Shipping / Air mailing of possessions

[Hokie97 5]

Hey Matt, I didn't get an alert that anyone had replied to this thread. As far as x-rays, that's x-ray plates, not x-rays. Once x-ray film has been developed radiation won't affect it. It's undeveloped film that will be affected.

With your electronics, will they even work in the US? My son is having to leave behind his playstation2 (we're in the dark ages) because it doesn't have variable current. I won't spend $60 on a step up converter for a game that old. According to the manual for his Nintendo DS lite we can just get a $5-10 plug adapter. That's what I use for my laptop, because it's variable power 110-240v.

It's not trivial to want to take some things with you. When I came to England last year I only brought my suitcases with clothes, a photo album and my laptop. It was really hard here initially, living in someone else's home (my husband's). I felt like a guest because the kids did their thing and spread all over the house, my husband had his desk all set up, and I didn't have a place of my own. The kid's computer was in his/our bedroom (it was his tv at night), but after about a month I asked him to move it into one of their rooms because I did not have a place to call my own (tiny house!). Whoever wasn't on the computer in our room was on the couch in the living room, so there was no where for me to go when I just needed some quiet time. It's hard, even though you'll be so happy to be together. But it is worth it.

[woki1986 1]

Hey Matt, I didn't get an alert that anyone had replied to this thread. As far as x-rays, that's x-ray plates, not x-rays. Once x-ray film has been developed radiation won't affect it. It's undeveloped film that will be affected.

With your electronics, will they even work in the US? My son is having to leave behind his playstation2 (we're in the dark ages) because it doesn't have variable current. I won't spend $60 on a step up converter for a game that old. According to the manual for his Nintendo DS lite we can just get a $5-10 plug adapter. That's what I use for my laptop, because it's variable power 110-240v.

It's not trivial to want to take some things with you. When I came to England last year I only brought my suitcases with clothes, a photo album and my laptop. It was really hard here initially, living in someone else's home (my husband's). I felt like a guest because the kids did their thing and spread all over the house, my husband had his desk all set up, and I didn't have a place of my own. The kid's computer was in his/our bedroom (it was his tv at night), but after about a month I asked him to move it into one of their rooms because I did not have a place to call my own (tiny house!). Whoever wasn't on the computer in our room was on the couch in the living room, so there was no where for me to go when I just needed some quiet time. It's hard, even though you'll be so happy to be together. But it is worth it.

Ah I see, developed x-rays are ok... Hmm. I might still put them in my case to be on the safe side.

Well... I know that my camera will charge up ok. I'll have to check my Wii but as far I know it will be fine. Hey, I've got my Sega Genesis in the loft, and my N64... and my Gamecube console. (The GC games are coming with me as they are forwards compatible with the Wii.)

Hmm. I will have to double check. If it works, I won't be able to play US games on it, but I've got a lot of games for my GC/Wii, so to me it's worth it.

230v~50hz, says on the power pack. I guess I'll need to get an adapter for it.

I know it's going to be a complete pain in the ####### to be able to play it and all... but it is a home comfort, what can I say? It's part of who I am. Plus, after I've done the housework while Cass is working I'll be in the apartment on my own. It's entertainment.

Mm. I can totally understand that. We are looking into moving into a larger apartment so that we'll have an extra room for guitar/computer/crafting. That's knitting/crochet and so on. Not of the witching kind. Mind you, what if I want to knit when she wants to crochet? (We both knit/crochet.)

We'll also have a bit of space to have some alone time.

I understand the need for that, too. Even though we want to be together more than anything else, there will be times when we want a little space.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Comment on the electronics...

I don't know about all the gaming systems but for some things that would work on either voltage, my husband found US power supply/chargers (whatever you call those power cord with a brick)cheap on eBay. He got one for the UK Vonage box (internet phone system). Got a mobile phone charger on eBay. Also you can buy what he calls a figure of eight cable and change some power cords...like the Dell laptop to an American plug. I didn't know the cords came out of those brick things.

And for the desktop computer. He took it apart and abandoned the case. Packed the parts in his luggage. Then in the US, he bought a new case with a power supply at Fry and reassembled his computer. LOL that was the first stop after leaving the airport was go to Fry Electronics. Also he hacked my dvd player to reset the country codes.

OK, I don't know what I'm talking about to make much sense so I'll shut up.

[Think~Pink 0]

A lot of computers have a voltage switch on the back that you can flip, this will allow you to use it in the US, but best to check before you pay the expense of shipping it.

