Moving Day in Dubai! Inside Our Family’s New Home in Villanova

In this episode, we take you inside the full experience of moving house in Dubai — as a family of four, with two school-age boys, jobs to juggle, and life admin everywhere. We’re relocating from our apartment in Sobha Hartland to a new villa in Villanova, and we wanted to document the real, unfiltered experience. It’s not just about boxes and vans — it’s curtains, appliances, cleaning, paperwork, stress, excitement, nostalgia, and a little chaos (plus a Kevin Hart show in Abu Dhabi as a bonus). Whether you’re moving within Dubai or planning your relocation from abroad, we hope this video helps paint a realistic picture of what it’s actually like to move here with a family. 📦 WHAT WE COVER IN THIS VIDEO ✅ Getting the keys early: how we planned a phased move ✅ Curtain fitting hacks: we reused our existing curtains — and saved AED 1,500 ✅ Where to buy white goods in Dubai: our full Carrefour trip (fridge, cooker, washer etc.) ✅ How to arrange a deep clean and pest control using move-in vouchers ✅ Work permits for home services: what you need to know before tradespeople arrive ✅ Real talk: the emotional side of leaving our first Dubai home ✅ Admin tips: the truth about move-out permits and unpaid bills blocking your application ✅ Last night rituals: family dinner, cookies, and Shark Tank ✅ Moving day madness: packing, logistics, and doing 7,000+ steps before noon ✅ Unpacking at Villanova: layout dilemmas and real estate quirks ✅ Living in a Dubai villa: what’s different vs apartment life ✅ Unexpected knocks at the door: what to expect when you're in a villa community ✅ First week reflections: life admin, community vibes, AC issues and feeling settled ✅ PLUS: quick trip to Yas Island, hotel stay, and Kevin Hart live at Etihad Arena ✅ Sara’s solo week incoming: new vlog series starts next week! 💬 KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR FAMILIES MOVING IN DUBAI 🧼 You’ll likely get a deep clean + pest control voucher when moving into a new-build — but make sure you book early. 🧾 Your move-out permit may be blocked if you have an unpaid bill (in our case, a 700 AED air con charge) — check early. 🧰 Most villas come as empty shells — no appliances. Carrefour is a good bet for decent prices and delivery. 🔧 Tradespeople need permits to enter communities like Villanova. Get these approved in advance with your developer/building management. 🏡 Life in a villa means more space… but also more knocks at the door. From internet sales to bottled water and car washes, expect more drop-ins vs apartment life. 💡 Pro tip: always carry some cash (even a few dirhams) to tip service workers — it goes a long way in Dubai. 🧠 Moving is emotional. Don’t underestimate it. Especially if you’re leaving the place where your Dubai journey started. 👟 Sara did 7K steps before noon. Enough said. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 ABOUT US We’re Adam, Sara, Riley and Reggie — a UK family who relocated to Dubai in July 2024. We started Dubai Diary to document our experience of moving here as a family: finding schools, choosing areas to live, navigating the cost of living, and all the unexpected things no one tells you when you move abroad. We’re not relocation experts — just a real family sharing our journey in the hope it helps others do the same. 🛠 TOOLS & APPS WE MENTIONED Privilee: Access hotels, pools, gyms and coworking in Dubai Carrefour UAE: Where we bought all our white goods Dubai Properties App: Manage move-in permits, snagging tickets, etc. Champ’s Gym (Dubai Mall): Newly added to Privilee — cold plunge, sauna, jacuzzi and more