Anyone planning a move to Spain, or indeed anywhere abroad, will have to decide what to take with them from the UK and how to replace what they leave behind when they move into their new home.

 

The costs of international removal are inevitably higher than those of domestic removal, so think carefully about what you want to take with you to Spain. Ask yourself if you really like an item, can you see it sitting comfortably in your Spanish house and is it a vital piece of your home? Sally Veal, author of the SpainBuyingGuide.com, moved to the Costa Brava and offers the following advice, gained from first-hand experience:

“It is the small things which will probably matter most to you, those with personal memories, gifts from friends and family – and these will obviously accompany you on your move, but should you take all your furniture? Will it fit in to the style of your Spanish home? What about white goods, will they work in Spain?

“It is true to say that some items are more expensive in Spain than in the UK, though you will usually find an Ikea not too far from your new home. The style of Spanish furniture is different, with a heavier emphasis on dark woods. Nowadays you can find many shops which sell furniture made of teak or similar woods imported from Thailand and these are more reasonable than the traditional furniture shops. Good quality is the same everywhere and if you are happy to seek out that expensive sofa or dining table, you will find it in Spain. In the larger cities there is much more choice of course, with branches of French, German and Italian shops offering many styles.

“For smaller pieces of furniture, you don’t have to go to specialist shops as often you will find attractive side tables, mirrors and small storage pieces in shops that may also sell clothes and decorative items. Generally, your life in Spain will be spent outdoors for much longer than in the UK, so garden or terrace furniture is important. Unless you have pieces of good quality that will withstand hot sun as well as rain, you would probably do better buying these when you arrive in Spain. Larger supermarkets sell garden furniture, usually cheaper than the garden centres, though the choice may be limited. DIY stores also have a range of outside tables and chairs, but they will cost more than at B&Q or Homebase.

“Most Spanish homes are not carpeted, but have tiled or wooden floors. You will probably want to bring your good rugs with you as it can get chilly during the winter months. Alternatively, you will find a comprehensive range of rugs in Spain to suit all budgets. Curtains tend to be lightweight, mostly to stop the sun pouring in on hot days and almost all Spanish properties have shutters, so interlined, heavy curtains are not really suitable in Spain unless your home is high up in the mountains. There are many local shops which offer attractive curtains, ready made or made to measure.

It is not worth bringing your plants or shrubs to Spain as many will not survive in the climate and although they are quite expensive to buy, there are good garden centres with a wealth of suitable plants for gardens and terraces. Do consider buying plants that require little water though, as the cost of watering can become very expensive unless your property has its own well from which you can draw water for the garden.

When it comes to white goods, most will work in Spain but you will have to change the plugs or buy numerous adaptors as the sockets are quite different from those in the UK. The price of washing machines and the like is higher than you will be used to, so if your existing machine is reasonably new, a well-known make and in excellent condition, it may be worth bringing it with you. Remember, you might need spare parts, so bring only internationally renowned makes. Spain now only has digital TV, so you will need a decoder. If your TV is over three years old, it is better to buy one in Spain when you arrive. Search around as prices can vary widely. Smaller electrical appliances such as hair dryers, kettles, kitchen equipment will work in Spain with an adaptor. You will need to buy several adaptors!!

Spanish bed sizes are slightly different from UK sizes and their pillows are a different shape. It might be practical to buy extra bed linen in the UK before you leave if you are planning on bringing your beds and bed linen with you. Beds and mattresses are sold separately in Spain and can be expensive, though if you search around, some companies offer good “packages”.

For details of property for sale in Spain, visit the Spanish listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying in Spain is to use a currency specialist when transferring your pounds into euros to complete the purchase of your property. For more information on this, contact Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Spain, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Spain Property Buying Guide’