Category Archives: News

It’s been a long-raging debate, from university halls to places of work around the country, but we think we may have solved it. The UK – on average – refers to the third meal of the day as ‘tea’.

If you’re currently settling down to tuck into your dinner or supper, don’t recoil in horror, dinner is still a widely used term too.

• 52% of the UK said they predominantly called their evening meal ‘tea’
• 37% said they called it ‘dinner’
• 5% said they called it ‘supper’
• And an indecisive 6% said they used the three terms interchangeably, depending on what they were going to eat

Four lads about to tuck into their tea? (credit)

North vs South
Perhaps predictably, there was a fairly obvious north-south split between people who eat dinner and people who eat tea. (we’ll get to people who eat ‘supper’ in a moment).

Newcastle had the highest percentages of tea-eaters. 92% said that’s what they called their evening meal. Manchester, all of Yorkshire, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Belfast all favoured calling it tea in varying amounts.

The only major northern city not to favour ‘tea’ is Edinburgh, where 64% call it dinner and 11% call it supper.

Down south terminology is more variable. Brighton boasts the most dinner eaters. 70% call their evening meal dinner. London and Bristol, the South East and much of the South West also favour dinner. Cardiff had the largest proportion of tea eaters in the south of the UK, with 78%.

Outliers and key battlegrounds
There were a number of places dotted around the UK where use of tea and dinner were fairly evenly split. There were also areas that didn’t match the north-south trends, such as Edinburgh (mainly dinner), London (mainly tea) and York (mainly dinner)..

Manchester was the most obvious terminology battleground. 46% favoured calling it tea, while 44% called it dinner. London, Glasgow and Norwich also had a relatively even distribution of people favouring tea or dinner.

Is Manchester the UK’s linguistic battleground?

Interchangeable terms
Of those who said they used different terms*** depending on the food being served or the time it was eaten, most said that tea referred to a light late afternoon meal, dinner was a larger meal and supper was either an informal or casual hot meal served later in the evening, or a light snack eaten after dinner.

Leeds had the highest degree of variability between terms. 21% of residents said they used different names for their evening meal depending on what they were having.

What about Supper?

Although very few people use the term, it was almost as contentious as dinner vs tea. Down south, supper is what you might call an informal evening meal if dinner is typically formal, with guests and multiple courses. Up north, it’s more commonly used to refer to a snack before bedtime. Examples given in our study were toast, tea (the drink), digestive biscuits, cereal or a sandwich.

The Last Supper (credit) probably didn’t consist of toast or hot chocolate (northerners) or a light hot meal served informally, typically in the kitchen and with no more than six guests (southerners)

Supper was not meaningfully represented in any major cities other than London, where just 5% of residents use it predominantly to describe their evening meal. The same percentage said they use the three terms interchangeably.

Supper is a significantly more popular term in the south. At least 10% of people living in Essex, Gloucestershire, East Anglia, South Wales, Oxfordshire, Devon and East Sussex say supper instead of dinner or tea. Edinburgh was the only place outside of the south of England that did the same.

Regan McMillan, director of Kiwi Movers, believes the spread of usage says a lot about the UK’s ever-evolving demographics.

“We move people into and out London all year round, so we always notice interesting variations in words and terms people use. For example, the name for a bread roll seems to vary with every person you speak to – be it barm, cob or batch – but the most obvious and contentious one has always been what we call our evening meal.

“A Londoner may ask if we’ll be finished before dinner, while someone from Yorkshire will likely ask if we’ll be finished before tea.

“But it’s a myth that this is purely a north-south trend. It’s actually fairly mixed. We’ve certainly noticed people from certain parts of the north saying ‘dinner’ and even ‘supper’ and the same can be said for places down south and in London saying ‘tea.’

“Our research suggests the presence of large or multiple universities and the types of industries in certain areas may influence the choice of language people use.

“For example, Leeds and Manchester are both in the middle of ‘tea’ country, but less than two thirds of residents in Leeds and less than half in Manchester favour that term. When you look at the demography of these places, Manchester with their large media industry and Leeds with its financial services industry, it’s easy to see how local language and idioms are coloured by internal migration.”

Evening Meal Names Across the UK’s Large Cities

About the study

*We polled 3,000 UK adults between the dates of January 31st and March 3rd.

**We also analysed social media posts across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, to determine the frequency of different terminology used across the UK.

***We asked those who used terms interchangeably to describe their usage habits in a free text field. We then collated the results. 182 in total said they used interchangeable terms and 24 of those went on to describe their usage.

As we go into spring, we know there’s a renewed seasonal challenge for furniture retailers out there.

Securing, delivering and storing your valuable stock can often seem like one of those practical dilemmas that demand costly business time. If you’re anything like our previous clients, then perhaps you’ve had to rely on staff to take responsibility for packaging. Or you’ve been lifting and delivering heavy-set items yourself, outside normal business hours.

It’s not a good use of resources. So it’s our job to help make this process simpler. We have a three-tiered approach to storing furniture stock: from protecting your items, to bespoke delivery services, and offering a variety of storage options across London.

Secure packaging

If you’re looking to store your furniture in preparation for a new season, or just want to free up some space, the first step is secure packaging.

Our expert delivery team specialise in heavy-set items like furniture – taking end-to-end responsibility for ensuring its security and protection. As part of our service, we can visit your premises, pack your furniture quickly and safely, and have it shipped to a convenient location that suits you. We’ll even clean up any mess that’s left behind.

It’s as simple as that.

Storage in London

We know it’s important to keep your stock fairly nearby. That’s why we offer a variety of storage facilities – including containers – across London:

• Chiswick
• Kingston
• Richmond
• Teddington
• Twickenham

Our secure CCTV-monitored containers are ideal for storing large, heavy items like furniture.

