Moving overseas is an exciting adventure yet it poses a daunting challenge at the same time. The list of things to do before you go seems endless, not to mention all the information you need to find out about your destination country. There are family and friends to inform, boxes to pack, banking arrangements to make, medical, dental and scholastic records to obtain, reams of paperwork to fill out, possibly a new language to learn, scoreless loose ends to tie up – and the list goes on and on.
Fortunately, you are not the first person or family to move abroad, hence there are many professional tips and tricks to ensure that your relocation goes off smoothly and that Moving Day itself goes off without a hitch.
The first thing to realize is that the process of moving begins long before your actual relocation date! It is never too soon to inform your children that you are moving, to start collecting boxes, and to begin making to-do lists. In fact, the sooner you begin planning and getting organized, the less chaotic you will feel and the greater the chances for international relocation success.
To help you take off on the right track, here are some sound expert moving advice as well as several professional overseas relocation tips and tricks:
- Contact at least three reputable internationals shipping companies to ask for a free shipping quote; research each company thoroughly, asking for references, comparing customer services, and verifying that they are licensed by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)
- If you are shipping a vehicle (car, motorcycle, or boat) internationally and will need access to it soon after you arrive in your destination country, be sure to book a shipping date early on since it can take months to transport a vehicle overseas; you will also need to choose between container shipping and roll-on/roll-off shipping (wherein your vehicle is literally driven on/off the vessel)
- With the expertise offered by your professional movers, decide which of your belongings will be shipped by air or by sea
- Inform your children about the move as early as possible, remembering that not all children react in the same way; encourage your children to express any concerns they have and expect the gamut of emotions, ranging from excitement, anger, bewilderment, crying, sulking, depression, and feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately, if you keep an upbeat attitude, this positive energy will usually trickle down to your kids, whose emotions are likely to evolve over time as they digest the big news
- To help your kids warm up to the idea of relocating, familiarize them with their new neighborhood (i.e. using Google maps), pointing out the locations of schools, bus stops, churches, stores, etc; sign your children up in advance for their favorite extra-curricular activities; allow your kids to help decorate or design their new room; help your kids stay in touch with friends and family members by collecting mail/email addresses and phone numbers
- Summertime is ideal for moving with children, since they are free to help pack/unpack, do not have to interrupt their school year, and have time to make friends and become familiar with their new surroundings before the new academic year begins
- Finally, do not try to do everything yourself! The key to managing a major relocation is to delegate. Distribute age-appropriate tasks to all family members and take advantage of the slew of professional moving services available nowadays, which include packing & unpacking services, door-to-door pickup & delivery, online shipment tracking, and more
Moving overseas is no easy feat; however with help of International Movers NY, you can rest assured that you and your belongings will enjoy a smooth ride and that your cargo will greet you on the other side in a safe and timely manner.