Homat, Furniture rental is an affordable and flexible furnishing solution for your home.
Expatriation is an exciting adventure that opens the door to new professional and personal opportunities. However, it also comes with many logistical challenges. Among them, one major question often arises: what should you do with your furniture when leaving your home for an extended period?
Understanding the issues related to furniture during an expatriation
The decision about what to do with your furniture largely depends on the length of your expatriation. If you are leaving for just a few months, keeping your furniture through a temporary solution such as storage may be more relevant. On the other hand, for a long-term departure, options such as selling, donating, or renting become more practical.
Options also vary depending on your budgetary and logistical constraints. Storage costs can be high, especially for bulky furniture. Shipping your furniture abroad also involves significant expenses. In some cases, buying or renting new furniture locally may be a more economical alternative.
Some pieces may hold great sentimental value. This value will influence your decision. You’ll need to decide whether to keep these items by storing or transporting them, or instead opt for solutions such as selling, renting, or lending them.
Solutions for managing your furniture before leaving
It’s important to decide in advance what you will do with your furniture. There are many options: keeping it, storing it, taking it with you, selling it, renting it, or lending it.
Storing your furniture in your home country
Storage is a popular option, especially for short-term expatriations. Available choices include professional storage facilities, specialized warehouses, or renting a private storage unit. This option is ideal for protecting furniture with sentimental or material value, but it can lead to high monthly costs and limited access when needed.
Selling your furniture before departure
Selling is an economical and practical way to reduce the volume to manage. You can use online classifieds such as LeBonCoin, Facebook Marketplace, or take part in garage sales and flea markets. This approach generates extra funds while simplifying your transition. However, it involves a loss of value and requires time and effort to organize the sales.
Donating or recycling your furniture
For a socially responsible and eco-friendly option, consider donating or recycling your furniture. You can give items to charities, friends, or family. If your furniture is no longer usable, recycling through waste collection centers or recovery programs is a responsible choice. This approach helps reduce your environmental footprint while supporting those in need, but it often requires parting with your furniture quickly.
Shipping your furniture abroad
For expatriates wanting to recreate a familiar environment abroad, shipping is an option to consider. However, the environmental impact of such a choice is significant. Maritime transport, while often cheaper than air freight, relies on container ships powered by fossil fuels, causing major ocean pollution and considerable CO₂ emissions. Alternatives such as shared freight or buying furniture locally may be more sustainable solutions to consider.
What if you rented your furniture with Homat?
Worried about leaving your furniture in your home country or getting rid of it, but unsure if you’ll find what you need in your host country? Furniture rental is an innovative and practical alternative for expatriates. Homat offers a turnkey solution that includes delivery, installation, and furniture pick-up. This service is designed to meet the needs of expatriates.
This solution offers flexibility to match the length of your stay, savings on purchase or shipping costs, and ease of use.
Homat stands out for its expertise with expatriates, its wide range of furniture and appliances to suit all styles, and its tailored services available throughout France. By choosing Homat, you opt for a complete, hassle-free solution.