They’re are also available 24/7, so you can visit whenever you need to.

As part of our service, we also different options available for short-term and long-term solutions. There is no minimum stay – so you have complete flexibility – and there are discounts for longer stays too.

Expert delivery

We’ll put our cards on the table here and bet you’ve got better things to do than carry furniture around town. It’s not just time and energy consuming, but it’s potentially risky if you’re dealing with high-value items.

Our team can arrange to pick-up and deliver your stock at a time and place that suits you – including non-business hours. Unlike bigger, international companies, we have the advantage of offering a local bespoke service that can be tailored to you. But don’t worry. We can still ship your items internationally, if necessary.

Need more information?

If you want to learn more about our storage in London, or Kiwi Movers’ delivery service, please contact our team directly for a free quote.

Ping pong tables, picnic chairs and quirky office designs may look good in pictures, but they do little to make employees happier, according to a poll of UK employees. Perhaps that’s why we’ve seen an increase in non-essential office furniture being put into our various storage units around London.

86% of UK employees surveyed said fun office features are of no value to them. 25% find certain features annoying.

Table football in an office

Recreational equipment such as foosball, arcade games and ping pong tables had the worst impact on employee satisfaction, with 25% of those working in places where these were available saying they found them ‘annoying’.

61% say they don’t mind having recreational equipment in the office, but they don’t use it. Only 14% say they value having recreational options in the office.

On the whole, free coffee and good quality chairs are fine, ball pit meeting rooms and hammocks are not.

Liverpool’s coolest office? Angel Solutions. Pic courtesy of Liverpool Echo.

Our research found that environmental perks were rarely taken advantage of while simple lifestyle perks were appreciated on the whole. 

*when available, if not available daily.

Most Bizarre Pointless Office Features

Among the unusual office features listed by employees as being ‘not of value’ were;

“Hay bales for sitting on instead of chairs”

“Fake grass in meeting rooms”

“Deck chairs”

“An indoor picnic table with a parasol”

“Motivational quotes on walls”

“Music themed meeting rooms with song lyrics on the wall”

“A throne in reception that nobody wants to sit on”

“Beach huts”

Occupational health expert, Sir Cary Cooper CBE, professor of organisational psychology & health at the ALLIANCE Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, believes some companies are missing the point when it comes to offering office perks.

“Businesses often confuse perks with culture. Providing recreational spaces and a fun environment are not the same as establishing a positive culture that makes employees happy, improves retention rates and increases output. There’s a growing trend for businesses to promote their superficial perks, such as welcome packs, free breakfast and ‘fun’ office spaces as if it’s a sign of a positive culture, but it really isn’t. Cool furniture is nothing more than a nice-to-have bonus and businesses should be wary of focusing on it at the expense of genuine culture.

“Anyone can order a few hammocks and beanbags from Amazon, but it takes years of hard work, research and commitment to values to establish a meaningful workplace culture.”

The Kiwi Movers team were prompted to conduct the study after noticing an increase in companies moving non-essential items into storage

“We’re in an out of offices around London and the UK every week, so we see a lot of different styles. There are some genuinely cool offices that are well designed and thought through, but others appear to be more haphazard and self-conscious.
Over the past 12 months we’ve certainly noticed a rise in businesses putting non-essential furniture into storage, even when moving to larger premises, which prompted us to look deeper.”

So, you’re moving in with your boyfriend. Or maybe your girlfriend. Okay fine, you’re right – that’s not very modern. Let’s call them your partner for now (how grown up!).

Anyway, it’s an exciting time for you both. There’s just a few things to keep in mind first and foremost.

Apps are your best friend

We’ve had a good rant before about what types of apps are helpful around the house. But for the sake of our non-regular readers, here are some of our favourites:

• Splitwise – it means you can split your bills and know exactly who’s paid what. There’s even a running tally at the end of every month, so you don’t need to remind each other.
• Chorma – love the feeling of delegating household tasks to your partner? I’m sure they do too. Anyway, Chorma lets you share chores and see what’s been done around the house. Without the passive-aggressive fridge notes.
• Sidechef – if you’re moving in together, then you’ll probably need to up your cooking game. Sidechef gives you recipes, steps to follow, and lots of helpful photos/tutorials to help you make the perfect dish.

Play the keep/donate/destroy game

This is something that applies to all of us.

Before moving house, or getting a new flatmate, it’s always a good idea to evaluate your stuff and see what’s important to you – and what might be better off elsewhere. There’s a good chance your lovely new partner already has two can openers. Or one of those snazzy spiralisers. So save yourself the hassle and donate/destroy all those unwanted extras.

Classic example of eclectic kitchen gadgets that can probably be left behind.

Feeling sentimental? That’s cool. We have a storage service that lets you keep those treasured possessions nice and safe.

Your credit rating

Okay, so it’s not the most romantic of topics. But if you’re going to share a current account, or take out a credit card together, then there’s a few things to keep in mind.

If he doesn’t keep up with his payments (or goes into his overdraft), then it could have a negative impact on your credit rating. Which could then make it harder for you to get a loan or mortgage in the future.

Of course, the same applies to you too. So it’s a good idea to chat about your expenses first and make sure there’ll be no hidden surprises down the line.

IKEA trips

We all pretend it’s about finding BILLY bookcases and becoming a heightened, more organised version of your old roommate self.

Let’s be honest, though. It’s all about meatballs. And cheese sauce. And that strangely exotic cold chocolate cake.

So embrace it – don’t give yourself too much to do – and have fun.

Over to you
Got any tips about moving in with a new partner? Any pearls of wisdom for the rest of us? We’d love to hear from you on Twitter.

Storage solutions aren’t just the remit of crafty Scandinavians and top men. We know there are times when you need a helping hand keeping your stuff safe – whether you’re going on holiday, moving somewhere new, or just trying to clear some space.

