Top 5 Packing Tips For Moving Overseas

Packing your whole life to move to another city can be all sorts of exciting and challenging. The longer you’ve stayed in one place and struck your roots, the more difficult it will be to uproot yourself and venture into a new location. The process of packing and moving can be even more difficult if you’re moving to not just another city or state but another country entirely.

There will be many other factors to consider on top of the emotional challenges you need to overcome, making the process overwhelming. After all, besides the emotional toll of moving, there is also a matter of logistics. The longer you’ve stayed in one place, the more physical belongings you’ll have amassed. While there are some things you can and need to let go of, there are more that you’ll need to pack and send overseas to your new home. 

The best way to handle such a situation is to focus on accomplishing one task at a time. To help you out, this article will cover the top five tips for packing and how to ensure that your belongings arrive at your final destination safely:

1. Consider your length of stay 

The biggest question to answer would be: how long are you going to stay overseas? 

If you’re moving to another country to study, work a temporary job, or any other reason that will limit your stay, then it’s best to pack accordingly. While the length of your stay will still be significantly longer, it doesn’t make sense to gather all your earthly possessions, pack, and send them overseas with you. 

Instead, take some personal items, like your best clothes, documents, and the things you need for work or study. This includes your laptop computers, essential electronic gadgets, and other such implements. However, if it is a permanent move, consider bringing some sentimental possessions and other items to help you feel rooted and avoid feeling homesick. 

Resist the temptation to hoard any preferred cosmetic products and personal care items that may not be available in your country of destination. They take a lot of space in your luggage and can get ruined due to drastic temperature changes. Instead, it’s best to find available alternatives in the local market you’re going to.

Regardless of the length of your stay, it’s crucial to bring enough supply of any prescription medicine—a good rule of thumb would be to have at least two to three months’ worth of supply. This should tide you over as you get settled in your new home while looking for a new doctor who can monitor your condition and give you a prescription for the medication you need. 

2. Factor in the size of your new accommodations 

If your new home will be significantly smaller than your current one, it makes sense to pare down the items you’ll bring with you. Aside from the expenses of global moving and shipping, you don’t want your new home to feel cluttered from the get-go! Besides, buying locally, especially when it comes to furniture, will be cheaper and more convenient than shipping them. 

If you’re moving away for good, it’s best to sell your old furniture and use the money to buy a new set in your new home. 

3. Take note of the weather conditions 

When packing clothes, it’s crucial to consider weather conditions in the specific part of the country that you’re going to. For example, if you’re moving towards an area with colder conditions, such as Minnesota to Edmonton, you’re probably going to be needing and packing at least one set of winter clothes. However, if you’re moving from a temperate climate to a tropical country, then you’ll need to leave those bulky jackets and fur-lined boots behind. 

Likewise, it’s probably best to leave expensive artwork and fine wooden musical instruments, as they will not fare well with drastic temperature changes. That being said, there are international fine art moving companies who will handle the shipping if a particular art piece bears significant value to you. 

4. Leave fragile items in storage, family, or sell them

Letting go of some of your prized possessions can be difficult, so it’s wise to leave the possessions you can’t bring with you to your family. This way, you can still use them when you come back or have somebody else use and maintain them while you’re away. 

If you have no family nearby, you can always leave them in storage. Take note, however, that you will have to pay a monthly fee, and there is a risk of the storage facility being looted or being razed by a fire (or some other natural calamity). However, the chances of these are relatively slim, and your items will most likely stay safe. 

Paying for storage can be expensive, so most people just sell their belongings in the months and weeks before moving. This option can be challenging, as you’ll have to get rid of your items quickly, which means you’ll have to sell them at a bargain. Potential buyers know this, which means they will haggle at even lower prices. 

5. Be familiar with importation limits in your country of destination

Most countries have a definite set of rules regarding which items can legally enter their borders. This is especially true for certain pets and plants that may be considered invasive species in your country of destination. 

It’s also crucial to determine whether you may be carrying drugs that are considered illicit in your new overseas home. This is particularly crucial for people coming from certain US states that have made recreational use of cannabis legal. If you’re going to countries where cannabis is still illicit, then you’ll have to leave your supply, along with any other related paraphernalia behind. 

If you have a prescription for it, you may get a special dispensation to bring the substance with you. However, this will vary from country to country, and you should check in beforehand instead of risking deportation or, worse, incarceration. 

Conclusion 

Uprooting yourself and packing your whole life to live somewhere else can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding as you open yourself to new opportunities. You’ll more than likely meet several challenges along the way as you get acclimated to your new environment. However, the process of moving doesn’t have to be more challenging than it already is! Use the five helpful tips that we provided in this article, and you should be on your way to settling and striking roots in your new home. 

Are you looking for a service that caters to overseas shipping? 1 Stop Pack N Ship is a global moving and shipping company based in Maryland City. We offer services in moving, domestic and international shipping, and cargo and freight shipping. Contact us today to learn more about our services!