It takes a lot of mental preparation to decide to move to another country. It’s not an easy thing to do, especially if you’re moving without family. Leaving your country and arriving at a completely different place of another culture and language is often challenging. That’s why you need to minimize the stress and chaos that often happens during this journey. To do this, you need to take moving organization very seriously and we will help you out with that. We arranged a set of useful tips on how to prepare for an international move and be ready for a new adventure overseas.
Give yourself more time to prepare for an international move
Whenever you meant to start your moving preparation – extend that to a couple of more weeks. It’s essential to have enough time to finish everything before the big day comes – otherwise, doing everything at the last minute will cause a lot of stress. So, to avoid chaotic last-minute packing, start your packing session months before. Also, to keep track of your progress, it’s good to sit down and plan everything you have to do. Payments, packing, shopping, documentation – everything you need to do to prepare for long-distance moving. Put everything on paper (or in your mobile) and create your unique moving checklist – trust us, it will be your best friend during this process. This list will help you not forget some essential tasks, and do everything on time.
Don’t spend more than necessary
When people need to prepare for an international move, they are often afraid of the financial part of the move. The reason is that international moves can get expensive. Luckily, there is a way to avoid that – by planning every dollar you spend. If you don’t spend on unnecessary things and also try to cut down some costs, you can reduce your moving expenses to a minimum.
Hire someone you can trust
When moving to another country, it’s essential to have the right kind of help. Someone who won’t cause any additional stress, but help you move anywhere abroad hassle-free. Do the research – both online and offline, to find recommendations of trustworthy movers who will help you prepare for an international move. Contact a couple of options if necessary, to compare the pricing and get an average moving estimate. This way you can choose the best ratio of price and quality, without falling into a trap of fraudulent moving companies.
Move less
One of the ways to lower the moving costs, but also save time and energy when packing is to reduce the number of items you’re moving. Learn how to declutter your home before the move, and bring only the items you’ll really need. This is a way to reduce the clutter but also start fresh with a clean and spacious home.
Bonus tip: Decluttering doesn’t need to mean you’ll only lose stuff. You can earn some money by doing it. If any of your items are in good condition, try selling them online. Furthermore, you can even organize a garage sale – a perfect way to say goodbye to your neighborhood.
Do you really need all those clothes? If not – sell them on a garage sale!
Step up your packing game
When they need to prepare for an international move, people often dread packing. There are many things to worry about – what to pack, whether you’ll have enough of the packing material, will items be safe during transport, etc. Well, to avoid all that stress, you need to step up your packing game and be ready for that challenge. Here are some tips that might help:
- packing schedule – organize your packing in sessions. You can do it room by room, and start with the item you rarely use. This will give you the opportunity to start packing weeks before the moving day.
- know what’s in each box – you need to know every box when moving so far away. This way, you’ll be able to sort the boxes by rooms when you arrive at the new home, and also find an item much faster in case you need something before you unpack completely. Use markers to label the boxes and write the contents on the lids.
- pack the boxes wisely – this means you should use small to medium size boxes and most importantly – don’t overpack the big ones. Smaller boxes are easier to carry if they are heavy, and if you have some space left in the bigger boxes, fill them with paper or some linens so the items inside don’t break if the boxes move.
- get help from a pro – if you feel that you have too many items, use professional packing services. You will not be overwhelmed and tired, especially since you have a long travel ahead of you. This will also save you a ton of time you can use to relax before the move and enjoy the last couple of days in the old city with friends and family.
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You need to pack smart to save time and energy while making your items safe during transport.
Take care of your documents on time
Since you’re moving to another country, you need to make sure all your essential documents are updated and ready for your relocation. This includes your passport, ID card, visa, medical records, driving license, etc. To prepare for an international move, make sure if all these are valid and check your new destination country regulations on these documents – in case you need to take new ones. We advise you do this on time, months before the move, since taking out new documents can take a while. Also, make sure you bring your medical records and take prescriptions for any meds you might be taking. And finally – if you have a pet, make sure you visit your pet and talk about the documents, microchipping, medications, etc.
Sometimes, the most obvious tasks are forgotten in all the moving stress – check your documents on time.
Saying goodbye
Moving to another country is tough, especially if you have a lot of friends and family in your current place. Check out what are the ways to prepare your friends and tell them about the move. It’s good to have proper goodbye to – think of organizing a farewell party. This will help you mentally prepare for an international move and accept this huge life change. Stay positive and make this party a night to remember! Have a safe move!