So, you’re in luck. We have all the know-how and pop-cultural references when it comes to storage in London. All you need to do is decide which option suits you best.

Short term storage

You probably already know there are huge warehouses dedicated to storing people’s weird and wonderful possessions over long periods of time. But did you know you can do it for a weekend too?

We have self-storage facilities for just that. You can come and go as you please, 24/7, and rest assured your belongings are safe and secure (we monitor everything with CCTV). You don’t even need to travel far to find one close to you. We have places in Battersea, Chelsea, Fulham, Twickenham, Richmond, Wandsworth and West Molesey.

But don’t worry if you’re looking for something more long term. You can hire space at the above locations for an extended period of time too.

Image courtesy of legogenre.com. Dramatisation may not have happened. Not necessarily an accurate depiction of Kiwi Movers’ facilities and/or personnel.

Long term storage

If you have big items, like furniture, then you might prefer to choose something bigger – like a warehouse – for your storage. Choosing a location like this is particularly useful if you need a facility for a while (e.g. 1+ months), and you’re not fussed about accessing your things 24/7.

There’s no minimum stay and we can offer you discount rates for longer stays too.

All those nice little extras

Choosing the right place for your storage is one thing. But who’s going to help you pack? Who’s going to make sure your stuff arrives safe and remains in tip-top condition throughout its stay?

Look, there’s a Kiwi Mover right now!

If you need a helping hand, our lovely team offer the following services:

• We’ll pack and unpack your things
• We’ll deliver your furniture and heavy items (like bikes and boxes)
• We can ship them internationally
• We can also help you build and dismantle furniture or anything else causing you a headache

Storage in London

If you’re looking for some storage in London, share a few details with us and we’ll call you back with a quote. It’s super quick and simple.

January isn’t the easiest month when it comes to money. Chances are you’ve just received your Christmas credit card bill and your bank balance is looking drier than those cost-cutting homemade sandwiches you’ve been gnawing on for two weeks.

So isn’t it even crueler that now – in January of all months – that we punish ourselves even more by looking for a new home or a better savings account? On the face of it, yeah. But now is actually the most popular time to go on the hunt.

Whether you subscribe to ‘new year, new me’ – or just want to regain some sense of financial control – there’s no reason why saving for a house deposit needs to be a headache. The first place to start is finding the right account. Then once you’ve got it opened, you can start the hard work after that.

Preferably next month.

How to compare savings rates

The first thing on everyone’s mind when it comes to saving is getting the best rate. Well, unfortunately, this economic climate has put interest rates at rock bottom. And there isn’t much evidence to suggest it’s going to change soon.

Anyway, on a more positive note, you can choose from plenty of digital tools to help you compare rates. The most popular websites include moneysupermarket.com, moneysavingexpert.com, and comparethemarket.com.

Instant access vs. fixed rate

When you’re choosing the right savings account, you’ll always be given two options: instant access or fixed rate.

It’s a bit confusing, really, because you’re actually comparing two different things:

• Instant access means you can make withdrawals and deposits to your account 24/7, without getting a penalty (usually a reduction in your interest rate). The main downside, however, is that you’ll generally ‘pay’ for this flexibility with a lower overall interest rate compared to a fixed rate account.
• Fixed rate means you’ll receive (you guessed it!) a fixed rate for a specific amount of time. It’s usually between 1-3 years and after that you’ll revert to an instant access account or a variable interest rate.

So whichever one you choose depends on what matters most to you:

• Getting 24/7 access to your savings, but with a potentially lower interest rate (Instant Access)
• Getting a higher interest rate, but you can’t access your money for a set period (Fixed Rate)

Manage your savings on the go

Another thing to keep in mind is how you want to manage your account. Some people find online banking is a good way to manage their progress and make sure they reach your goal. Others might find it’s too convenient and tempting to make withdrawals, so they’d prefer the old school method.

Here’s the different options you’ll likely be given:

• Online/mobile banking – good for 24/7 access and doing things DIY-style, bad if you need to speak to someone directly
• Telephone banking – good for getting 1-2-1 support, bad because of charges and limited opening hours
• In branch – good for speaking to someone directly, good because of closures and limited opening hours
• Post Office – good because they’re convenient, bad for doing anything more than making deposits/withdrawals

All you need to do is decide how vigilant how you want to be about saving.

Saving for a house deposit

Do you have any tips about how to save in the New Year? You know what to do. Share your thoughts with us on Twitter.

Fancy making a big change this year? You’re not the only one. January is one of the most popular months to start job hunting. And, inevitably, moving to London – with all its infinite possibilities – feels like the top of everyone’s list at least one point in their lives.

If you think 2017 is finally the year for you, then you’re in luck. There’s so much incredible stuff happening in London this year. And making the move might not be as hard as you think.

But if you’re still unsure – or need a gentle push – here are a few reasons to move to London this year.

1. World ParaAthletics Championships

In 2017, the World Para Athletics Championships (14 – 23 July) and the IAAF World Championships  (4 – 13 August) will be hosted right here in London.

They’re the biggest sporting events to happen in London since the 2012 Olympics – and will bring in thousands of athletes and fans from across the world in the coming months. We don’t need tell you, but we’ll say it anyway: this is going to be huge. If you work in events, sports or marketing, it could be worth looking into the job prospects that this event will generate.

2. The London Short Film Festival

It runs until 15 January, so there’s still time to catch this wonderful festival before you hear about it from someone else.

The LSFF attracts filmmakers and artists from across the world, eager to showcase their walk and hold talks with members of the public. It’s just one of the many cultural highlights in London this year. So if you miss it, don’t worry: there are more festivals on the horizon.

