What to Bring to Oz
by Guest Author
This information is from my personal experience and provides information for people who are lucky enough to bring a container over, and just some basic tips about what to bring.
Back up your pc onto a removable hard drive that you keep with you through the whole trip and move. My life was on my pc and it helped knowing I had a back up with me.
Make sure everything is clean and dry! Everything. If you have mats that have been cleaned, or any towels or clothes that have just been ironed with steam air and dry them or leave them behind. If damp they will grow mouldy whilst on the ship over.
Make sure all your Tupperware and containers are soaked in bleach and dried well before packing.
Air out all your bedding mattresses and pillows (preferably buy new pillows and keep them in the plastic for the trip).
Vacuum pack as much bedding, curtains, etc as you can.
If you are not from a cold climate buy good warm jackets, blankets and duvet inners. You can buy them here, but they are very expensive.
Buy: Lots of hangers. There are lots of hanging space cupboards here and only one small shelf above the hanging space. They dont have big fitted wardrobes like South Africa, so everything hangs. So go and do some robot light shopping and buy tons of hangers and a good iron. We bought two just in case one broke. You do your own ironing here and a good iron goes far. Note: Its best to buy certain things to avoid the shock when you get here: Underwear, shoes, bedding (and beds), fishing and camping equipment, some tools, all gardening stuff and some small kitchen goods such as toaster, kettle etc. If somethings getting a bit old, replace it in South Africa so that it has a longer lifespan when you get to Oz.
If you have a tumble drier, this will help a lot with the ironing otherwise get one here (its better to have the warranty here in case something goes wrong).
If you need a nice new dustbin buy them in South Africa and get two here they have a normal dustbin and a recycle dustbin.
Its also good to invest in a biltong maker you can get them in flat packs in South Africa. Biltong here costs an arm and a leg!
All the DVDs here dont work on our South African (brand new HD) DVD player. We have tried hacking the international code, but it doesnt work, Also our new HD TV from South Africa needed a booster box to pick up the signal here. However the HD TV we bought here has no problems. So if you are thinking about getting a TV and DVD, its best to get them here.
Most houses have carpeting or laminate flooring. There are hardly any tiles, so a good vacuum cleaner goes far! Especially as you are doing your own housework. They are reasonably priced in Oz if you shop around. (Its better to have the warranty here in Oz).
Air out your washing machine and dishwasher and dont use it for the last few days. Undo all the pipes and let them air (and put all the pipes inside the washing machine as you will have tons of boxes to unpack and its best to keep them together).
Make sure you empty your fridge, defrost it and air it at least five days before the movers come.
Donate all your food and groceries to friends and family, and live on takeaways for the last while.
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