It hardly needs to be said but moving abroad is a lot more involved than moving within the same country. To do the job with the least amount of effort you’ll almost certainly need much more than just a man with a van. The obvious starting point is to look for a removals firm that offer an overseas service. Much depends on how far you are moving. Overseas could be a small jump from the UK to France for instance, which may simply mean crossing the channel. Perhaps little more involved than any homeland move. Just fill up the removals van and away you go. But if your move involves going much further afield then the task really does need some consideration.

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It’s best to start thinking about who to use well in advance. You’ll want to find a moving company that’s well experienced in moving to other countries. You need a company who’ll help you file any necessary paper work and has strong links with shipping and overseas storage facilities. You’ll need to consider the options concerning the shipping methods and how best to coordinate your move. There’s no use arriving at your new house in Australia only to face a 6 week wait for your furniture to arrive. The most cost effective option to move your possessions is nearly always by sea especially if you’ve got several years worth of belongings. It’s perhaps an opportune time to take a holiday or rent until your ship arrives. A popular alternative is to ship your stuff ahead of time and manage without in your old home. Chances are you’ll have friends who’ll lend you a camp bed and a few deck chairs for several weeks.

As with any other move it pays to be organised. Go through your house and rid yourself of anything you’ve not used for the last two years. Start packing and labelling boxes well before your move date. Think about your new home and what will be needed there. Are there additional things you need to buy to make for a comfortable life in your new country of residence? If you don’t intend taking your car(s) look to sell in good time. Don’t leave it too late as you’ll nearly always end up panicking and compromising on price. Some of your electrical items may also be incompatible with power output overseas so you’ll nearly always be better off selling them and renewing later.

 

Your life will no doubt be very different once you have moved. Integrating into a new county can at times be challenging. But if you have planned well you can at least look forward to settling into a new house reasonably quickly. When everything else in your life has changed you’ll find there is something comforting in having your familiar belongings around you.