Relocating your house invariably involves an intensive amount of planning and preparation, from packaging to loading goods to unloading and resettling. Moving overseas however is a different ball game altogether. There are crucial decisions to be made regarding what to move to your new home. It helps if you have a floor plan of the new location which would help you determine and eliminate the surplus material. In the absence of the floor plan however its important to make sure that you let go of stuff that is not absolutely essential. It is advisable to not ship important documents (like birth certificates, marriage certificates, family documents etc) fire arms, aerosol cans, open bottles containing liquids, live plants and other perishable items.
The two available options- either contact a moving company (there are companies like Intlmove which specialize in relocating residences overseas, and take on their hands all procedures right from packing to resettling. But they require you to contact them about three months before the move is due) or do it yourself. If you decide to do the packing yourself there are some pointers that might come in handy- for bulky or heavy items like books use small boxes, secure carefully the bottoms of the boxes, never pack over the edge of the container, fit items inside one another (especially kitchen ware and utensils), breakable items should be packed individually between layers of paper, wrap rugs and carpets in plastic rolls, remove fuel from power gear and when possible wrap them in their original packing.
Moving overseas is a complicated process and can be rife with unforeseen obstacles, 'be prepared' for anything. Insurance is available to cover any kind of damage to your personal belongings, right from the time they are picked up from your house till they are dropped to your new home. You can pick from two options, according to your specific needs- 1. All risk insurance, which covers your goods for any and every kind of damage which might happen on the way 2.
Total loss insurance can be claimed if and only if all your goods are lost or damaged. In either case you are required to prepare a 'declared value' inventory which lists the costs and replacement value for all your goods. All risk insurance, its important to know, is not available for household goods packed by the owner. If All risk insurance is to be claimed, more often than not, the involvement of a moving company is mandatory.
Your vehicles can be shipped in two different ways: RO/RO (roll on/roll off) or an exclusive container. In the prior, the vehicle is driven to the port, loaded in a protective compartment and then driven off from the port of destination while in the latter the automobile stays inside the container at all times. You also have the option of packing goods with the car, in the container. Shipping costs are based on the total volume or weight of your belongings. The transportation costs can be considerably reduced if you avail of the 'door to port' option, especially if you are familiar with the place you are going to. It is advisable that you should be present personally when your shipment arrives. But in case that is not possible, it is crucial to make an adult representative available.
Moving overseas, across international borders can be made a pleasurable and hassle free process with the use of a little foresight and careful planning.
