We are moving to Zurich from UK in 2 months' time. We have secured an apartment and have a rough idea of what to bring along in terms of furniture etc.
However, apart from furniture and personal belongings, is there something that you wish you had brought along when moving to Switzerland? For example, I have an Instapot that I use very regularly that I know will be difficult to get hold of there. Are there similar things that are very difficult/expensive to obtain there that should be on my 'must-have' list to bring to Switzerland?
OTC generic painkillers and antihistamines (ibuprofen can be eye wateringly expensive) and any specific make-up/ skin care stuff you adore because it's likely the brands you may favour in the UK are not in CH or cost a lot. Your mileage may obviously vary. Benefit was (certainly a few years ago) nigh on impossible to find, for instance.
If you have kids in nappies you can get Bepanthen but not Sudocrem or Metanium cream.
If you're a salt and vinegar crisp fan, stock up on those too. Typical "British " stuff like Marmite and Ribena and mint sauce is around but again pricey. It depends what you want really.
I wish I had brought my cheap sturdy shelving units, which we had in the garage. I had to buy expensive stuff here to put into the storage room (Keller). Keep this in mind: if your flat in Zurich has allocated storage rooms.
If you are taking your beds with you, please note that sizes here are different. You may not be able to find a new mattress for your bed. And it will cost you a lot of money to get rid of it in Switzerland.
Don't drag any non vital stuff with you - it costs a pretty penny to get rid of them here, because brokihauses (second hand shops) have become very picky in our area and do not accept some crockery and ornaments. We are 5 years in and still have 5 unpacked boxes of tat.
I do agree with the comments above. But in time you'll get the hang of things. Welcome to Switzerland.
We didn't bring any furniture, just 4 suitcases of clothes and documents. I wish I'd brought my Addis Superdry Mop because I've not found anything like it here https://www.therange.co.uk/household...ry-mop/#496911 Also wish I'd brought my steam mop because that was an expensive item to replace, and our full tool kits.
My best mate's coming over next month and I've sent her a shopping list of stuff to bring with her, much of which echoes other posts in this thread. The list is: ibuprofen, paracetamol, Strepsils, antihistamines, vitamin tablets, Colgate Total Pro Gum Health toothpaste (which is about the only Colgate item that I can't find here), Original Source Mint Shower Gel, Levi Roots Reggae Reggae sauce, 2xlg plastic bottles HP Sauce, Asda £4 t-shirt bras, Asda 2 for £7 plain t-shirts.
Bras can be very expensive here, particularly if you're well endowed. If you're larger than a size 7 shoe, you might need to stock up on affordable footwear too because above a 7 is marked as 'XXL' in the shops here, whilst in the UK, it's a common size. I was last in the UK for 48hrs in August, spent £150 on stuff to bring back, stocked up on more brightly coloured clothes than you tend to find here, and 2 dozen pairs of underpants for my other half because doesn't like Swiss ones Also have to buy his trousers in the UK too because he's got big calf muscles and can't get skinny leg pants above is knees, so I usually buy him several pairs of Craghopper cargo pants in the sales. My UK sis-in-lives always loads me up with Christmas puddings.
Good luck with the move, and if you can't find anything when you're here, no matter how daft it might seem, just post it on here and we'll help out.
I think their fresh ones might be more expensive, but I’ve never bothered to get one, the frozen ones are fine. Also have to pre-order the fresh ones iirc.
I wouldn't bring a kettle from the U.K. - two reasons:
U.K. ring main is 13A and Swiss sockets are 10A. It's conceivable that a U.K. kettle will keep blowing a fuse/tripping a breaker.
Kettles come with nice sealed plugs. Do you really want an unsealed DIY plug on an appliance which you use regularly and in an area with lots of water splashing around.
Electrical stuff is often cheaper here - especially electronics.
If a tea lover like me, then I always pack tea bags wherever I travel, though take out of box for ease of congested packing.
Your favourite kitchen utensils, do not leave behind. Although you can buy once arrived, with a family you will want to get on and cook. Easier to have your known tools to hand.
Suggest you make a list of all the on-shelf different medications that your family use, to then take a choice of each. Not always so easier to find or recognise in another country. Sometimes one may not think of an antiseptic cream or gel as a medication.