Everything You Need to Know When Moving Abroad

You’ve secured the job, found a new home and stocked up on suncream, but now moving day is fast approaching and you’re starting to panic that you’re nowhere near organised. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, Darvills and Benns are on hand with our years of expertise to give you the rundown of everything you need to know when moving abroad!

You don’t need as much as you think you do

When shipping overseas, your belongings will be charged by space, not by weight. You’ll need to fit your belongings into a standard shipping container, and you’ll be charged either for the whole container, or the amount of space you’ve taken up, so the less you take, the cheaper it is. It is easy to get sentimental, especially when you’re leaving your home country, and want to take all of your personal belongings as mementos, but this is an expensive way to travel, and you’ll find that you don’t need half of the things you think you need! Be ruthless and declutter as much as you can, taking only the essentials. Now is the time for a fresh start!

A removals company will take care of your packing

It’s easy for breakages to occur when moving simply down the street, so think about the potential damages to your belongings when moving halfway across the world! The last thing you want is to pay for belongings to be shipped, only to discover they’ve broken in transit! Minimise the risk of breakages by allowing your removal company to pack your belongings up safely and securely. It’s there job to get your belongings there in one piece, so take advantage of it!

The benefit of temporary accommodation

The run up to moving day is likely to be very hectic as you begin to wrap up your life in England. It is likely that you’ll ship your belongings long before you travel to your new home yourself, as overseas shipping can take a few weeks, and you’ll have cut your internet and tv services and began to clean up for the new tenants. With your house in disarray and none of your furniture there, you might be better off staying somewhere else for the duration of your remaining time in England. Whether it’s with family, friends or in a hotel, find somewhere away from the chaos to relax and live comfortably until it’s time to leave.

Check your luggage allowance

There’s bound to be some necessities you need to keep in England with you when your belongings have been shipped, so make sure you check your luggage allowance to ensure you can carry all of your personal items on your flight. if you have enough space, keep back a few essential items for when you arrive at your new home, so you can freshen up and have a cup of tea before you begin unpacking.

Check vehicle restrictions

If you’re planning on taking your car with you, check that you can drive in your destination country. You will also need to ensure that you’ve abided to any regulations to allow the vehicle to be shipped into the country, for example, some shipping companies dictate that cars must be steam cleaned and emptied of fuel before shipping.

Take care of your paperwork

First, ensure you’ve completed all your necessary paperwork, such as visa requirements, tax forms etc., and then make duplicates of all of your important paperwork. Send copies ahead with your shipping and keep copies with you; you never know what information you’ll need handy, and if you lose a copy, at least you’ll have a spare.

For a comprehensive international removal service, look no further than Darvills and Benns. We offer a professional and efficient removal to make relocating abroad as simple as possible, taking care of every detail from planning and logistics to shipping your belongings. For more information, or for your free quote, contact Darvills of Bradford or Benns of Halifax and we’ll be happy to help.