3. The Magical Lantern Festival

Speaking of more festivals, this is one you definitely don’t want to avoid.

The Magical Lantern Festival will be hosted at Chiswick House Gardens and – in conjunction with Chinese New Year – will represent the ancient trade links between Europe and Asia. You can watch an internationally-renowned life-size lantern show and enjoy incredible food. All for less than £20.

4. The dumplings at Chinese New Year

It’s the biggest celebration of Chinese New Year outside of Asia.

Flock to the West End and welcome the Year of the Rooster in this wonderful international celebration. There will be music, a parade, and some seriously good food for you to enjoy. We recommend the dumplings.

5. Learn about what Theresa May and the Romans had in common

On 3 March 2017, Mary Beard – Professor of Classics at Cambridge – will be lecturing at the British Museum on Women in power throughout the ages.

If you’re familiar with Beard’s work, expect lots of fascinating insights into the ancient world and what they can tell us about humanity – and politics – today.

Anyway, let’s be honest: the British Museum alone is a good enough reason to move to London.

Thinking about moving to London?

We’ve only given you five reasons. And we know, that you know, there’s more to it than that.

If you’d like more inspiration about what’s going on in London, have a look at Timeout online. There’s plenty of stuff on there. If you’d like some information about how to move to London – the nitty gritty details – read our blog. That’s got plenty of stuff too.

Have your own hints and tips? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter.

Does New Zealand Exist? Is Sydney the Capital of Australia? – What confuses visitors to Australia and New Zealand, according to Google…

As a firm specialising in shipping from London to New Zealand and Australia, we’re always interested in perceptions of different places, depending on where you are. Visitors to the nations we serve always appear somewhat confused about the laws, culture, weather, politics and (sometimes) the mere existence of the places they plan on seeing.

Researchers in 13 countries, including Malaysia, India, Germany and France collated the top autocomplete suggestions for queries about Australia and New Zealand, along with each country’s largest cities by population. The ‘searching’ countries were based on the countries from where most visitors to Australia and New Zealand come.

Each researcher typed “Does (place)…” into the search box and let Google’s autocomplete function work its magic.

See the full results for every country, city and place at the bottom of this article.

The most common searches for our major cities had little to do with culture or entertainment in Australia and New Zealand. They were almost exclusively focused on the availability of Uber and airport wifi.

Some nations are more interested in the ability to immigrate to our shores. India in particular is curious about the english language requirements of obtaining residency.

What do visitors want to know about New Zealand’s towns and places? Top autocomplete suggestions by country

Does New Zealand… celebrate Halloween?  – USA

Does Auckland… have Uber? – South Africa

Does Wellington…get snow? – USA & South Korea

Does Christchurch…have Uber? – New Zealand, Australia, and South Korea

Does Hamilton?…have dialogue? – South Africa and the U.K.

Does Dunedin…hospital have wifi? – USA, New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong

Does Tauranga…have an airport? – Australia and South Africa

What do visitors want to know Australia’s towns and places? Top autocomplete suggestions by country

Does Australia… have the death penalty?  – USA

Does Sydney… get snow?  – Canada and Singapore

Does Melbourne… get snow?  – Canada, South Africa, and India

Does Brisbane… airport have free wifi?  – Australia, USA, South Africa, and China

Does Perth… have a beach?  – South Africa and Singapore

Does Adelaide… have uber?  – Japan, Singapore, and the U.K.

Does the Gold Coast…have shark nets? – USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong

Does Ayers Rock…change color? – Australia and the U.K.

Does the Outback…where does the Australian Outback start? Hong Kong and South Korea

American are more interested in the culinary offerings of their down-under—themed steakhouse than the majesty of the Australian wilderness

the Weather in both New Zealand and Australia was a popular topic, as exemplified by this example from google Malaysia

The Chinese are worried they will arrive at Ayers rock after it’s closed. Looks open to us.

Regan McMillan, director of Kiwi Movers, believes the results reflect the different priorities of travellers around the world:

“As Kiwis located in London who come into contact with people from all over the world, it’s easy to assume everyone is clued up about life down under, but this research suggests otherwise.

“The fact that people need to check what currency Melbourne uses, whether we are part of Asia or if New Zealand is part of the EU shows that the life in Australia and New Zealand is not as well understood as we might have believed.”

Australia and New Zealand on each other

Other English-speaking nations on Australia and New Zealand

Asian countries on Australia and New Zealand

France and Germany on Australia and New Zealand

There’s a certain universal truth at this time of year. We all know someone – whether it’s a friend, colleague, or slightly eccentric loved one – who’s been giddy about Christmas markets since October 31.

You know them. And whilst their clawing excitement was easy to brush aside before, Christmas is fast approaching. It’s practically here already. So if you want to get the most from those outrageous hotdogs and naff woolly jumpers, now is your time to shine. Here are a few gems based right here in London.

Real Food Christmas Market

Where: Kings Cross Square, N1C 9AL
When: 14 – 23 December, 12.00 – 19.00
Social: @RealFoodFest

Looking to do something a bit special on your lunch break? The Real Food Christmas Market is a packed-full of festive artisan treats, mince pies, and spiced mulled wine (or hot coffee, if you prefer).

This little institution has been going for a while now, but it’s still one of the best ways to soak up the hustle and bustle of London during the busy festive season. It’s not just for commuters, either. The Real Food Christmas Market is great for picking up last-minute gifts.

What’s more, all this lovely stuff is provided by independent, local producers – so you know you’re doing a little good as munch on a German pastry.

Image courtesy of realfoodfestival.co.uk

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Where: Hyde Park. But you knew that anyway.
When: 18 November – 2 January, 10.00 – 22.00
Social: @WinterWonderLDN

It’s been 10 years since Hyde Park Winter Wonderland first opened its doors, and since then it’s been one of the most popular Christmas markets in London. There’s live music, an ice rink, and dozens of food stalls dotted around this festive hotspot. You can even visit Santa himself.

