Moving to the USA from the UK: What to Ship and What to Leave Behind
Moving to the USA from the UK starts with a practical question: which belongings should make the journey with you?
Your favourite furniture, family photographs and everyday essentials can help a new house feel like home. However, shipping everything is not always the best use of your budget. Some items are inexpensive to replace, some may not work in an American home, and others need special approval or cannot travel in a standard household shipment.
Reloux® helps individuals and families arrange international removals from the UK to the USA, with services that can include export packing, sea freight, customs documentation assistance, storage and delivery inside the new home. This guide explains how to choose what to send and how the moving service works.
What should you ship when moving to the USA?
Start with belongings you use, value and expect to keep. Compare their replacement cost in the USA with the additional cost of including them in your shipment. Consider sentimental value, condition and whether each item will fit your new property.
Item | Suggested approach | What to check |
Good-quality sofas, tables and chairs | Consider shipping | Room dimensions, delivery access and condition |
Beds and mattresses | Consider shipping | Available space and differences between UK and US mattress and bedding sizes |
Clothing, books and household linen | Usually worth considering | What you actually use and the climate at your destination |
Crockery and kitchenware | Ship selected items | Packing needs and replacement cost |
Family photographs and keepsakes | Prioritise meaningful items | Carry irreplaceable originals with you where practical |
Artwork and mirrors | Discuss during the survey | Fragility, valuation and whether a crate is needed |
Computers and other electronics | Check before deciding | Voltage, frequency, battery and packing requirements |
Garden furniture, bicycles and tools | Assess individually | Thorough cleaning, soil removal and any fuel or batteries |
Low-value, worn or unwanted furniture | Often better to sell, donate or recycle | Shipping cost compared with usefulness and replacement cost |
This table is a planning guide, not automatic approval to ship. Tell your moving coordinator about unusual materials, batteries or specialist items before your quotation is finalised.
Is it worth shipping furniture from the UK to the USA?
Furniture can be worth shipping when it is well made, comfortable, valuable or difficult to replace. A solid dining table or a sofa you plan to keep for years may be a better candidate than an inexpensive flat-pack unit that has already been dismantled several times.
Measure large pieces before making your decision. Check the destination property's doorways, stairs, lifts and room layout where possible. A piece fitting inside a shipping container does not mean it will fit through your new front door.
For an uncertain item, ask for a quotation with and without it. This gives you a clearer comparison than guessing whether its size will make a significant difference to the overall move cost.
Should you take UK electrical appliances to America?
Check each appliance's rating label and manufacturer guidance before packing it. Standard US domestic outlets generally supply 120V at 60Hz, whereas UK appliances are commonly designed for 230V at 50Hz.
Some laptop and phone chargers support a range such as 100–240V, 50/60Hz. Other appliances do not. A plug adaptor changes the plug connection; it does not convert voltage or frequency.
For kettles, hairdryers, washing machines and other large or high-power appliances, compare compatibility, installation requirements and local replacement costs before shipping. Do not assume a transformer makes every appliance suitable. Check televisions for regional compatibility, and declare any batteries in electronics to your mover.
What should you leave out of your household shipment?
There is a difference between an item being prohibited by US authorities, restricted by a carrier, or simply unsuitable for ordinary removals. An item that customs might permit is not necessarily accepted on your booked service.
Food, plants and soil
As a practical starting point, plan to use up or give away food before moving and leave plants, seeds and soil out of the shipment unless specific permission has been confirmed.
US agricultural restrictions depend on the product and its origin. Meat, fresh produce, plants and some animal or plant products can be prohibited or require additional checks. Factory-sealed packaging does not automatically make an item admissible. Soil imports are tightly controlled.
Clean bicycles, garden furniture, boots and outdoor equipment thoroughly, including wheels, undersides and crevices. Ask about any item that may contain soil, insects or plant material.
Flammable products and other dangerous goods
Do not pack petrol, gas cylinders, fireworks, paints, solvents, aerosols or similar hazardous products into ordinary removal boxes. Perfumes, nail products and some cleaning liquids also need checking because of their composition.
Tell Reloux about power banks, loose lithium batteries, battery-powered tools, e-bikes and scooters before packing. Acceptance depends on the battery, equipment and transport service. Do not hide these items inside furniture or boxes; request specific instructions for each one.