Mine had the switch, so my computer is coming over, all I need to do is buy a new power cord and monitor.

As for shipping companies, I heard mixed reviews about pretty much all of them, but called a few myself.

I contacted 1st move international, Seven Seas, U Pack We Ship, Pickfords...a couple of others I can't remember off the top of my head and John Mason International.

One of the companies I called gave me a quote, then when I called them back the next day, they told me the quote was wrong and proceeded to add another 800 pound to the bill...no thanks.

Out of them all, I found John Mason to be the most professional and helpful. They were not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either.

I shipped 17 boxes, I made my own inventory and photocopied it for them. They do the packing, but are really courteous and surprisingly fast. They will even have everything unpacked and assembled at the US end, if you want them to...but I prefer to do it myself at my own leisure.

The total was around 80 Cu. Ft. and it cost just over 800 pounds including insurance. Like I said, not the cheapest, but I went with who I was comfortable dealing with.

I left in March and my stuff is just now on its way over, (I shared a container so had to wait until it was full).

No idea if there will be any other charges at this end...soon find out )

I had to be ruthless when sorting out my stuff..there was so much I wanted to bring, but left behind, just because of the cost of shipping, but I don't suppose I will remember most of it in a year or so.

Anyway..good luck with whoever you choose and you should check out the shipping thread on here that someone mentioned...I found it really useful.

[JMR 3]

I move in just over a months time (woot!) ive not sorted through my stuff properly yet. Has anyone got any suggestions of what kind of boxes to use to pack my belongings in?(a link would be helpful ) I shouldnt have much only a few bits an bobs...hopefully

[Hokie97 5]

Well... I know that my camera will charge up ok. I'll have to check my Wii but as far I know it will be fine. Hey, I've got my Sega Genesis in the loft, and my N64... and my Gamecube console. (The GC games are coming with me as they are forwards compatible with the Wii.)

Hmm. I will have to double check. If it works, I won't be able to play US games on it, but I've got a lot of games for my GC/Wii, so to me it's worth it.

230v~50hz, says on the power pack. I guess I'll need to get an adapter for it.

There are power plug adapters, which are under $10 and they just allow you to plug one type of plug into the other. That's what I use for my US laptop here in England. It was a multi switch so we also used it in Sweden for my husband's UK cell phone. You can use a plug adapter if the voltage is 110-230. We'll use it for the UK laptop when we move back to the US.

If the voltage is just 230, then you need a step down converter (converts 240 to 110). Those can be quite expensive. I learned a lot from this website: http://www.voltageconverters.com/ I emailed them about the converter, and they explained that all I needed was a plug adapter because of the variable voltage. I did not end up buying from them because it was $3.xx and shipping was $8, but the same thing was at Walmart for $8. If your game says 230v on the back, I think you'll need a converter. You're likely to get your money's worth out of the converter, because you'll probably play more than my son. My son has a nintendo ds-lite, and he says he only needs a plug adapter, but I haven't been able to corroborate that in the manual. I guess we'll see when the fuse blows (or the ds). But either way, we are not buying a $60 converter for it.

For going the other way, there are step up converters that change 110 to 240.

[woki1986 1]

There are power plug adapters, which are under $10 and they just allow you to plug one type of plug into the other. That's what I use for my US laptop here in England. It was a multi switch so we also used it in Sweden for my husband's UK cell phone. You can use a plug adapter if the voltage is 110-230. We'll use it for the UK laptop when we move back to the US.

If the voltage is just 230, then you need a step down converter (converts 240 to 110). Those can be quite expensive. I learned a lot from this website: http://www.voltageconverters.com/ I emailed them about the converter, and they explained that all I needed was a plug adapter because of the variable voltage. I did not end up buying from them because it was $3.xx and shipping was $8, but the same thing was at Walmart for $8. If your game says 230v on the back, I think you'll need a converter. You're likely to get your money's worth out of the converter, because you'll probably play more than my son. My son has a nintendo ds-lite, and he says he only needs a plug adapter, but I haven't been able to corroborate that in the manual. I guess we'll see when the fuse blows (or the ds). But either way, we are not buying a $60 converter for it.

For going the other way, there are step up converters that change 110 to 240.

Thank you for the very useful and comprehensive info Well, I'll be at home a lot of the time until I can get a job, so of course I'm going to have to keep myself occupied (After I've done the housework, mind...)

The Wii is 230v I think - can't remember off the top of my head. However I remember that it isn't variable. So it sounds like I'll need a converter. I'll start looking into that.

