I moved from chicago to London. Here's a link: http://www.bekinsmoving.com/HOUSE/intl.htm
They can give you a quote based on number of rooms. I think it cost me about $15k to move a massive book and CD collection, a coffee table, way too many clothes, kitchen stuff, linens-n-things, sports equipment, fine art, and a bike. Including insurance, import fees, customs clearances, transport, and packing. (I paid them to unpack it but they didn't. Wankers.)
They packed up everything I had in under a day and it arrived two months later. Which was great because it took forever to get a flat once I got here.

― Catty (Catty), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I would also suggest putting everything you intend on taking into those boxes and leaving your suitcase free for a week's clothes and nothing more. I overpcked my suitcase and the night I left was at the airport elbow-deep in underwear trying to get the limit down to 75#. I then put everything else into a box and paid another $100 to cary it with me. Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's all casual dress here anyway.

― Catty (Catty), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks for the tips. Yes, apparently it is different to send stuff from NYC to London rather than vice versa. I'm fairly resigned to having every single CD case get shattered en route. :(

― Mel Starr, Wednesday, 22 October 2003 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

You will find that buying a job lot of CD cases a lot cheaper than sending the equivalent overseas. Empty the cds into wallets, save shedloads on shipping and have nice pristeen covers when you get to the UK.

With books, I find memorising in a Farenheit 451 way so much lighter, and useful if you accidentally get trasported to a dystopian future where firemen don't put out fires, they START THEM.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 13:35 (twenty-two years ago)

For my move, I memorized most of my clothes.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Wow, you've got a bad memory.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)

They're so much better in retrospect.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I keep trying to do this kind of thing for my own face, but I keep getting myself mixed up with the evil dwarf in Don't look Back. Bummer!

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

There's no evil dwarf in Don't Look Back.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Joan Baez!!!!

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah! I can't remember anything anymore. My favorite scene is the one where she runs around stealing Bob's sense of humor and he can't figure out who's doing it.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Shipping UK to US is not the same as shipping US to UK.

Cheers, Kate---though I'll be mugging you for other tips when the time comes.

Will never carry 3 suitcases of clothes to Britain again. Damn hard to navigate on those Smarte Cartes

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Wednesday, 22 October 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

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