Move my stuff to the UK or buy new stuff when I get there? HELP!

It's personal.

I agree. A lot of my things were old family items of furniture, etc. that I just didn't want to part with. For me, it was worth the cost of shipping.

Everyone is different.

We packed out container on June 14th and it arrived in Liverpool <2 weeks later, cleared customs with no hassles, and was being unloaded at our house in the UK in under 2 weeks. Shipping part loads might take longer, but if a company takes 'months' then something is wrong. We shipped a 40 foot container door-to-door for just over $4K. We loaded and unloaded, but have a lot of experience doing that, so no problem.

My shipment definitely took MUCH longer than it should have, and there were many angry emails sent over the many months I was waiting. The company I used was terrible and my boxes arrived smashed. Luckily only a couple of plates were broken. They claimed there were no shipping containers available, which I didn't believe. My items were sitting at the port of Houston and got out just a week before a hurricane hit, which flooded the entire area. It's definitely rare for items to be sitting at a port waiting to depart for months. Other people I've spoken to have waited an average of 6 weeks to 2 months.

I can't believe you got a 40' shipping container that arrived in 2 weeks for $4,000. Mine wasn't even a 20' container and it was $2,900. If I ever have a large shipment again, I'm going to find out what company you used

My 2c: We sold off all our furniture thinking we'd get somewhere furnished or that our stuff would never fit into a flat here.

We were wrong! Even the furnished flats we looked at had awful furniture that we would have asked them to remove as part of our offer. In the end, we got a 700sq ft Edwardian 1bed, unfurnished, and realized all our furniture (except the guest room stuff) would have fit perfectly! Even the massive sofa. We have spent more money on new furniture than we would have on a container. I'll admit, we could have done it cheaper - but I need a Tempur mattress for my poor aching back and cannot abide an uncomfy sofa. We have decided that this will be our "forever furniture" that we will ship if and when we move again.

So really, if you know the dimensions of where you are going, ship what you can if it doesn't cost much more! All my belongings arrived this past weekend and I am so happy to have my plates, cooking supplies, knives and tools! So worth shipping.

This. The size of the rooms may provide your answer.

This is the best advise. Make sure to measure the doorway as well, so it can get INTO the house..

Our second bedroom can fit a double futon but nothing much else in the room. (If we were to take down the boxing that used to store the water tank, you could fit a desk or chest of drawers in there.) Currently, at the most, a single bed and a chest of drawers OR a desk could fit nicely in there.. With the second rooms here being much smaller, than the 'master' is a BIG reason why loft beds are so popular here. We also have a proper attic bedroom, that can fit most double or larger beds. So if thats an option, might look into that..

For those saying beds here arent that great, our bed is a Sealy and just as nice as any bed as I've had back home (if not nicer) The only difference is no box spring, but the frame has support underneath so no real need for it.

Finding these last two posts helpful.

Am I right that this is all a mixture of personal preferences and different experiences?? Seems like the only reliable fact is moving is expensive!

If I leave stuff in my house to save on shipping and later I sell the house, I would have to pay someone to empty the house and have to but things in storage or give it away. Or I could take it to England and give things away when I find folks that would like it or pay to store it there if I don't have the room.

Good to hear that mattresses can be good! Something told me with that many brands, some had to be!