Blog
Self Storage for People Moving Abroad
If you are moving to another country, you could be leaving behind some of your oldest, most treasured possessions, as well as saying goodbye to friends, family and work colleagues. If you put items into storage you want to be sure they will be safe and secure and readily accessible.
Hamiltons Removals offer top-quality self storage at our Harleston and Aldeby sites near the Norfolk and Suffolk border. Here we look at how good long term storage facilities can help you if you are planning to move abroad.
Why Self Storage can be Ideal
Some people are posted abroad to work for their company, often on a fixed-term contract. You may be moving to a furnished apartment and so won’t need to take valuable or bulky items with you. If you are a student, you may be living or working abroad during a gap year. In the case of language students, a spell abroad may form an integral part of your course.
Self storage can also be useful if you are older, and are treating yourself to a long holiday, a cruise or a lengthy spell of travel once you have retired. Even if you are settling abroad permanentl,y you may not want to take all your possessions with you at once. You could leave some items in either of our sites until you are sure they will fit into your new home.
Our Safe N Stored site at Harleston site has individual rooms in sizes ranging from 25 square feet to 200 square feet so is suitable for storing large and small items.
What Items to Put In
Bulky items like sofas and wardrobes are particularly well suited to being put into storage. Taking them with you could add substantially to shipping costs so it may be cheaper to buy new ones while you are abroad and leave your existing ones in our care.
Airline baggage limits also mean it makes sense to travel light, particularly if you are studying or travelling abroad and will be a frequent flyer. If you are moving to somewhere where the climate is much warmer, then you can leave a lot of your winter clothing at home. We have a Safe N Stored shop at our Harleston site which sells specialist items such as portable wardrobe cartons, bubblewrap, and Furniguard, a laminated protective export packing material, to help you pack your items away safely.
Greater Peace of Mind
If you are going abroad and leaving your house empty, it will be more vulnerable to break-ins and accidental damage such as flooding and electrical problems, as it is not being used around the clock.
Even if you are renting your home out, you won’t want to run the risk of having your fragile or delicate objects damaged, particularly if they are family heirlooms with a huge sentimental value.
Our facility at Harleston has CCTV cameras which operate around-the-clock CCTV cameras and a security alarm which is linked to Norfolk Police. This means you can store your valuable items with us and be sure they will be kept secure.
If you are not sure where you will be living in the long term, then our Safe N Stored sites offer an ideal solution. You can store items at our sites if you don’t know how long you will be working abroad for, or if are moving to another country but haven’t yet decided whether if you will be making it a permanent switch.
Easily Accessible
Our Safe N Stored sites will let you or your family and friends access your belongings after you have moved. Our Harleston site is open Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 5.30pm, and on Saturdays from 8am to 12noon.
Self storage makes it easy to arrange to have extra items sent on, if you decide you can’t live without them in your new home. It also means that when you do return you can readily access your possessions knowing that they should be ready to use.
Hamiltons Removals provide self storage solutions which are ideal for individuals and businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk. Our Harleston site is conveniently situated for people living in the Diss, Stradbroke, and Bungay areas.
Our Safe N Stored site in Aldeby has a range of different-sized containers and is ideal for people who want to store items such as motorbikes and boats, as you can drive your own vehicle right up to them. Click on the link to find out more about our services and to receive an online quote.
A Guide to Australian Wines
The days of Australia only being associated with one drink, beer, have long gone. These days the country is one of the biggest wine producers in the world. It has a thriving export market and more than 500 million litres every year is destined for domestic dining tables.
Hamiltons Removals has been organising international removals to Australia for many years. For those thinking of a move Down Under, here is our guide to a few of the major varieties of wine, where the particular types of grape are grown, and the type of food they go with best.
Chardonnay
Although grapes are grown across Australia, the southern states are most suitable for wine production because of the cool climate. Chardonnay is no exception, with the Yarra Valley near Melbourne and the Hunter Valley near Sydney particularly famous for vineyards producing this white wine which is usually noted for its fruity flavour. If you are having a barbecue, then it is the ideal accompaniment to grilled fish and vegetables. Sparkling varieties of Chardonnay are produced in the Adelaide Hills and Geelong regions.
Shiraz
This full-bodied red wine is produced from the Syrah grape, which was brought over from Europe in the 1830s. Now it is the most widely planted red grape variety in the whole country, and across the world only France is a bigger producer. Cooler regions like Western Australia’s Margaret River produce Shiraz with less alcohol content, making it a good partner for lamb dishes. Hunter Valley Shiraz goes well with specialist meats like venison or kangaroo. Sparkling varieties are suited to barbecued meat like ribs and sausages, but the more traditional varieties are good partners for stews and casseroles.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia’s second most widely planted red grape variety, larger producers often blend it with Shiraz or use grapes from different states. This means there is a wide variety on the market. The Coonawarra region in South Australia, and the Clare Valley, about 60 miles north of Adelaide, both produce Cabernet Sauvignon with a fruity flavour, while the nearby Barossa Valley specialises in a more full-bodied bottle. It is often served with lamb dishes.
Riesling
The Clare Valley and the Canberra district are both important areas of production for this white wine which was also brought to Australia in the 1830s. Until the 1990s, when it was overtaken by Chardonnay, it was the most widely planted white grape variety in the country. Noted for its citrus flavours, it also goes well with barbecued fish and is also an ideal partner for Asian food and chicken.
Don’t Forget the Beer!
Beer was overtaken by wine in the 1970s as the country’s most popular alcoholic drink. However, no barbecue should be without it as it remains an iconic Australian beverage, and the country is still among the top 20 biggest consumers in the world. The average Australian drinks around 75 litres of beer per year. The commonest form is lager, with the world-famous Foster’s brewery dating back to the 1880s. However, these days the market is changing, with the younger generation increasingly preferring locally-produced craft beers which have a more distinctive taste.
Hamiltons Removals has years of expertise in international removals to Australia. We arrange moves across the country to cities including Canberra, Adelaide, Sydney and Perth. We also organise commercial or domestic moves to Europe and a wide range of worldwide destinations. Click above for a free online quote and to find out more about our services.