Storage of household goods in Aus

[Maligso]

Hi all. We fly out on 1 Feb 2015! We are shipping a 20ft container - probably with Elliots. We are staying with my sister-in-law in Coffs Harbour initially until we find a place in Coffs or in Brisbane which is about 4hrs drive from Coffs. If I store the items in Durban at R800 per month I then have to wait 6-8 weeks once I find a place and give them the instruction to ship. If I ship a few days before I leave the cost quoted is about R2000 per month plus R5,600 handling fee (x2 when it goes into storage and then when released!). I have two 3yr old twins and a 6 yr old so I can't slum it for 6 - 8 weeks! Plus do I store in Coffs or Brisbane because I don't know where I will be based yet?!?! There will therefore be more fees to transport to new house from storage. Any other ideas?

[Eyebrow]

Our kids are 3,6,12

We have been slumming it/ camping for 4 weeks now in Melbourne.

It has been great fun!

I thought it would traumatise the kids for life. But they have loved the inflatable matresses (from K-mart) at $12 for 3 singles and $19 for our double.

http://www.kmart.com.au/category/sports/shop-by-product-type/camping/air-beds/251048

Beds by night, fort building material by day.

To sleep under Duvet's (Sorry doona's) without cover

http://www.kmart.com.au/product/homemaker-washable-polyester-quilt---queen/134301

And for the kids - green and pink sleping bags for $15 each. And they love it!

http://www.kmart.com.au/category/sports/shop-by-product-type/camping/sleeping-bags/251066

We also got $9 camping chairs green and pink http://www.kmart.com.au/category/sports/shop-by-product-type/camping/camping-chairs/251056

A digital TV and DVD combo that played RSA DVD's too http://www.kmart.com.au/product/audiosonic-24-led-hdtv-and-dvd-player-combo/133337 for $200.

Plates http://www.kmart.com.au/product/12-piece-bone-china-dining-set---white/147343 and cutlery http://www.kmart.com.au/product/16-piece-capri-cutlery-set---stainless-steel/167319

and few plastic/melamine plates for kids at $2 http://www.kmart.com.au/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?searchTerm=plastic+plates&categoryId=&storeId=10701&catalogId=10102&langId=-1&pageSize=15&beginIndex=0&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=

I could go on! (And I should be a K-mart representative!!! )

We have picked up stuff from charity shops and neighbours and my future boss! It has been amazing!

In fact, we have been joking that we actually dont want the container anymore....

It has been liberating in a way. Not to have so much stuff. We have been perfectly fine without it.

And I had been so scared before we came!

The kids have loved the empty house. They have played with the multiple cardboard boxes of stuff we have bought, Stacked the matresses and made tunnels. Liked the second hand toys from Salvo's.

You will be ok!

[Tazzn]

Sorry - bit of a hijack!!!!!!!!!

Maligso please may I ask which companies you look at for storage? We just got an offer on our house yester and only plan on leaving middle of next year. Plan to bunk with family until we leave so need a place for our stuff!

[Maligso]

Elliots said they will store it for R800 per month. I think all the companies do this so check with whoever you decide to send your container with and they should be around the same. We have decided to send our stuff straight away and if we still haven't got a place before it arrives we will put it in storage at a self-storage place in Coffs Harbour. If you get your transport guys to store it over there it get expensive as they charge a handling fee to put it into storage and then to take it out again of about R5,550 each time! Labour is expensive there. So ours will get delivered to the self storage facility and that unloading is included in the fee. Then we will organise for it to be delivered when we need it, also we can access it whenever we want and get things we need at that time.

[Tazzn]

Thanks.