Moving costs out of the country

No.

My company moved my stuff to London, but then the stuff arrived to my office building, and the IRA bombed it, so I couldn't get to my spring wardrobe for months. It was a disaster -- winter clothes in April! Can you imagine? But I have no idea what it costs. Throw all your old shit out. They have Ikea there, too, plus crappy old furniture at Oxfam that nobody wants, plus unfortunately many apartments you'd rent are furnished with drear.

The good news for you is that you can go clubbing with The Gays nonstop from Thursday evening to Tuesday afternoon. At least last I heard. Everything changes, and never for the better.

Are you going to move to the American ghetto, or an interesting neighborhood?

move nothing buy new.

Oh, man. Sell/donate to charity, or store in a relative's basement/house.

Move to London, without the headache of "your stuff".

your firm will pay for it -- or leave it here

They pay for it, but you worry about it -- when and if it arrives.

He's self-"employed"

Anyway, Matt, for $900 you can go via the Queen Mary 2 (I'm just saying) and bring along six steamer trunks and gaggles of Pullmans.

http://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=11760

I've always dreamed of traveling with steamer trunks. More than the fabulous fashions contained within and properly held -- they imply something: you cannot travel without service, literally.

And also not only do you not have to unpack during the entire trip, but you don't have to have someone else unpack, thanks to all the drawers and clever hangers within.

Service can be very irritating, figuratively.

"Throw all your old shit out."

None of my stuff is "old shit".

I've never bought "shit". I've never shopped at Ikea or Raymour and Flanigan, or any of those other places that use pressboard or veneers stapled to plywood and call it "furniture". Over the course of the past 20 years I have slowly built up an inventory of quality pieces. Most of my furniture is solid oak Stickley, built to last several generations, which I paid, all told, about $40,000. Everything else is genuine Midcentury Modern.

i have moved to London and back twice. How long do you expect to live there? Are you going alone or with a family? If you are single and going for a year or two, renting a furnished flat is probably your best bet. The furnished apts are very well done there. Although you can take your computer; your tv, dvd player and most other electronic and kitchen appliances don't work there. Older houses have narrow staircases so beds in the UK almost all have two part box springs and two part mattresses. The company I used both times in the UK was Sterling Movers. They coordinate with a US counterpart here. Sterling was fabulous. The US movers at this end were idiots. A sea shipment takes about 3 to 4 weeks door to door from London to NY (longer if you are inland USA). A great department store in the UK is John Lewis Partnership. They have great quality stuff and they deliver. There is an IKEA and lots of cheaper furniture stores, too. Most movers measure by volume, more than weight as I recall. A small house of furniture and goods is a 40 foot container. I believe you can get a 20 foot one as well. Good luck. London is great and you won't want to leave.

"Whenever I gaze at Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise..." (Ray Davies)

Okay, so it's not Ikea but rather reproduction Stickley made from new-growth oak and advertised ad nauseum in the NYT Magazine. Essentially the same thing, with a lot of marketing added in. Whatever.

Anyway, when do you and your inventory of quality pieces emigrate?

.

"Essentially the same thing, with a lot of marketing added in."

Solid oak is solid oak, you ass.

And it's not reproduction Stickley if it's made by the SAME COMPANY. Duh.

Matt - yes, it's reproduction - just see how much you'd get for your pieces at auction, vs. the "originals" (though it's true, once they start making reporductions the original pieces sometimes lose value as well).

Still, if you're going for less than 3 years, stow the Stickley and take your toothbrush and Walden. Refresh yourself.

"I love the Village Green and all the happy people
long live the village green..." (Ray Davies)

"Still, if you're going for less than 3 years, stow the Stickley and take your toothbrush and Walden. Refresh yourself."

Thank you, Lofty.

I suppose what I really need to decide is whether the salary will pay enough to compensate for the costs of moving men, storage, and buying new stuff on t'other side of the pond.

NYCMatt - so your coop allows subltetting for an indeterminate period of time?

"NYCMatt - so your coop allows subltetting for an indeterminate period of time?"

Theoretically, yes.

I own new Stickley, and the quality is long-gone. I'm not sure if it's even the same family running things. You'd get way more value buying antiques at auctions. Just saying.

IMO, given how much you care about your stuff, not a great idea to move stuff there and back. Easier to go all-furnished. Living costs for a single person in London v. NYC not that different overall. Rent is cheaper - one thing about London is that prime London spans a greater area and there is no downtown as we know it in NYC, you get villages instead. Quality of food is much improved. Gastropubs abound. Coffee tastes better. S.E. Asian food better here. Groceries are more $, but for a single person, overall cost isn't that much more. Clothes are more $ for the same quality (adults). You will travel more to Europe & N. Africa for holidays so spend more on holidays. I cannot suggest any nabes because the nabes I like are either American ghettoes or nappy valleys.

Good prop. website - www.findaproperty.com.

"I own new Stickley, and the quality is long-gone. I'm not sure if it's even the same family running things. You'd get way more value buying antiques at auctions. Just saying."

The Stickley mission collection is what is still made by the "real" family, and in my opinion, is unequalled by anything on the market today. A lot of the other more "traditional" stuff is often subcontracted out with the Stickley label.

