International moving and relocation is an exciting adventure, but it can also be stressful and intimidating. Before you start packing your bags take a look at Freight Link’s guide as a resource to help you better understand the challenges you may face moving overseas and how to get ready for them.
1. Start thinking about where you'll live
Ask yourself some questions: Do you want to live in a rural area or in a city? What kind of housing do you want? What type of neighborhood appeals to you? Are there schools nearby that fit your children's needs? Are there job opportunities for you or your spouse?
Research your new home country thoroughly before moving. Learn about the culture, language and laws that will impact your life there. Consider how you will manage your finances in that country by finding out what it takes to open a bank account, obtain credit cards, etc. Make sure you're making the move for the right reasons — not just because you're bored or want to escape from your problems elsewhere in life. Prepare yourself and your family for the emotional transition that comes with living abroad. Do all this to ensure a smooth international moving and relocation process.
2. Update Your Personal Documents
The first thing to do is update your personal documents as per requirements of the country you are moving into. This can include your visa, education documents, and other personal identification documents. It is important that you're familiar with the requirements so that you can take care of these things in advance.
Make sure all of these documents are in place before you depart for your new country. Changing your name, address and other important personal information can be a pain. However, it's critical to stay on top of this paperwork, so you can avoid spending extra money, time and energy in following up.
As you plan to move overseas, there may be some items that you want to keep but don't have the space to carry with you. In this case, it's important to find a place where you can safely store them until you're ready to ship them.
3. Hire a professional to help you ship your belongings
The easiest way to ship your stuff abroad is with the help of a door-to-door logistics company that specializes in international moving and relocation, one being FreightLink FZE. They can help you pack and load everything onto a container, then ship it overseas for delivery at your new home. They'll also handle customs clearance on both ends so you don't have to worry about it.
But it's important to understand that these are companies who do this for a living. As long as you do your due diligence, you can avoid the pitfalls of hiring the wrong professional mover. Here's how to hire the right one:
- ● Get multiple quotes. You don't have to talk to all of them in person, but try to get at least three written estimates. This is especially important with international moves because they can be very expensive.
- ● Choose a company that specializes in international moving and relocation. Some local cargo movers in Dubai aren't necessarily experts on overseas shipping and paperwork, so it's better to hire someone who specializes in moving abroad.
- ● Inquire about insurance coverage. Ask how much your belongings will be insured for during transit and what the process is if something gets damaged or lost.
- ● Do your research to find out whether the company is reputable. Check online review sites for user comments about their experience with the company
4. Sort through and purge what you don't need
Start by going through your home room-by-room and sorting all of your belongings into three piles: keep, toss, donate. This will give you an idea of how much you have to bring with you when you move overseas. Be ruthless in this process. Most people have far more stuff than they really need.
You may also want to travel light when moving internationally, so you don't end up paying for excess baggage on a long flight and in airport transfer fees. The best option is to take only what is necessary and leave behind the things that will not benefit your new life abroad.
5. Take inventory of everything
First and foremost, you need to make a comprehensive list of everything that you plan to transport overseas. Even if there are items you will take with you on the airplane, the movers may have a more efficient method for transporting them and it's best to be safe than sorry.
Take inventory of everything in the house or apartment and make an estimate of how much it'll all cost to ship wherever you're going. This will be a huge help to your budgeting process.
If your move is being paid for by your employer and they provide full-replacement coverage, be sure to note the value of everything you plan on taking with you so that if it gets lost or damaged in transit, you'll have proof of ownership when making your claim. If you must make a claim, this will help speed up the process and ensure a fair reimbursement.
Be sure to take photos or videos of every prized possession that you can't live without. This includes furniture and appliances as well as clothing and other items that may not be easy to replace overseas. If all else fails, this will help your insurance agent assess the cost of replacing these things in their current condition.
6. Ensure your belongings are properly packed before they're loaded
It's important to ensure that your belongings are properly packed before they're loaded. Before the crew loads anything, make sure that everything is in boxes and wrapped with padding.
The easiest way to check is to have each box numbered or labeled with a letter, and then have a list of exactly what's in each one. This will allow you to cross-check them against your inventory list as they're loaded onto the truck. If you don't have this list, the packers can open every box and look inside, but this will take more time and incur additional costs for labor.
Mark all boxes with “Fragile” stickers or tape so that the international cargo movers in Dubai would know which items need special care.
7. Consider how much it will cost to ship your car, if applicable
Moving a vehicle overseas is not always a cost-effective option, but for some expatriates, it can be a necessity. When researching this option, you'll need to consider the following:
- - Whether the country you're moving to has restrictions on importing cars.
- - Whether your car is in good enough condition to pass the technical inspection required by some countries prior to registration.
- - Whether you plan on selling or donating your vehicle before you leave.
- - The cost of car shipping vs. replacing the vehicle in your new home country.
8. Find out whether your belongings will be shipped by air or sea
If you're moving internationally, it's important to find out how your belongings will be shipped: by air or sea. The reason this is important is because sea shipments generally take longer than air shipments and that means your belongings may arrive at their destination before you do. This can present some problems for the person who has agreed to accept the delivery for you. They may not have enough room for all the boxes, so find out in advance what their situation is and make sure they know about it because if the shipment arrives.
9. Find out where to store items
Some people choose to store their items in the home of a family member or friend. Others opt for storage units. If your items are valuable or easily damaged, however, you may want to consider a climate-controlled warehouse, like those offered by Freightlink FZE, one of the most trusted warehousing companies in UAE.
Owners of warehouses take great care in ensuring the safety and security of your items. They'll store your boxes in designated areas and protect them from theft and damage by taking special precautions such as installing security cameras and alarms.
The best part about storing your items in a warehouse is that you won't have to worry about damaging them with changes in weather, especially if the unit has climate controls. Many traditional storage units are not insulated and not heated, which means your items could be damaged if temperatures rise too high or drop too low.
Conclusion
International moving and relocation overseas is a huge change, and it can seem even bigger when you start planning for it. There are a lot of things to consider when you're making plans to leave your friends and family behind. But by addressing the challenges that come with moving overseas head-on, you'll be able to reach your destination—and enjoy life in your new home—much more quickly than when you try to steer clear of those issues at all costs.