What to bring when you are moving to Denmark

It doesn’t matter wherever you are coming from, everyone has their set of favourites, be it the food, dress, friends or even the weather. We have a tendency to make our surroundings according to our mood. When you’re moving to a new place, it will take some time to get adapted to the new environment. You must be mentally prepared before moving to a new country, in this case, Denmark. Because you have to learn a new language, accept different cultures and come out of your comfort zone. 

Then the next step is an easy one, physical preparedness. When the days get closer to your moving date, you will start to get a lot more questions and most importantly what to bring when you are moving to Denmark. I had been to this beautiful country several times before I permanently moved here. Each time I had my own checklist of what to bring, but I came for short stays all those times. That checklist and my previous experience made moving to Denmark smooth. Here is a list of a few items that you should consider bringing with you when you are moving. 

Medicine

When you move here, it will take some time to register with your doctor. You can read more about how to consult a doctor in Denmark in my previous post. Also, unlike in other countries, doctors will prescribe medicine rarely. So, if you are a person with any medical condition and taking daily medications, a medicinal stock which could last for at least 1 – 2 months would suffice. This will give enough time for you to register and consult the doctor to continue your medication and book further appointments and check-ups. Please take note you will not be able to get any drugs from the pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. Also, bring along medicines for flu or normal cough and cold which has worked for you or that you think would be helpful. Common colds and coughs aren’t considered severe and could never expect any medications from the medics for them. As for the flu, we used some home remedies and traditional medicines on our own. If you are planning to bring a huge stock of medicines please contact immigration to check how much you can bring with you. 

Clothes

You have to decide your clothes for which season you are moving into. If you are moving during the winter period, you may consider investing in a good jacket, which could be able to use during the rain as well as deep cold. An umbrella will not last long for the wind. Also, you may need a good shoe, preferable either a pair of leather boots or a waterproof one. Never forget to get a beanie to cover your head and ears, a pair of gloves and a scarf to wear around your neck for extra warmth. If you haven’t been to a cold country before, it is a good idea to get thermal underwear. Any moisturizer and a lip balm will always come in handy to keep your skin safe from the cold. My family personally prefers products from Vaseline which is the only product working fine for this climate. When we were moving, we bought padded or lined winter clothes at H&M online for our kids since it was during winter.

If you are moving during the Spring and early Summer, a windbreaker would be sufficient. Usually, during the summer you may not need any unique clothing. 

Besides the above, you will be paying 25% VAT for the goods here. So, if you have any of your favourite brands for sportswear, it’s better you bring a few extras. You will be mostly wearing socks inside the house to keep your feet warm, so bring a few extra pairs of socks as well. 

Food and Spices

I love spicy food. During my previous trips, I couldn’t find all the variety of spices that I used to have. So, I usually bring some of my favourites during my visits. If you have your favourite spices, maybe it will be a good idea to bring them at least for a month to use, within that period you will come across the places where you can find them here in Denmark. If you go to any Asian markets, you can find different spices. There will be a lot of expenses when you move here, so make sure to bring any easy-to-prepare food to manage the expenses for at least a couple of weeks.  

We used to drink tea, but most of the supermarkets here have only flavoured tea which I am not a very big fan of. Fortunately, I found the unflavored ones in a middle eastern market. 

Baby Items

If you are moving with kids, consider bringing their creams and moisturizers. We used to use Cetaphil products on our kids, but we couldn’t find them in normal shops here. About the formula so far I have seen ‘NAN’ and ‘Cow & Gate’ at most of the supermarkets. Diapers and wipes, you can find in any supermarket. If you are planning to bring a baby stroller, it is a good idea to bring one with a rain cover and possibly with a leg cover. They will be very useful during the winter months. To keep the kids entertained we brought a few kids’ activity packs and books. We find it difficult to get books in English at any bookstores or supermarkets here and thought it will be useful to share. You can get the Panadol syrup without a prescription at any pharmacy.

If you need more information, do let me know in the contact form or you can just add a comment. I’ll try to answer with the best of my knowledge and sources.