Alcohol, tobacco and specialist items
Check wine collections, spirits and tobacco before including them. Federal rules, destination-state requirements, taxes and carrier acceptance may all affect whether and how they can travel. Passenger baggage allowances should not be assumed to apply to an unaccompanied household shipment.
Firearms, ammunition, vehicles and items made from protected wildlife materials require separate assessment. Flag antiques or musical instruments containing ivory, exotic skins or other regulated materials during the survey.
What should travel with you instead?
Keep the items you need during travel and your first weeks in the USA separate from the removal shipment:
Passports, immigration documents and travel paperwork.
Essential medication, subject to US entry and airline requirements.
Jewellery, cash and important original documents.
Keys, everyday clothing and basic toiletries permitted in your baggage.
Work essentials and the devices you need immediately.
Children’s comfort items and essential family supplies.
Make a clearly marked “travelling with us” area before the packing crew arrives. Your sea shipment may arrive well after you do, so avoid packing anything you cannot manage without during that period.
How do removals from the UK to the USA work?
1. Survey and quotation
A video survey or suitable assessment helps establish the volume of goods, access, packing requirements and destination details. Show the surveyor cupboards, loft contents, outdoor items and anything needing specialist handling.
Your quotation should explain the agreed services and exclusions. Check how customs examinations, storage, difficult access, shuttle vehicles and additional delivery work would be charged if required.
2. Choose your shipping service
Service | When it may suit you | Planning consideration |
Shared container shipping, or groupage | Smaller household moves and selected furniture | Your goods share container space; consolidation and delivery schedules require flexibility |
Dedicated container | Larger moves or customers wanting sole use of a container | Sailing schedules, customs and final delivery still affect timing |
Air freight | A small, time-sensitive shipment | Usually more expensive per unit of volume or weight, with specific cargo restrictions |
Ask for an estimated door-to-door timeframe, rather than relying only on the vessel's sailing time. Packing, consolidation, customs release and delivery scheduling all form part of the overall move.
3. Export packing and inventory
Professional export packing helps protect furniture and fragile belongings during handling and transport. Items are recorded on an inventory to support shipment identification and customs processing.
Confirm packing arrangements before sealing any boxes yourself. Acceptance of owner-packed goods depends on the booked service, and liability or protection terms may differ. Show the crew fragile, valuable and previously damaged items before packing begins.
4. Customs documentation
The paperwork requested will depend on your circumstances. It commonly includes a passport copy, relevant immigration documentation, a packing inventory, CBP Form 3299, and any authorisation required by the appointed clearance agent.
Qualifying household effects used abroad for at least one year may be eligible for duty-free entry, subject to the applicable conditions. Do not assume every item qualifies: recently purchased goods, personal effects and restricted articles may be treated differently. Declare new purchases accurately and keep receipts where available.
Reloux can help coordinate the paperwork, but US authorities determine admissibility and any inspection requirements.
5. Delivery and settling in
Confirm what the destination service includes: delivery inside the residence, furniture placement, agreed reassembly, unpacking and removal of packing materials. Full box unpacking and specialist installation should be agreed in advance.
If your new home will not be ready, discuss storage before the shipment departs. Provide access information early, including stairs, lift bookings, parking restrictions and whether a large delivery vehicle can reach the property.
What affects the cost of moving to the USA?
The main factors include shipment volume, collection and delivery addresses, packing requirements, shipping method, access and any storage or specialist handling.
Decluttering before your survey helps create a more accurate quotation. Tell your coordinator if the inventory changes afterwards, particularly when adding large furniture or extra boxes.
Compare quotations against the same list of goods and services. Check destination charges, protection options and exclusions so you understand the likely overall cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to the USA from the UK
Can I ship a few boxes and some furniture to the USA?
Yes. Shared container shipping, also called groupage, allows your belongings to travel alongside other customers’ shipments. It can suit smaller moves that do not require a dedicated container.
Reloux can assess your boxes and furniture, explain any minimum charges and provide a quotation based on the volume, packing requirements and destination. Groupage requires flexibility because departure and delivery arrangements depend on consolidation and routing.
