1 MONTH BEFORE:
Those that shipped their furniture here regretted it — old furniture that have no value here, wanted to have a fresh start but having so many old items, in the end, they end up giving everything away that they shipped here to buy new stuff. One even shipped a piano here, and gave it away for free to buy a new one.
Leave something behind for the people you love and you will miss. Especially family. Because when that time comes to say goodbye, you will want to give them the world.
Take it as a fresh start - a home you can redo from scratch, a new beginning for your family, a new life.
Appliances have different adapters, so keep that in mind too.. don’t bring electronics with Malaysian adapters
Getting Rid of Stuff (In Malaysia):
If there are stuff that nobody wants and you can’t get rid of, there is Salvation Army in Malaysia that will sometimes even come to your house to pick it up furniture for you. I did that before in Malacca. They took everything we needed to get rid of.
There was also a Christian Preloved Shop in Citta Mall near old airport road in PJ that sells second hand clothes and toys.
Take it as giving these items to the Lord as an offering.
Kmart.com.au > Clothes > Sort > Low to High
When my parents go back to Malaysia, my brother would order his clothes from Kmart for us to buy back for him…
Think of it as— your kids get a new wardrobe when they come. They get to pick out a new style, start fresh again, have a new life
Sometimes we need to let go of the old in order to crossover into a new season. It’s painful but it’s going to be life changing.
If you are unsure about whether you should bring or leave behind something, just check the Kmart app and Facebook Marketplace for Adelaide prices.
Toiletries are cheap here too, if you’re not fussy.
3 Weeks Before:
When we first came, all these were either free or dirt cheap:
- furniture
- clothes
- food
- toys
- kitchen appliances, cutleries, etc.
- Christmas decorations
- linen (curtains, bedding, etc.)
Now, I usually buy these in Australia to bring back to Malaysia (other than furniture).
Free Furniture:
When we came here, we almost furnished the whole house for free (aside from my parents’ mattress and bed).
Facebook Marketplace > Furniture
Gumtree > Furniture
Cheap Furniture:
Even if you don’t like the free furniture, you can get decent ones here for a bargain.
New Furniture:
We didn’t buy furniture from ikea.. we bought online.
There are a few websites I have tried and is legit:
Catch.com.au
Amazon and eBay
MyDeal.com.au
TommySwiss
And there’s Bunnings.
Kmart has furniture too. But they’re shelving is a bit small.. but similar to IKEA style.
I’ve not tried Temple & Webster but they should be reliable.
2 Weeks Before:
Packing:
What to bring to Australia: (just my suggestion)
- Something you cannot buy here
- sentimental items
- really good quality or new clothes and stuff worth flying over
- whatever you need on Day 1 of your arrival (toiletries, clothes)
- Asian food you cannot buy here or cost a lot here (baba curry powder, CNY stuff, ang pow packets (no kidding) etc.)
The stuff that has no value in Malaysia cost a lot here and vice versa.
What to do with the rest:
- sell everything, turn to cash and bank it in
- give away to friends and family
- give to Salvation Army or that shop in Citta Mall
Bring light weight things, and branded stuff,…
And keep in mind border control rules — No natural or organic products allowed in. My sisters’ family lost a lot when border control went through their bags and threw away a ton of food products when they migrated here. It was very sad because they were expensive health products.
My older sister taught us that whatever happens, never choose ‘nothing to declare’. Always declare medication or supplements or if really nothing, just declare the soil on your shoes because if you declare nothing and they find something, the penalty is very high.
If you’re unfortunate and get a fussy border control personnel,… you will need a letter for medication.
They can be really nice or really mean.
Supplements is allowed but they’re cheap here. I buy supplements here and bring home.
1 Week Before:
Electricity:
Don’t forget to book to get electricity connected in advance — may need to do a fair bit of research as to which electricity company you want. Need to book at least 24 hours before.
Filling up the house:
Urgent (in order):
1. Electric Kettle
- can be ordered online but get them to leave it in a safe place as you might not be around to sign when they drop it off prior to your arrival, or self-collect
2. Mattresses (not necessarily beds, unless you have issues getting up from the floor)
3.
Also, deliveries can be a life saver. So when we move into a new house, sometimes we preorder and get them to send furniture (online), groceries (Woolworths, Coles) and etc to our house so they arrive on Day 1 or pick them up from the shop if they can’t arrive on a specific day (eBay, Kmart).
Day 1:
Walking into an empty house together as a family is always a life-changing and precious moment. It won’t be empty for long.
Enjoy starting your new beginning here: enjoy shopping and don’t rush into decisions you’re not ready to make, especially if it’s not urgent. Focus on the most important stuff: like mattress to sleep on. Other furniture can get during your first week: don’t stress it all at once. Enjoy the time shopping with the family — moving into a new country is usually a once in a lifetime chance, so make sweet happy memories with the family and thank God every step of the way.
And when you move in, take note which is your rubbish day of the week in your area. The rubbish bin is small but needs to last a week. So take note to put food scraps into green bin and recyclables into yellow bin.
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