Tips For Moving Overseas With Less Stress

The excitement that comes with moving to a new place is matched by the stress it can cause for your family. Moving overseas to a different country can be especially difficult because the change in culture is a huge adjustment. Furthermore, the logistics of overseas moves are more complicated than those for moves within your own country, and that does not help matters at all.

As many people who have done so successfully will attest, moving overseas is indeed manageable as long as you keep yourself organized and pay attention to the smallest details. The first thing you will want to do is to come up with a comprehensive plan for the move. Make a list of all the things that will have to be accomplished such as scheduling the movers, getting the power and water turned on in the new place, having the utilities turned off in the old home, applying for a visa and more. Take this list and rank it in order from what can be done months in advance to those things that must wait until the last day. You cannot just pack everything the day before moving overseas, for example, so you should schedule this to-do item to begin several weeks before the movers arrive.

Speaking of packing up your home, the whole process will go a lot easier and faster if you have are determined to get rid of as many of your current possessions as is possible. Streamlining your wardrobe, bookcases, and collections are both easy ways to end up with fewer things to pack and therefore, fewer things to unpack once you get there. Consider getting rid of a few pieces of furniture and then buying what you need after you are moved into the new home and country and have lived there long enough to know what chairs, tables, and so on are absolutely essential. Give away and throw away as much as you can, and you will be better off later on after moving overseas.

Adjusting to the new setting will be difficult enough without adding to it by making the process of unpacking long and unorganized. You do not want your child to go without that favorite toy for six months, so make sure that all your boxes are well-labeled so that they can be unpacked quickly. When boxes are not marked well the move can also be more expensive because you may think you have lost something, go out and buy it, and then later discover that you had it all along.

Keep in mind that there are many things that can go wrong when your possessions are in transit. Movers can drop boxes and break fragile items, or you can end up never receiving what they are supposed to be transporting for you. Check out your movers thoroughly before you hire them, and go with only those moving companies that have a long, proven track record.

These tips should help you make moving overseas both easy and enjoyable. A little forethought now will make your life a whole lot easier later on.

Article By Matthew Richard Kerridge

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "MOVING OVERSEAS"

Moving Overseas Learn How To Move Into Another Country

Stretching luxuriously, I turned to look at the calendar hanging on the wall by my bed. Today was Monday, June 1st. My family (including our old cat and recently acquired puppy) were booked on a plane leaving the country exactly three weeks from today. We were going to be away for at least four years.

You couldn't tell, though, looking around my bedroom, that this household was about to move. Everything was in its usual place. The same was true of the rest of our four-bedroom house. I sighed, got out of bed and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I sat down to google International Moving Company. I skimmed through the websites of a couple of international movers, and picked one at random.

I sent off an email, outlining my needs and asking for an estimate of the cost of their services, remembering to include my phone number. Then I took my coffee cup out to the porch, where the cat was asleep, and tried to decide whether to visit the hair salon that morning.

Before I had made up my mind, the telephone rang. It woke up the cat. I had to go inside to get her breakfast, so I picked up the phone on the way in. Someone from the International Moving Company I had just emailed was on the other end of the line, calling to make an appointment for a free on-site visit to evaluate the cost of the move.

I asked for an estimate over the phone, but he declined. I told him I had a hairdresser's appointment, but he gently pointed out that it might be better to postpone it and allow his crew to come that morning.

I agreed grumpily. One hour later, I had a reasonable, detailed quote, including packing, for the cost of the move. There were no hidden charges or expenses. I waved goodbye to the International Moving Company people, and rushed to the station wagon. I'd decided to perm my hair.

The movers came back at exactly 9 am the next morning, as agreed. By 12 noon, they had packed everything that was to be shipped perfect packing (labeled cartons, inventory list, the whole thing). A representative from the International Moving Company sat down with my husband and I.

He explained the regulations concerning moving our pets (health and rabies certificates etc.). He told us that my beloved plants would not be allowed into the country of our destination, and explained that, if we took our station wagon along, we would have to pay exorbitant customs duties on it.

He knew everything there was to know about moving overseas. Well, that was his profession. He worked at an International Moving Company.

The nest morning, we were out on the driveway watching our belongings, expertly packed in sealed cartons and placed in seven large ship containers, being hauled away on the International Moving Company's truck.

The cat was licking my nose again, so I woke up. I glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall beside my bed. Only six weeks to go before the big move! Grabbing my eyeglasses, I picked up my master list of things to do - item one the list: hiring the services of a trustworthy, experienced International Moving Company.

Article By Nir Dotan


CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "MOVING OVERSEAS"

Moving Overseas The Right Way

One of the kinds of moves that are the most stressful are moves to overseas locations. You will have to have an extended period to plan everything, and you will need to adapt to the local customs, culture and laws that apply to your new place of residence. Before you experience the good life that prompted you to move there in the first place, you will need to experience some birth pains, which include moving woes. So, to help you out, here are some handy pointers to remember when moving overseas:

1. Have a budget.

It's an entirely new locale, with it's own currency and standard of living, and what you have at the moment (or at least what you've allotted) might not be enough. Research on prices of commodities, exchange rates, taxes, and all the other things that are bound to take a chip off your money tree.

2. Choose an experienced moving outfit.

It's best that you research first on the internet to see which removal company best suits your needs and is most recommended for moving to your chosen locale or country. It better if your movers are familiar with the destination - or have contacts there who will help facilitate the move, so that you don't get lost or loose your things when you get there. For stressful moves like this, it's best to hire a company that specializes in overseas moving so that you will have less on your mind.

3. Learn to be a local in advance.

Learn the local language, culture, and customs even before you get there, so you won't stick out like a sore thumb. Learning to be like a local beforehand also helps you adjust faster to living there, and establish a routine you will comfortable with. Even in the move itself, knowing the language will make your move smoother, as you will probably encounter locals who have difficulty speaking English, so it's best to have a few handy phrases up your sleeve.

4. Bring only what you need.

You might be surprised at how much junk people bring with them when they move. Since overseas moving costs a lot more, you'd better make sure that you're bringing ONLY the things you want in your new home; leave all the other junk behind - sell them, give them away, or throw them in the garbage. Either way, you get to save on moving costs by not having any unnecessary junk with you.

As you get the chance to live in a new place, start a new beginning, and deal with a lot of changes, you have to be ready all the time. You have to accept that such things are part of one's life. And so, moving house can be both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same, but it still depends on how you look at things as they unravel.

Going to the moving itself, you have to learn that everything should happen systematically-from the packing and transporting of furniture to unloading from the van, unpacking and to arranging everything on the right place in your new home. This may sound very tiring, but if you manage to do it properly then you wouldn't encounter any headache at all.

Article By Paul Smiths

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON "MOVING OVERSEAS"