Is it worth shipping furniture from the UK to the USA?
It can be worth shipping good-quality furniture that you use regularly, want to keep or would find expensive to replace. Solid wood furniture, comfortable sofas and meaningful family pieces may justify the shipping cost.
For inexpensive or worn furniture, compare the additional shipping cost with buying a replacement in the USA. Also check room dimensions and delivery access. If you are undecided about a large item, ask Reloux to quote with and without it.
What should I leave out of my shipment to the USA?
Keep passports, immigration documents, cash, jewellery, essential medication and anything needed immediately after arrival with you.
Do not put fuel, gas cylinders, fireworks, paints, solvents or other dangerous goods into ordinary removal boxes. Food, plants, seeds, alcohol and battery-powered equipment need checking before inclusion. Some items face US import restrictions, while others may be excluded by the shipping service. Tell Reloux about these items before packing so their suitability can be assessed.
Can I ship newly purchased furniture to the USA?
New furniture may be shipped if it meets the applicable import and transport requirements, but it should not automatically be treated as duty-free used household goods.
Qualifying household effects used abroad for at least one year may be eligible for duty-free entry under US customs rules. Recently purchased items may be treated differently. Tell Reloux about new purchases and retain invoices showing their descriptions, purchase dates and values so the clearance agent can assess the requirements.
Can I pack my own boxes for a move to the USA?
For Reloux’s USA groupage service, owner-packed boxes are not accepted. Professional packing allows the crew to check the contents, prepare the inventory and pack items appropriately for international transport.
You can prepare by sorting your belongings, removing unwanted items and keeping travel essentials separate. If you already have packed boxes, tell Reloux before collection so inspection and repacking can be planned.
Can I take UK electrical appliances to America?
Some appliances are suitable, but you should check each item before shipping. Standard US domestic outlets generally supply 120V at 60Hz, while UK appliances commonly use 230V at 50Hz.
Equipment labelled 100–240V, 50/60Hz may be compatible with an appropriate plug or lead, subject to the manufacturer’s instructions. A plug adaptor alone does not convert voltage or frequency. For large appliances and high-power items, compare compatibility, installation requirements and replacement costs before deciding.
Can I include food, tea or coffee in my removal boxes?
Do not include food or drinks without checking with Reloux first. US entry requirements depend on the product, ingredients and country of origin, and the shipping service may have additional exclusions.
Tea, coffee and other packaged products should not be assumed acceptable simply because they are sealed. Provide an exact list before packing. Using up or giving away pantry contents before moving is often the simplest approach.
What documents do I need to ship household goods to the USA?
Commonly requested documents include a passport copy, relevant visa or immigration documentation, a detailed packing inventory, CBP Form 3299 and any authorisation required by the appointed customs clearance agent.
The exact requirements depend on your circumstances and shipment. Reloux helps coordinate the paperwork, while the clearance agent advises on the information needed. Keep your travel and arrival details available, and declare new or restricted items accurately.
How long will my UK-to-USA removal take?
The overall timeframe depends on the shipping service, departure schedule, destination, customs clearance and final delivery arrangements.
For groupage, allow time for consolidation as well as the sea crossing. A dedicated container avoids waiting to share container space, but sailing schedules and customs still affect delivery. Ask for an estimated door-to-door timeframe, and keep enough essentials with you to manage until your shipment arrives.
What happens if my American home is not ready for delivery?
Storage can be arranged as part of your moving plan. Depending on the shipment and schedule, this may involve storing your belongings in the UK before shipping or arranging storage at the destination.
Tell Reloux as early as possible if you are waiting for a property purchase, tenancy or renovation. Confirm storage charges, handling costs, protection arrangements and the notice required to organise delivery.
Plan your UK-to-USA move with Reloux®
Whether you are moving selected belongings or a full household, Reloux can help you assess the shipment, discuss packing and transport options, and coordinate your move to the USA.
Contact Reloux to arrange a video survey and request a personalised quotation for removals from the UK to the USA. Have your collection postcode, destination city, preferred dates and initial inventory ready so we can discuss the right service for your plans.
Official guidance and further reading
Rules and service acceptance can change. Check the requirements for your specific goods before packing; this article is general planning guidance.