Word to the wise, though: it can get pretty busy here, so it’s a good idea to book ahead. There’s even a Winter Wonderland app.

Sutton House Christmas

Where: Sutton House, Hackney, E9 6JQ
When: Every weekend from 26 November – 18 December, 12.00-17.00
Social: @SuttonHouseNT

If the idea of visiting a big Christmas market – potentially filled hundreds of small children – doesn’t appeal too much, then Sutton House might just be up your street.

This charming 500-year old property will be bejeweled this season, offering something truly special for everyone. Promising an ‘alternative’ to other London Christmas markets, here you’ll find dozens of artists and entrepreneurs creating one-of-a-kind gifts and tasty treats. You’ll be hard pushed to find a more beautiful setting too.

Image courtesy of cityshowcasemarkets.com

Greenwich Market

Where: Greenwich Market, SE10 9HZ
When: Open until 24 December, 10.00 – 17.30
Social: @GreenwichMarketLDN

Ever visited a Christmas market within a World Heritage Site? Well, you’re in luck.

Greenwich Market is absolutely gorgeous at this time of year, and is a perfect way to get your fix of mulled cider, pulled pork sandwiches and do some boutique shopping. We here you can also pick up some nice presents here too.

London Christmas markets

Have we missed out something special? Share the festive cheer with us on Twitter.

One of the biggest advantages of living in a city like this is you’re never stuck for new and interesting date ideas. And that’s doubly true if you’re both Kiwis in London.

There’s plenty of restaurants and bars to keep any pangs of homesickness at bay. But what if you’re planning something a bit more romantic than a pint and game of rugby down the road?

We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves.

The New Zealand Cellar

Located in Pop Brixton, this award-winning wine retailer and bar is one of the best places in town to enjoy New Zealand’s finest.

Not only is this a stylish venue, the team are experts in New Zealand wine – so they’ll be more than happy to help you pick the perfect tipple for your date.

Want something extra special?

Check out their upcoming events – we’ve got a feeling you might be interested in their exclusive wine tasting classes.

Sacred Cafe

If you’d rather keep things a bit more low key, check out Sacred Cafe.

This was one of the first places to bring Kiwi-inspired gourmet coffee to London – and it’s perfect for grabbing a lazy cup and enjoying a slice of lolly cake.

Image courtesy of sacredcafe.co.uk

Sacred Cafe also doubles-up as a bar and restaurant in the evening. And take it from us. You’d be kicking yourselves all night if you didn’t try one of their legendary espresso martinis.

Geffrye Museum

Okay, so there’s nothing about New Zealand to be found at the charming Geffrye Museum. But if you want to absorb yourselves in the history of London – who doesn’t? – and wander around their little gardens, this is definitely the place for you.

The Geffrye Museum is made up of beautiful homes and outdoor spaces that have been around since the 16th century.

If you’re extra lucky, you could plan to visit this museum when it’s restored almshouse is specially open. It’s a quaint and romantic way to see what London life used to be like hundreds of years ago. There’s also a nice coffee shop around the corner.

The Castle Climbing Centre

Fancy putting your new date to the test?

It’s already pretty well established Kiwis are an active bunch. Let’s be honest, we wouldn’t be offering to move people’s homes for them if it wasn’t true. So there’s better than digging out your lycra, chalk and heading to a good bouldering centre.

The Castle Climbing Centre (you heard right) is exactly what you’d imagine it to be – and you can take advantage of these adrenaline-pumping heights and scenic surroundings on your date.

We suggest booking a class together and finding out exactly what one another are made from.

Date ideas for Kiwis in London

Are you an expat living in London? Do you have any recommendations for Kiwi-inspired dates in the city?

Share your thoughts with us on Twitter.

The go-team team for removals in London

Over the past few years Kiwi has developed a great partnership with a variety of Personal Assistants and Concierge’s in London and none more so than the lovely Polly Hadden-Paton (You Need a PA) and Vicky Silverthorn (You Need a Vicky) who received a great write up in the Evening Standard Magazine.

We’ve assisted Polly and Vicky with a number of their clients moves in the last year and we are very proud to keep building our successful partnership. We greatly appreciate being listed as their go to team for removals in London. You can read their testimonial in the cutting from the ES Magazine below.

Our website has experienced a 53% increase in traffic from America over the past few days, which got us wondering if the American election result is driving interest in people moving to the UK.

So we analysed Google search data using Google Trends to see what other things Americans have been searching for since Trump became President-elect.

The graphs tell their own story.

November 9th – The day after the election result

A huge spike in Americans making searches about moving to England.

…and Scotland

…and the UK in general

Here are the results Americans will have seen when Googling ‘move to the UK’

Which explains this…

Then we noticed this. A huge spike in Americans trying to find out who the UK ‘president’ is.

And this is what Google would have told them…

Which explains this spike on November 10th…

So by day two of President Trump, Americans are digging deeper into what life might be like in the UK.

Which explains this…

And this…

And sadly this…

Regan McMillan, director of Kiwi Movers believes Americans seriously considering a move to the UK should take a breath before committing:

“We’ve experienced a 50% increase in traffic to our removals and shipping pages from America in the days after the election, compared to the same period last week.

“Most of our enquiries come from UK residents looking to ship to America, so this spike is interesting.

“Our advice to any Americans seriously considering a move to the UK is simple. Do your research and take your time.

“If you’ve got pets, get their vaccinations up to date now. If you’ve got kids, remember UK school term times are different to yours.

“If you’re bringing lots of stuff, shipping it in advance is cheaper than air freight. But most important of all, don’t forget about Brexit. Things could change here very quickly.”

