Shipping from US to Finland

KaDaSa · Post by **KaDaSa** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 2:58 am

Hey all - I beg your forgiveness if this is a repeat of a repeat of a repeat, but we are getting down to the wire (approximately 2 months), and I still don't have any good informtion on having household goods shipped from the US to Finland. I did an online quote with a kind of clearing house for various shippers, and realized that it would probably be best to start here. There seem to be some good threads when shipping from the UK, but I haven't had luck finding information on coming from this side of the pond. Are there any recommendations? We would not be shipping much: crib, queen size mattress set, children's bookcases, 2 mountain bikes, and random smaller items. Well, as long as I'm on the topic, we would also like to have our car shipped over...any ideas there?

I would really appreciate any tips and/or recommendations. If it narrows it down any, we will be shipping from Virginia (just south of Washington, D.C.) to a yet to be determined 37m2 hovel in the Tampere area.

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:24 am

About the car - someone just shipped over some dinky toy that was past the airbags-required-in-Finland date (I thought the US was ahead of all the silly rules) so double check the requirements (airbag installation to a 2000 model car= 3K = ouch).

BTW the mattrass set - is it supposed to be fit into a frame or is it one of those self-standing mattrass beds? As in: where to get a funny-sized frame on this end?

KaDaSa · Post by **KaDaSa** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:14 pm

It's an '03 Toyota, so I am guessing that it will meet the required standards...though I will need to check on that. As for the bed, we do have a cheap metal frame - romantic, no? - and not an actual head and footboard. The frame is pretty light and folds up, so we were planning on bringing that as well.

cressers · Post by **cressers** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 1:54 pm

I used http://www.discount-shipping.net/

I know they look micky mouse. But it all got here ok.

You have to pack it yourself, take it to the shipping warehouse, then collect it at the other end.

I paid about $4000 including insurance, compared to offers of about $8-9k from a packing company.

Cost me about $400 in boxes, $40 for a Uhaul and $160 for a van to drive from Tampere to Helsinki and back.

SAving of $4k was worth the work in my view. PLUS if you work out that each box is going to cost you $60, you soon start weeding out all the valueless crap.

jojoagogo · Post by **jojoagogo** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:06 pm

we moved in July from the USA to Finland without knowing the size of our soon to be digs, and although we have spacially almost as much inside the house, the rooms are smaller and different shapes.

So sell the puffy sofas and oversized kitchen tables, we brought more that we should of even though we downsized and got rid of the dining room etc.. we had a corporate move through Altantic Relocation Services who were marvelous, and we thought we could get rid of some !"#¤% on this side if necessary, however it is harder to get rid of stuff in Finland where the language is hard, in the USA use EBAY and refress your home with some Scandic design upon arrival.

Furniture and appliances can be easily replaced go to huuto.net and you can buy used when you know exactly what size/shape you need.

I had read that over and over again on these posts don't bring furniture and we still brought lots of stuff that I am still looking at in the boxes and weird positions until I can get someone to come and get it out of my house!

Wish I had taken heed and not felt so attached to things that are now driving me crazy!

zam · Post by **zam** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:20 pm

And if you are moving into a 37m2 flat, there's not much you can fit in there... One small 3-seated sofa will be probably max you can fit if you want to also fit a bed in there. I used to live in a 35m2 flat years back and now thinking back there was a dining table for two persons

, a 3-seater sofa, a couple of bookshelves, a small desk and a 120cm wide bed. And even then it was pretty cramped.

Karhunkoski · Post by **Karhunkoski** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:29 pm

Check out the bed sizes as well, I know when I brought bedding from the UK for a 5 foot bed, it didn't fit well with the Finnish bed I bought

enk · Post by **enk** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:34 pm

sudentassu99 wrote:Check out the bed sizes as well, I know when I brought bedding from the UK for a 5 foot bed, it didn't fit well with the Finnish bed I bought

We made pillowcases and kids' sheets out of the bedding we brought
from the States because nothing fit.

-enk

Karhunkoski · Post by **Karhunkoski** » Mon Nov 20, 2006 5:42 pm

Now that's an idea! Must find someone with a sewing machine!

KaDaSa · Post by **KaDaSa** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 1:03 am

Just kidding about the 37m2....we will move into the in-laws' place (in scenic Nilsia) first and search for an apartment in Tampere from there. I've been looking on http://www.oikotie.fi, but they don't seem to list too many rentals. Thankfully we have never invested in nice furniture (other than our bed), knowing that we would have to sell it or ship it to finland...we'll probably end up having a really small shipment. Well, other than the car. Speaking of which, does anyone know the process of having the car inspected, registered, etc.? We have been on the various websites, but it seems nothing beats experience when looking for advice.

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