Dublin to Brittany Family Move with Walsh Removals

One Salary in Ireland Is Not Enough for the Life We Wanted

We moved from Dublin to Bréal-sous-Montfort in Île-et-Vilaine, France, with a part-household load: boxes and furniture, roughly 5.3 cubic metres in total. It was a family relocation, not a choice made lightly. Ireland had simply become too expensive to sustain the lifestyle we were aiming for on one income.

Why Rent, Food, and Reality in Dublin Pushed Us Toward France

After a job loss, the numbers stopped working. Rent was too high, salaries were not stretching far enough, and food and everyday costs kept climbing. On one salary, the family life we wanted was not realistic in Ireland. France gave us a way to reset that.

How the Sirelo Volume Estimator Helped Me Choose Walsh Removals

I did my research on Sirelo. What stood out immediately was the volume estimator on the website: it helped me figure out roughly what we had to move before I contacted a single company. From there, I looked at prices and reviews and landed on Walsh Removals because they could get our things to the new location without us having to travel with our boxes ourselves. That mattered. We needed the move handled end-to-end.

Boxing Everything Up in Dublin Before the Mover Arrived

Preparation is where you win or lose a move like this. I made sure we planned well ahead so no one was rushing or stressed when it came to packing. Each person packed their own things: clothes, shoes, and personal items. A to-do list kept us on track. For anything we were unsure about keeping, charity shops were genuinely useful. They cleared space and made decisions at the same time. Before the movers arrived, I made a full inventory of everything packed, so we could check it off at the other end.

Loading in Dublin Took an Hour and a Half Despite the M50

The mover arrived about an hour late. If you know the M50 during morning rush hour in Dublin, you already understand why. Getting through it when everyone is heading to work is a nightmare, and I did not hold it against him at all.

Once he arrived, the loading was fast and effective. One person, well equipped, carpet down to protect the furniture, and the whole job done in an hour and a half.

He handled every item like it was his own. After the truck was loaded, we confirmed the arrival date and time in France, and he left. Knowing that before the truck had even pulled away from Dublin was a relief.

My Dad Took Delivery in Bréal-sous-Montfort While I Was Elsewhere

I was not there for the unloading in France. My dad handled it on our behalf. He had the same experience: effective, nice, experienced. He directed the mover on where to put the boxes and furniture, and everything ended up exactly where he asked. Nothing broken, nothing missing. Every box was still closed and intact when he checked.

Settling Into the Life We Actually Moved For

The move did what it was supposed to do. Our things arrived in one piece, both ends were handled well, and we could focus on the actual transition rather than chasing up damage or missing items. The lifestyle we were looking for is now within reach.

A Few Things That Made the Move Work for Us

If you are planning something similar, these made a real difference:

• Plan the boxing well in advance so no one is rushing at the end
• Have each person pack their own clothes, shoes, and personal items themselves
• Use a to-do list throughout the packing process to stay organised
• Consider charity shops for things you are unsure about keeping, it removes decisions and clears space
• Make a full inventory once everything is packed, before the movers arrive, so you can verify everything is accounted for at the destination

From the M50 to Île-et-Vilaine: What This Move Actually Took

We left Dublin because Ireland stopped being affordable for a family on one salary, and Walsh Removals got our things from Dublin to Bréal-sous-Montfort without a single item damaged or missing, at the price we agreed before the move. The mover was late because of rush-hour traffic on the M50, not because of anything on his end, and when he arrived, he worked like someone who genuinely cared about what he was carrying. My dad confirmed the same story at the other end. If you are planning the same route, the things that actually determine how it goes are how early you start packing, whether you have a proper inventory, and whether you pick a mover whose reviews back up what they promise.