If you’ve ever wondered what people overseas think about the UK, wonder no more. We’ve crunched the data and can reveal PRECISELY what people from all over the world want to know before they move to or visit the UK.

A team of researchers based in 13 countries collated the local Google autocomplete suggestions for search terms relating to Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the popular tourist and residential locations over here.

The results are fascinating, hilarious and at times, a little worrying.

For example, why are people in Poland so concerned with the safety of our largest cities?

And why do South Africans need to know whether the UK has a death penalty?

Many of the queries were related to the standard of living over here. The weather, the shops and of course, weather the Lake District has wifi are all legitimate concerns for a savvy traveller looking to visit or relocate to the UK.

Here are our favourites. Head to the bottom of the page for the full results.

Moving to London from New Zealand

Here’s what Americans want to know about Bath.

Germans don’t know what Yorkshire is…

The most searched query about Birmingham from people in the UK…
Optimistic Kiwis want to know if they can get into Cambridge. We’ve all wondered about this one, actually.

South Africa’s top questions about Edinburgh

Yes, it has pandas and a Primark. In fact, Scotland used to have more pandas than Conservative MPs, thanks to Edinburgh Zoo.

Yes Spain, Glasgow is safe.
Kiwis on the Lake District…

Yes, Kiwis. It has wifi. It also has stunning scenery, great food and no snakes.

That’s the spirit, Poland.

And here’s a map of the British Isles, according to Google searches performed overseas.

Top queries – English speaking queries

Top queries – Non-English speaking countries

We’ve left blanks where there was no autocomplete suggestion.

A note on methodology

We had researchers in each of the ‘searching’ countries, using their local version of Google. For non-English speaking countries, we used the local language to perform the search. In some cases, we had to modify the format of the question to replicate a realistic search. For example, the English translation of the German searches was ‘Has England…’ rather than ‘does England’.

We selected the counties from which the most visitors to the UK come, plus the largest English-speaking countries outside of Great Britain.

We conducted our analysis between October 19th and November 7th.

Each researcher used the same browser (Google Chrome) on a laptop or desktop computer.

Google autocomplete offers a suggestion based on the most popular search terms made in the user’s locality. These suggestions do change and can be influenced by device, but the suggestions Google makes are a very strong indicator of what other users have searched for.

Cosyness. Comfort. Sense of well-being. There’s lots of different ways to understand hygge – the Danish practice of creating little moments, whether it’s just a coffee or having friends over for a dinner, feel relaxed and content.

(In case you were wondering, we have it under expert authority it’s pronounced hue-guh )

But the truth is that this isn’t just a Danish idea. The Swedish call it mysigt – coupled in with the Norwegians who also have their own version of hygge, koseligt.

Regardless of who came up with the idea first, we’re pretty sure our Scandinavian neighbours know a thing or two about making winter a little more enjoyable. After all, Denmark have fewer daylight hours in winter and yet they still rank amongst the happiest people in the world.

So if you’re feeling the hygge craze like us, here’s how to deliver some into your own home.

Be mindful

Sure, a big part of enjoying hygge (as you’ll soon see) is creating a lovely and warm atmosphere for your friends and family to enjoy. But at its most basic level this wonderfully Scandinavian concept is about being in the moment. If you’ve just moved to London from warmer climes like New Zealand or Australia, it may take a bit of mental adjustment to live in the moment when that moment is freezing cold and bleak, but it’s important.

Putting aside your stresses of the day – and making sure the topic of conversation is welcome for everyone – goes a long way. As does avoiding the temptation to moan about your bad day in the office.

Instead, hygge is all about enjoying the right here and now.

We’re not saying this is always easy. Being mindful is a skill in itself. We also have the sneaking suspicion that the shorter-than-average Danish working day might give them an unfair advantage over us.

Creating a comfortable setting

If you’ve heard about hygge before, then you probably know that everyone seems to be preoccupied with candles and mood lighting.

Bear with us, though, there’s good reason behind this.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re with friends or curled up on the sofa while there’s a gale blowing outside. Soft, gentle light is a quick (and cheap) way to make everything feel more relaxed. It signifies the day is slowly winding down. And it helps create a cosy retreat from the end of a hard working day.

Blankets never hurt anyone either.

Do what you love

Does the thought of diving nose-first into a good book make your toes wiggle? Or would you prefer going to the pub and enjoying one or two with your mates on the weekend?

Good. Channel it.

You’ve probably already guessed  hygge is a pretty open concept. That’s because feeling relaxed and doing what you love is entirely unique to you. There’s no right or wrong answers.

It’s what makes hygge a bit of an art form, really. Learning to switch off and find some me-time can take a lot of practice. But if this happy bunch in Denmark can lead the way – and it seems it’s working – there’s no reason we can’t learn a thing or two either.

Do you have any tips on how to make your home more hygge? Tell us how it’s done on Twitter.

Moved to London? Check.

Got the keys to your new flat? Check.

Found a great place around the corner to help make your new place feel like home? Not so much.

There’s thousands of shops in London where you can spend a small fortune to decorate your flat. But we know from experience this isn’t always practical if you’ve just moved to a new city (and you can’t afford to wait a few pay days for a decent couch).

That’s where upcycling and buying second hand comes into play. Not only is it good for your wallet, it’s better for the environment too – plus it gives you the chance to get creative and make your new home entirely unique to you.

With that in mind, here are a few tried and tested places to find upcycled and second hand furniture in London.

Goldfinger Factory

This furniture-showroom-meets-cafe, based in Trellick Tower, is a fantastic place to purchase artisan decorations, upholstery and even pay for refurbishments/repairs.

But it’s not all about gorgeous upcycled furniture. Goldfinger Factory are committed to giving back to the community – including providing free interior design courses to young people who’d like to acquire the skills and knowledge to make it in the industry.

