Shipping or renting furniture when relocating: pros & cons

Thanks to globalization, the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. People are no longer tied to that one location where they grew up. Nowadays, more of us move abroad for short periods of time for both private and professional reasons.

If you are also planning to move abroad, you will soon realize that there is more to it than just packing your stuff and stepping on a plane. An international move obviously involves a number of important decisions. One of which is: will you ship your own furniture abroad or will you rent furniture temporarily? We looked into the advantages and disadvantages of both options for you.

The first option is shipping your furniture abroad. This option is best for those who cannot easily say goodbye to the furniture they are used to. Especially for people who are moving abroad for a longer period, this can be a good option. Possibly in combination with renting a temporary furniture package while waiting for your own furniture to arrive.

Advantages of shipping your furniture

• You have your own familiar furniture: moving abroad can be a big step. It can take a while to get used to your new environment and culture. In some cases, having your own furniture can help you feel at home more quickly.

Disadvantages of shipping your furniture

• Delays: due to Covid-19, online shopping became more and more established in our society, which led to a huge increase in the demand for shipping. As a result, shipping became overloaded and caused serious delays. It also led to a shortage of shipping containers, which means it can now often take a long time for your furniture to arrive at your destination.
• Damage: during the entire moving process, your own furniture can get damaged. Because of all the different steps your household goes through, the chance of damage is naturally greater, especially if you are moving to new destinations on a regular basis. You can insure yourself thoroughly for this, but that of course brings an additional cost with it.
• More expensive : shipping furniture has become very expensive due to COVID pandemic and is becoming even more expensive every day.
• Mismatch : will your furniture fit in your new home? Often there is a mismatch and furniture that doesn’t fit into the new home will need to be stored which will generate extra costs.
• A lot of work: finally, shipping your household contents involves a lot of work. Everything has to be packed thoroughly and carefully in order to minimize the risk of damage. You also have to take care of the necessary administration, such as customs documents. These are things you can avoid with furniture rental.

The second option is renting your furniture abroad. A solution that is not yet fully integrated in our society. Unjustified perhaps, since the advantages are certainly there. Renting furniture is a particularly interesting option for people who move abroad frequently, such as expats, diplomats, and military personnel. Let us take a closer look at this option.

Advantages of renting furniture

• Flexible: a big advantage of furniture rental is its flexibility. Do you want furniture for a short or a long period? Do you want a complete furniture package, or do you want to choose from a wide range of different styles? Furniture rental companies like In-Lease will certainly find a way to provide you with a personalized solution.
• Less expensive: in addition, furniture can be rented for any budget. Thanks to our various rental formulas, we have a solution for every target group. For example, you can opt for a standard package, or you can choose to put together your own interior piece by piece. Both are often a cheaper option than transporting your own furniture abroad or purchasing new furniture.
• Fewer worries: another big advantage of renting furniture is that you have fewer worries. You don't have to pack your entire household and you don't have to find a way to ship it abroad. Your furniture will simply be delivered to you and installed (before your arrival, if you wish), and collected again afterwards.
• Sustainable: finally, renting furniture is a sustainable solution. You don't have to ship heavy pieces across the ocean, which reduces the impact on the environment. Moreover, you don't have to throw away or sell furniture after moving. They are simply rented out or sold again after a thorough makeover. This way, your ecological footprint remains limited.
• No long-term commitment: Ending your temporary stay sooner than expected? Or on the other hand deciding to stay longer than intended originally? At In-Lease we are willing to think with you for the best possible solution. Did you know you can even rent to keep furniture at In-Lease? Meet our BUY packages! 

Disadadvantages of renting furniture

• You have to miss you familiar furniture: moving abroad is, of course, not an easy decision. Missing home is a common consequence. Your own furniture could make you feel at home more quickly. But we have a broad furniture selection available for rental that suits any style and budget!

Seeing the advantages above, renting a complete interior might be a good idea in several situations; if you are moving abroad temporarily, renting furniture is recommended so you do not have to ship your own belongings. If the move is not permanent, renting your interior abroad will save you a lot of worries AND money since you do not have to deal with shipping fees. If you are not moving, there are still some situations in which renting furniture could be an interesting solution as well:

• You are selling a property and want to offer potential buyers the look of a fully furnished apartment. Or if you are planning to rent your apartment, you can choose to do so furnished.
• You have a second place to furnish, like a vacation home for example. You can rent to own furnishment for this place, which is more convenient than buying brand new furniture for the place. Discover our BUY packages for rent to keep furniture. Or maybe our long-term renting solutions could be convenient for you too?

Do you think, after reading this blog post, that furniture rental would be a good solution in your situation? In-Lease is happy to be your partner. Please contact us for more information.

Short & long term rental programs

Know that you can rent furniture for long term and short term. Long term rental is in most cases the best way to go, but when shipping furniture you might find yourself with another issue: waiting for your container with household goods to arrive. Where will you stay? We have a short term rental program in place so you can move into your permanent home  immediately. When you container arrives, we’ll collect the temporary furniture the same morning so you don’t have to go to a hotel or temp apartment.