General Guide - part 1of 2

The key to a stress free move abroad is the 2 ‘P's, Planning and Preparation. Planning a move abroad is very different from domestic moves, you have to be even more organised. There are many more things to consider and it will take longer than you think. It can take weeks to ship your belongings abroad so you must be organised and leave out anything that you may need for this duration. You will be able to take some of your belongings by plane with you but do check the weight restrictions on your airlines as they can differ.

•  Quotes: Arrange for a least three removal companies to give you a quote. You do need to find a reputable company so always ask for references. Choose your removal company carefully; do not be swayed purely on price. Choose a removal company that suits your circumstance and requirements and ALWAYS ask for references. Our online overseas form will pass on your details to five removal companies in your area who deal with overseas moves. Click on Associations to find out what each means. Please read our F.A.Q section to see what questions to ask your removal team.

•  Packing: If you are moving overseas we would recommend that you have the removal company pack up for you. You can pack yourself but their expertise in packing items for shipping is worth its weight in gold. If you do pack the boxes yourself they will have to labelled on the inventory as PBO ( Packed By Owner) and this can make customs more likely to examine your belongings sometimes causing you a delay and extra costs that would out way what you have saved by packing yourself. If you do pack make sure you start as soon as you know you are moving. Do not leave this until you have an exchange date. For overseas moves it is best to start packing and getting yourself organised 12 weeks before you move, even earlier if possible.

•  Declutter your life: You don't want to take items you never use half way around the world. Shipping costs can be expensive for items you never really use. Dispose of anything you no longer use and sort out paperwork. It is also a perfect time to get on top of filing, contact and cancel any policies you will no longer need in the U.K like building insurance etc.

•  Electrical Goods: Check whether your electrical goods will work in your destination country, this includes mains supply and compatibility. In the case of DVD's they will only work in the region that they are prepared for, the same applies to videos. TV's will work differently in Europe say to the USA so check the government website for the country of your destination. There is not much point paying to ship items with you if they are not going to work when you arrive.

•  Notify: Once you have a completion date contact all relevant companies and services i.e. gas, electric, council, water. See who to contact by using our handy printable list.