If you are moving from the United States to Germany, you may be wondering what to do with all your furniture. Should you ship your sofa, dining table, beds, and dressers overseas, or sell everything and start over after you arrive?
For most people, the answer is somewhere in the middle.
Some furniture is absolutely worth bringing with you. Other pieces may take up valuable shipping space only to become a headache when they do not fit through the stairwell of your new apartment.
The important thing is not to assume that every German home is smaller than an American home. Instead, start with the home you are actually moving into and decide what makes sense to bring from there.
How Are German Homes Different From American Homes?
German homes vary considerably depending on where you live. A modern house outside Stuttgart may have plenty of room for the furniture from your U.S. home, while an older apartment in Berlin could have narrower stairways, smaller rooms, or a completely different layout.
Square footage is not the only thing to consider.
Room layouts, built-in storage, elevators, stairways, and even what comes with a rental can be different from what Americans are used to. Long-term rentals in Germany are also not always furnished, and some may not include a kitchen.
That is why it is a good idea to learn as much as possible about your new home before deciding what goes into your international shipment.
If you can, get a floor plan and take measurements in centimeters. And remember: just because your sofa fits in the living room does not mean it will fit through the front door.
Before deciding what to ship, check:
- Room dimensions: Measure wall lengths, ceiling heights, windows, radiators, and the direction doors open.
- The delivery route: Look at the building entrance, apartment door, hallways, stair landings, and tight corners.
- Elevator dimensions: Do not just ask whether there is an elevator. Find out how large the door opening and interior actually are.
- What comes with the home: Find out whether your kitchen, appliances, closets, or other storage will already be there.
- Moving-day access: Ask where a moving truck can stop and whether parking or building access needs to be arranged ahead of time.
Large Furniture: Measure More Than the Room
Sofas, sectionals, recliners, dining sets, and large armoires are usually the main pieces worth measuring carefully.
Measure each piece at its widest, deepest, and tallest points. It is also helpful to know whether legs, backs, shelves, or sections can be safely removed for moving.
Sometimes the furniture that looks biggest is not actually the hardest to move. A large modular sectional that comes apart into several pieces may be easier to get into an apartment than a smaller sofa with a rigid frame.
Think about how you will use the room, too. Your dining table may have had its own room in your American home, while your new dining area may also need to function as an office or provide additional storage. In that case, bringing the table and chairs may make sense while leaving the large hutch behind.
Wardrobes and Storage Furniture Can Be Worth Bringing
Large wardrobes and dressers take up quite a bit of space in an international shipment, so they can be tempting to leave behind.
But do not rule them out too quickly.
If your new home has limited built-in storage, those pieces could be much more useful in Germany than they were in your U.S. home.
Well-made storage furniture that can be safely disassembled and put back together is generally a better candidate for shipping than inexpensive particleboard furniture that may not survive being taken apart.
American Beds and Mattresses May Not Match European Sizes
U.S. and European mattress sizes do not match exactly.
If you want to bring an American bed frame, think about the entire setup: the frame, mattress, foundation, and even your bedding.
A bed you already own and love may be worth bringing. But if your mattress is nearing the end of its life anyway, when moving to Germany it may be a good opportunity to switch to a locally sized bed frame and mattress.
Check the Voltage Before Shipping Anything With a Plug
Furniture with electrical components requires a little more consideration.
German homes generally use 230-volt, 50-hertz electricity with Type C or Type F plugs. Simply adding a plug adapter does not change the voltage or frequency.
Before shipping an adjustable bed, powered recliner, lamp, appliance, or other electrical item, check the manufacturer’s label to see whether it is compatible. If you are unsure, check with the manufacturer or a qualified electrician before adding it to your shipment.
So, What Furniture Is Worth Shipping to Germany?
There is no universal list because the answer depends on your home, your shipment, and how important a particular piece is to you.
In general, furniture may be worth shipping when it fits your new home, can make it through the delivery route, and would be difficult or expensive to replace with something comparable.
That often includes:
- Well-made solid wood furniture
- Antiques and heirlooms
- Artwork, rugs, and sentimental pieces
- Modular furniture that can be safely disassembled
- Wardrobes, dressers, and other storage you know you will need
- Specialty furniture for work, hobbies, accessibility, or family needs
And sentimental value matters. The question is not always whether you could technically buy another dining table in Germany. If it is the table your family has gathered around for the last 15 years, replacing it may not be what you want to do.
What Might Be Better to Replace After You Move?
Other furniture may take up a significant amount of shipping space without providing enough value to justify bringing it.
You may want to consider replacing:
- Low-cost particleboard furniture that may not survive disassembly
- Oversized pieces you have not checked against your new layout
- Worn mattresses or upholstered furniture you were already planning to replace
- Large appliances that are incompatible with German power, connections, or room dimensions
You also do not have to make every decision at once. Once you know where you will be living and have accurate measurements, it becomes much easier to decide what deserves a place in your shipment.
What You Bring Affects Your Shipping Options
Deciding what stays and what goes is not just about whether your furniture will fit in your new home. It also affects the size of your international shipment.
Schumacher offers both shared-container and sole-use container options for moves to Germany. With shared-container service, the amount of space your household goods take up helps determine the cost of your shipment. Removing a few large pieces you do not really need can make a meaningful difference in your overall shipping volume.
Before your move, a pre-move survey can help determine how much you are actually shipping and which service makes the most sense.
Your furniture will also need to be included on your shipment inventory. Used household goods may qualify for duty-free import into Germany when transfer-of-residence requirements are met, but this is not automatic. Be sure to review the current German Customs requirements and let your moving coordinator know if you are bringing recently purchased furniture, antiques, or anything that may require additional documentation.
Bring the Furniture That Makes Sense for Your Move
Moving to Germany does not mean you have to sell everything you own and start over.
The goal is to bring the pieces that fit your new home, make everyday life easier, or simply mean enough to you that they are worth taking across the Atlantic. Knowing the dimensions of your new space and being realistic about what you will actually use can make those decisions much easier.
Not sure how much of your furniture makes sense to bring? Schumacher Cargo has been helping families move household goods overseas since 1977. Tell us where you are moving and what you are thinking about bringing, and our team can help you determine the right shipping option for your move to Germany.