It’s so good, in fact, we’d recommend setting aside a Saturday afternoon to explore Goldfinger Factory in all its Modernist glory.  

greeninmind.org

If the thought of re-painting pinewood cupboards and sanding old dining tables sends you into a cold sweat, check our greeninmind.org.

This wonderful company is dedicated to breathing new life into tired or out-of-fashion furniture and creating something truly one of a kind. Every item is unique – thanks to its co-founder Gary – and is a great way to make your new home feel special, without resorting to buying brand new.

If you’d like to learn more, we suggest reading about their upcycling process and seeing exactly what goes into creating these stunning items.

Old Spitalfield Market

Got a free Thursday anytime soon?

Old Spitalfield Market is legendary for its furniture, accessories and all sorts of weird and wonderful items on Thursdays. Here you’ll find everything from independent businesses to exclusive boutiques, meaning you can spend as little or as much as you fancy.

It’s also a great excuse to grab a quick bite and do some much-needed people watching in this vibrant part of London.

Second-hand furniture in London

You’re not short of places to buy furniture and dabble in interior design in this city. This blog is only a tiny snapshot of everything on offer – and that’s not including what’s available online too (think preloved.co.uk, snaply.co.uk and even gumtree).

All the advice we can give is be patient, get creative, and don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do some experimenting.

Are there any other markets and shops you’d recommend for second-hand and upcycled furniture? Share your thoughts and let us know on Twitter.

There’s no hard and fast rule to planning a smooth office move. It can take months of planning and organisation, not to mention the logistics of actually moving on the day.

You can always ask your employees to chip in and do their bit. But chances are, if you’re an SME based in London, you’d prefer staff time wasn’t spent packing computers and hauling heavy boxes. It’s bad for morale. And it’s worse for insurance reasons.

So if you’re planning a big office move in the near future, here’s a few helpful things the guys at Kiwi Movers can do.

Experts on site

One of the biggest stresses on moving day is making sure equipment gets from A to B without damage, loss or hiccups that may disrupt business as usual.

That’s why we’ve got our expert team of moving professionals at hand. They’re trained to make sure all office equipment, including archives containing sensitive information, are safely packed and secured during the office move. We can also insure your valuables during the move.

Dismantling/rebuilding of office equipment

Chairs, desks, cabinets, the lot.

We offer a full dismantling/rebuilding service for all office equipment. It means that, on the lead up to moving day, you don’t need to waste valuable working hours on prepping furniture and sorting out desks. Instead, our team will do the leg work – including rebuilding furniture at your new office – so your staff can keep on track, with minimal interference.

Crate hire

If you haven’t had the chance to pre-order boxes and packing materials, don’t sweat it.

As part of our service, we offer crate hire to help make the move as smooth as possible – especially for expensive or delicate equipment. We can also deliver it on-site and help do the packing.

Computer and IT relocation

We’ve already mentioned the importance of expensive equipment. It’s not just costly if things go wrong. It can also have a negative impact on your staff’s workload and require additional IT resource to keep your business afloat.

To keep things simple, we offer two types of service here: either an IT check-list (to make sure everything arrives on site) or a full IT relocation (meaning it’s our responsibility to pack and deliver your equipment). The choice is entirely up to you.

Peace of mind

Okay, so we said there were no hard and fast rules. But if you’re planning a London office move in the near future, here’s a few steps to get started:

1. Contact us (either through an online form or by phone) for a free quote and to discuss your options
2. Choose a moving date (we can do out of office hours, if that helps)
3. Book a day off and relax. We’ll get on with the heavy stuff

Still looking for more information? You can also follow us on Twitter.

Shipping things from London to New Zealand made us feel homesick, so we conducted a poll to discover which foods expats miss the most from back home. It was inspired by one of our team, a New Zealand born expat in London, trying and failing to get hold of some Chocolate Fish – a Kiwi favourite. More than a thousand of you responded and the results are in.

The top foods by country were (see below for full breakdown):

Shipping from London to New Zealand – what’s in your care package?

Kiwi Movers director and co-founder, Regan McMillan said:

“I dare say most Kiwis living overseas have a touch of nostalgia the snacks and food from back home. There’s nothing inherently special about these treats, you just miss them when you can’t get them, especially the good old chocolate fish, which we used to get as kids…and still enjoy.”

Don’t feed chocolate to homesick cats, it’s bad for them.

“There’s loads of foreign-born people in the Kiwi Movers team and you’d be surprised just how often we end up reminiscing about that stuff. When you mention it to someone who grew up in the UK, you realise just how weird your childhood snacks sound.
“We ship a lot of packages from London out to New Zealand, Australia and the States and a lot of the time, it’s parents sending out a few treats to their kids living abroad. They always tell us what they’re sending.”

The Foods Expats Miss the Most

It might be the beginning of October, but if you’re in the mood to do something special this Halloween then now is the definitely the time to act.

There’s plenty of upcoming Halloween events in London – ranging from intimate cinema screenings to full-blown rooftop parties in the heart of Kensington. We’ve got an inclination most of these tickets will sell fast, so the sooner you jump in the better.

London Month of the Dead

Where Lots of different locations
When Throughout October
Cost £0 – £15

Do you have a morbid curiousity for London’s Victorian cemeteries? What about legends of the undead from the city’s most posthumous writers? Or maybe you just like gin?

This month-long celebration is one of the most exciting events happening in London this Halloween. There’s still plenty of tickets available and most come with a complimentary cocktail. Plus, a portion of all proceeds will go towards restoring Brompton Cemetery – one of the oldest garden cemeteries in Britain.