What are "nappy valleys"?

Thanks, nyc10023.

Nappy = diaper. I don't think the original Stickley family is around.

"I don't think the original Stickley family is around."

They're not. But the Audis, the famiily who bought the business off the Stickleys back in the '60s, are still running things -- very well, from what I'm told by people who work there.

A great resource is www.primelocation.com for finding a place to live. Rents are often quoted by the week, not by the month. Consider the closest tube line to your office. There is a lot of work scheduled on some of the tube lines ( like the Northern line) that will delay your daily commute for years. The District and Circle lines are notoriously finicky as well. Look at www.tfl.gov.uk for info on the tube lines. If your company is moving you there, they really should be helping you with this. Most companies that I am aware of pay housing costs for at least the first two years. You will have a lot of additional costs. If you have children who are beyond kindergarten age, you may not want to put them in local schools. Most quality schools in London are private and expensive. Again, your company should pay for this. Your UK and US taxes are affected; because you are in the UK, you will pay UK taxes. Because you are a US citizen, you will be responsible for US taxes as well. If you are moving from New York, it is possible that you will be responsible for New York taxes as well, since NY is your last US home state. Your company should provide you with tax advice before you go as well. If your company is not giving you this support, do more research because this move may cost you more than you realize.

"Long ago
life was clean
sex was bad
and obscene
Victoria was our Queen..." (Ray Davies)

Truth - again you're trying way too hard to be "witty" - meaningless post - why do this?

Nothing wrong with a little rock and roll poetry on our board, considering all the political vitriol that we have to put up with. If I wanted a Tea Party I'd "Go Ask Alice"...

Matt, seriously, as much as I disagree with you 90+%, I don't wish you any ill, please consider the social as well as economic implications of moving to London. If you already have a network of friends there great...If not,...

A really good friend of mine, late 30s, single, straight was offered his "dream job" in London. He's loved the experience from a professional standpoint but he's been marking off the days like a prisoner until he comes home. London has proven to be ridiculously expensive (and this from a many who makes a VERY good living and whose life there is somewhat corporately subsidized), dreary and the people for the most part dreadfully rude. He's had a tough time making friends because he has to work alot and he's the boss of the office so people there are not exactly likely to reach out to him socially--especially since most are married with kids. Since his office is in a suburban area, he has to drive every day, as in New York public transport is fantastic unless you are going where it isn't. And driving a stick shift car on the wrong side of the road is not what you would call fun.

And of course all the Anti-American sentiment gets old after a while no matter how in agreement with the particulars you might be.
i
Just food for thought as you make your decision. If as I say, you know people there who can ease your transition socially (or is there perhaps a potential Mr Matt?) it could be a different story.

ph41: I'm not trying too hard to be witty. Those are real lyrics to a Kinks song (British band). Written about England. Ray Davies is very witty.

What are you trying to be? Meaningful? Of what? You must be the life of the party; scolding people like a school-marm.

Lighten up.

Truth - No, all I'm saying is that quoting lyrics from rock songs, as you do in so many of your posts, especially when they have almost no relevance to question of OP is - what? If someone asks a serious question, possibly they deserve an actual response (though with NYCMatt, we're not always sure about that).

There were threads where it was interesting - songs about NY, movies, etc.

Yes, ph41... I will go sit in the corner now...

OK Truth - come back, you've had your time-out.

uh oh...penthouse lady...starting early again?

CC - can't you speak up? really can't see you - oh, that's right SE has hidden you.

that's right up there with your usual hall monitor crap.

ph41: You, the "beholder" and "inquirer" of cyberspace;
are allowing me to come back here?!

Take your time-out, and stick it where the sun don't shine, lady!

Truth - actually I was inviting you to come back to play - sorry you didn't get the joking nature of the commet.

pent house lady---way, way too much. been trying to tell you from day one.

Stick it, and your "commet"; ph41. I don't need any invitations from you.

How did I miss this pleasant thread. And it got progressively better as columbiacounty appeared towards the end.

Truth, ph41 - now make up. As a Londoner, I appreciate the Kinks lyrics and is befitting to the question.

NYCMatt - when do you hope to come to good ol' Blighty?

BWC

Thanks, brainwashedconsumer. The Kinks and Ray Davies give the world the best songs about Brit daily life, history, and much more.

If you are ever in Hornsey and see Ray going into Konk Studios; give him my regards. He's a lovely man and he's wonderful to his friends and fans.

" I'm a Muswell Hillbilly boy
but my heart lies in old West Virginia..

take me back to those Black Hills
I ain't never seen.." ("Muswell Hillbillies", Ray Davies)

so - taking your furniture or buying new or renting furnished? do tell.

my company paid for the move so i am not sure of the cost. having lived there i would agree with the logic if it is not an extended time period better to leave your stuff in storage. Not from a cost point of view but from a things getting damaged view. Furnished rentals are much more common then here so you have a much better selection then you would imagine.
If you are just moving personal items it should be in the 5-10k range.
Matt, you will LOVE it... no tipping!!!!
new2newyork provides a lot of good advise, especially on the taxes!