When you are moving your home, whether you move a few miles, or a few hundred miles, this can be a very stressful time with so much planning and preparation to do. This is made even worse if you are actually moving to a completely new country. There is a lot more to consider when moving abroad, so is it worthwhile trying to undertake this daunting task on your own? Is it worth saving a bit of money to add to an already stressful time?
There are quite a few factors to consider
- Time out of your schedule to organize
- The expense of the move overall
- The logistics of the move
- Deadline for having the move completed
- Check out the Logistics of it all
If you are seriously looking to organize your move abroad by yourself, rather than using a professional international moving company, then you will need to do a lot of homework before you move. Depending on the country that you are going to, there may be restrictions on what you can and can’t bring in to the country. In some countries this includes wood which has not been specially treated and fumigated, so you may have even more expense before you even start your move. It is best to speak to the customs department of the country that you are moving to so that you can find out if there is anything you cannot bring with you. You will also need to organize packing materials, removal boxes, containers, shipping, transport, all documents for customs clearance as well as deal with all of the unexpected circumstances which tend to crop up with a large logistical move. If you are also trying to work whilst you get all of this organized, then you could add an extreme amount of additional pressure to yourself. For those who do not work or are retired, this is not so much of a daunting task. Then when you have sorted out the logistics you will need to go through all of your possessions and work out if you really need them all or can leave some of them behind. If you have a lot of stuff you will not be taking, you can have a yard sale before you go and try and get some cash for whatever you can sell. Then the day comes of the move and you still have to pack everything!
Using a Professional Service
There are lots of benefits to using a professional international removal service, this is their core business. They are used to moving homes and offices internationally and will have experts which can go through all of the requirements regards customs and imports with you. They will sort out all of the relevant paperwork for this as well and with their experience they will be able to anticipate any problems which may arise. Not only will they sort out all of the paperwork for you but they also arrange all of the transport and packing as well. They will have a team come to your home armed with boxes, tape and packing material. For an average 3 – 4 bedroom home, a professional company will have everything boxed up and in the container within about 4 to 6 hours. It is surprising how quickly they can achieve this, but that is why they are professionals! So before you know it your possessions will be on their way to your new home, wherever that may be. Then when they arrive at the new country and are ready to be moved into your new home, the removal firm will come along and unpack everything for you as well. All you need to do is stand back and watch and let them know where you want everything put. Another added benefit of using a professional removal company is that in case of any accidents, damage or loss of your possessions, you will be fully insured.
Summary
It is possible to organize an international move yourself, but the road is fraught with frustrations, setbacks and hazards to the inexperienced of us. It may be worthwhile checking out the local internet forums in your new country first and speak to any expats which have been through something similar. Make sure that you get multiple quotes from different companies and always make sure they are part of the relevant federation which oversees their industry. Remember, going with the company who is the cheapest is not always the best option, especially when things go wrong. Try getting customer reviews and feedback. Check the insurance details to make sure you are fully covered. Then when you have made your choice, sit back and let them do all of the work. Watch as your house is packed up and shipped off to your new country. Using a professional removal company definitely relieves the stress and makes things a lot easier. Take it from someone who knows.