Rocky Horror Picture Show and Shock Treatment double bill

Where BFI Southbank
When Saturday 29 October 6pm
Cost £18 – £26.40

It wouldn’t be Halloween without some Rocky Horror, right?

It’s the 35th anniversary of Dr Frank-N-Furter’s beautiful creation. So there’s no better way to celebrate than a double bill of Rocky Horror and Shock Treatment. There are still a few tickets left and promises to be a glorious excuse to dress up and nosedive into the bizarre and wonderful world of Richard O’Brien.

Stranger Things-themed Halloween party

Where Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
When Saturday 29 October 8pm
Cost £5

If you haven’t yet got your fill of gruesome other-dimension monsters and bad ’80s hair, then this is your event.

Stranger Things is pretty much the best original TV series to spawn from Netflix. And with a huge cult following already, this event promises to deliver on campy fandom and tasty cocktails throughout the night.

Word to the wise: dress to impress.

The Roof Gardens

Where The Roof Gardens
When Thursday 27 October 8pm, Friday 28 October 8pm
Cost £20 +

If you’d prefer something a bit more exclusive and glamorous this Halloween, then definitely check out the Rooftop Gardens.

For the price of one ticket, you’ll gain access to a gorgeously over-the-top club night, followed with BBQ, and a complimentary cocktail upon arrival.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you need to be 21+ to buy tickets – and you’ll have to show your ID at the door.

The Shining

Where Rivoli Ballroom
When Thursday 27 October 8pm, Friday 28 October 8pm
Cost £12

It’s arguably the greatest horror film of all time. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, this terrifying masterpiece follows the story of the Torrance family and their winter lockdown at the Overlook Hotel. If you’re unfamiliar with this film, then expect an abundance of creepy children, grizzly deaths, and a cruel case of writer’s block that has the power to haunt us all.

The Rivoli Ballroom is showing this wonderful film on the weekend before Halloween. Tickets will sell fast, so we recommend booking as soon as possible.

Halloween events in London

Got any inside scoop about what’s on this Halloween? Anything huge we’ve missed off our list?

Give us a shout on Twitter.

Moving to a new city is one thing. Throw a new job into that situation, and suddenly you’re faced with one of the hardest and most exciting opportunities most of us will ever encounter. (If you’re still looking for a job, don’t worry – this blog might help).

London can sometimes feel particularly difficult. Especially if you’ve just moved here from New Zealand where the work culture is – on the whole – pretty relaxed. But fear not. There’s a reason thousands of people move to this city every year.

Here’s a few important things to note about living and working in London.

You’ll become good friends with your colleagues

One of the things that sets British working culture apart from others is that it tends to be pretty focused on socialising.

Maybe it’s because the Brits tend to work longer hours than their continental counterparts. Or that they’re generally just a friendly bunch. Regardless, it’s not uncommon for colleagues to organise events after-hours and genuinely enjoy spending time together.

After-work drinks are pretty standard

This leads us on to the next point.

British people have a bit of a reputation for alcohol consumption.

But while it’s worth keeping in mind that after-work drinks are common, they probably won’t be an everyday thing. Most people in London commute to work. That means it’s hard to make spontaneous plans without having to factor in train times, tube schedules, and any family commitments along the way. This is still true even if you work in a young office environment.

Our tip? If you want to get to know colleagues fast, plan something in the diary and maybe suggest going out for lunch. Then you know everyone’s probably free.

Expect lots of tea/coffee breaks

Okay, so it’s a bit of a cliche. But British people really enjoy their tea and coffee breaks.

So, if you’re working in an office environment that has access to a kitchen, except someone to be making a brew more or less every hour. Before things get too out of hand, however, here’s a few good tips:

• Bring in your own milk and put your name on it
• Offer to chip-in for coffee/tea (in case your employer doesn’t pay for it already)
• If other people are doing rounds, step up – but don’t let it take up too much of your time. You’re still learning the ropes, after all

Getting the work-life balance isn’t easy

London has the longest commuting time of any city in Europe. However, you might still be surprised to learn British people generally make an effort to get that work-life balance right.

A good example is the government’s cycle to work scheme. If your employer is signed up, then they can purchase a bike on your behalf – letting you make interest-free monthly repayments. It’s a really useful way to get the most from your commute. Plus, you don’t have to worry about paying a lump sum for your equipment up-front.

Living and working in London

No-one ever said moving to London is easy, especially if you’re changing cities to start a new job. But on the whole living and working in London is a pretty magical experience (tube delays and all) and is a fantastic way to throw yourself head-first into British culture.

Follow us on Twitter for more hints and tips about living and working in London.

We’ve all been there.

You’ve just moved to London (or some other great city) and life’s going great. Work’s going great and you’re feeling settled. Then, out of nowhere, comes the homesickness. That indescribable gut-punch combo of nostalgia and loneliness.

It sucks, but it doesn’t last.

It could be that last Skype session you had with the folks back home that did it. Or news that the family pooch is getting old. Or just some oblique reminder of something that is quintessentially ‘home’.

For the team at Kiwi Movers, it’s often the food we miss. We love our food and London’s got some of the best in the world. It’s even got some great places to go for Kiwi cuisine, but sometimes all you crave is a Peanut Slab or some Rashuns (if you’re a Kiwi at least). You can’t get them anywhere over here.

Kiwi Movers want to ship you some goodies

We can’t cure homesickness, but we can help keep you stocked up on those little treats that just taste like home.

Do the 10-second quiz up top and tell us what you miss. Then share on Facebook. One lucky so and so will be chosen to receive a month’s supply of the good stuff – whatever it is you crave (from the quiz selection, obviously. We can’t be shipping caviar).

Whatever you pick – shipping from London to wherever you’re currently living – on us.

And remember, if you want to ship some of the good stuff to a friend or family member living overseas, check out our door-to-door international shipping service.