[JMR 3]

When i go the states i just use a plug adapter to charge my nintendo ds it works fine. I use it for my fone an everythin

[Hokie97 5]

Thank you for the very useful and comprehensive info Well, I'll be at home a lot of the time until I can get a job, so of course I'm going to have to keep myself occupied (After I've done the housework, mind...)

The Wii is 230v I think - can't remember off the top of my head. However I remember that it isn't variable. So it sounds like I'll need a converter. I'll start looking into that.

You're welcome. I've learned so much on these boards, I love being able to give back something.

When i go the states i just use a plug adapter to charge my nintendo ds it works fine. I use it for my fone an everythin

Thanks for the info. The back of the DS only says something like amps (can't remember right now) so I wasn't sure, and the manual wasn't terribly helpful.

[SunDrop 59]

The DS works fine either way. We bought my daughter's DSi in the US, and just bought a generic adaptor for the UK. The games are not regional either, so both her US and UK bought games run.

Unlike consoles. To be perfectly honest, you'll be able to pick up US versions of most of your games and a console for a lot less than the cost of shipping all that gear. I popped into my local gamestation and priced up cash or credit value for all my 360 stuff. I'm toying with the idea of going for credit instead and then selling the voucher, but at this point, it's easier to just walk with the cash. Example of value differences, the console itself with a 20G HD was £70 cash or £80 trade.

My fiance put it in a pretty significant way to me, when I was sitting pouting over getting rid of a really cool set of giftwrap and coordinating cards (lol, I know, pathetic!) but it summarized it well, "if the house burnt down tonight, what would you be devastated at losing? Pack that and ditch the rest. It's all replaceable or unnecessary." True dat...

[TigerJoolz 0]

I've recently moved to California (3 weeks ago) and used these guys.

https://www.transglobal.org.uk/

I sent 7 medium sized packing boxes which total weight came to over 80 kilos. Cost me around £160. The website lets you put in the dimensions of each box along with the weight and then calculates the cost using a number of carriers. The cheapest that I used was with DHL. DHL came and collected the boxes from my house and delivered them to my new address in California 5 days later. Found the service to be great.

Hope this info helps.

[FrostyMist 1]

I'm using the company excess-baggage to ship my stuff. Price-wise, it cost me about £600 to ship 16 boxes (about 36cubic foot, if I remember correctly).

Excess-baggage have been really good so far, and I would highly recommend them. They were very fast and efficient at responding to emails or phone calls. The packing equipment they sent me was of very high quality, and they were extremely generous with bubble wrap and packing tape. They were also very knowledgeable at the paperwork, and I've received plenty of communication from them, and now the agent in the US that is handling my stuff once it gets into port. I can't fault excess-baggage so far.

Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the air freight option, as the cost was about three times more than the sea freight option. And of course, if you send by sea it takes a while to arrive.

It wasn't a very practical option for me to ship my belongings too early. So I had them collected about 6 days before I was due to leave. Fortunately, I'm not really minding not having my stuff all that much right now, as I was able to cram a lot in my suitcase and had also thought ahead and left a fair bit here in the US after my trip in September 08.

I know sea freight takes a long time, but personally I found it to be the right choice for me. Since I haven't missed my stuff too much, and have been able to manage with what I have here, it's worked out just fine.

I am so far pleased, in fact, with the quality of service and decent prices that excess-baggage offered, that I have since used them again in order to transport over yet more of my belongings. (A wheelchair, a cat kennel, and yet more books).

Edited May 24, 2010 by FrostyMist

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I used Excess Baggage too and was extremely happy at the service on both ends. Highly professional and not a single item was broken or lost in transit, unlike when we moved across the country to California a year later.

[Adrian+Mike 2]

I've recently moved to California (3 weeks ago) and used these guys.

https://www.transglobal.org.uk/

I sent 7 medium sized packing boxes which total weight came to over 80 kilos. Cost me around £160. The website lets you put in the dimensions of each box along with the weight and then calculates the cost using a number of carriers. The cheapest that I used was with DHL. DHL came and collected the boxes from my house and delivered them to my new address in California 5 days later. Found the service to be great.

Hope this info helps.

Ive just sent my second parcel today using these people, using DHL through them. They're very good indeed. Left London on tuesday and were in Seattle over 6000 miles away on thursday, 2 days! Cost £45 to send my first box, next cheapest site I found was around £90 so im shifting the rest of my stuff using these guys.