Enjoy family time, let us focus on the details

One of the first decisions to make when planning to relocate to Perth, Western Australia, is what to do with all your furniture and personal belongings.

Preparing for an interstate or overseas relocation can create plenty of stress and uncertainty, and you may find that leasing furniture on your arrival lightens the load- in more ways than one.

Where possible, engaging local, professional relocation experts to take care of the details will ensure your move and subsequent settling-in period is as convenient and comfortable as possible.

The cost of shipping and storing furniture

If you cannot imagine living without your treasures from home, here are some common pitfalls to be aware of:

High shipping costs, particularly from overseas
Cost of storing furniture until you find accommodation
Cost of buying temporary furniture while waiting for shipped belongings to arrive
Risk furniture will not fit in its new location
Risk furniture will not suit the style of the new place
Risk of damage to furniture in uplift, transit or delivery

For most people who ship their belongings to Perth, there is a significant time gap between when you arrive and when your furniture does. On the rare occasion that you both land on the doorstep on the same day, dealing with rooms full of sealed boxes and bed parts in need of assembly is unlikely to cause much joy.

Temporary furniture solutions

Let us furnish your home before you arrive

If you arrive ahead of your furniture - assuming sleeping on the floor is unacceptable - a common told-of solution is to find the nearest Ikea store and purchase the essentials in the hope of figuring out how to assemble everything before nightfall.

If you have your furniture but no home to put it in, this creates a different kind of stress: either you are rushed into signing a lease for somewhere that may not be suitable, or you face paying storage costs that can amount to the average week’s rent for a single garage space.

Professional relocation assistance

New In Town Executive Relocations is a Perth-based relocations company, offering a range of individually-tailored relocation services to executive and their families, and individuals moving to Perth. Leasing furniture is just one of the many services available, along with home search, city orientation tours and short-stay accommodation, to name a few.

New in Town’s Jacqui Armstrong consistently exceeds the expectations of her clients, providing a personalised and competitively-priced service that allows you to focus on the more important things.

“We can find a home for you and have it fully furnished, ready for you when you arrive in Perth,” Ms Armstrong said.

“Our stylist will liaise with you to source furniture that meets your individual style and budget.

We can make up all of the beds ready for your arrival“We supply quality pieces of furniture and additional household items in new or as-new condition. For standard items, this can be arranged within 24 hours,” she said.

“We really look after our clients. Our service includes delivery and placement of furniture – everything down to making the beds, unpacking the cutlery and filling your fridge with essential grocery items if you wish.”

Getting started

‘New In Town’ has a pricing list, from which clients can select the items they require to determine the monthly leasing cost.

Furniture can be leased for a minimum of 12 months, with payment due monthly. Discounts are offered for subsequent yearly contracts. Clients can renew for a second 12 month period at 25% off the initial costs. The fee reduces by 50% after two years and 75% after three years.

Reasons to consider leasing furniture

It will be a welcome relief to arrive and everything is done.

Cost competitive when compared with shipping
Furniture can be selected to suit the style and décor of your new home
Potentially tax deductible
Less stressful
No issues associated with custom clearances, shipping delays or damage caused in transit.
No need for serviced apartments or hotels for corporate relocations
Cash flow advantages with no upfront purchasing costs

Shipping from experience

Personally, I relocated to Perth from Tasmania a few years ago- grateful that my husband’s new company would be paying the enormous costs of packing up and shipping all our belongings.

In hindsight, we arrived with far too much ‘baggage,’ some of which is still choking our garage - much to my husband’s ire.

We ended up buying several large items in Perth anyway to suit our new home and the wonderful culture of beach life and outdoor entertaining.

Particularly if you are relocating for 1-3 years, it may not be worth the money or the hassle of shipping everything over. Leasing furniture is an option worth considering.