If you have decided that this is the year that you are going to go for it and move abroad, then this is a really exciting time! However, to ensure that your move goes smoothly it is important to make sure that you have covered everything and have everything well organised before you go ahead and get on that plane to start your new life overseas!
There are lots of things to sort out and check before you make a big move to another country. Here are some of them…
Your Home
If you own your home in the UK, think about what you want to do with it. This depends on how long you are moving for and it might be that you want to keep your home here for a while to give you a safety net if things don’t work out as you wanted them to.
You could put your furniture into a storage facility like this self storage Dudley based company https://www.anchorselfstorage.co.uk/ and rent the house out. This way you will also have an income coming in from the rent.
It might be that you want to sell your property to fund your trip, so this is the time to get your house ready to sell and to speak to local estate agents about getting your property on the market.
Work
It might be that you are moving abroad specifically for a work opportunity, or it may be other reasons for the move, but you will need to sort out how you will earn a living when you are there. Check the rules and the paperwork needed for people from other countries being able to work there. You don’t want to get over there and find yourself unable to work due to incorrect paperwork!
Paperwork and Documentation
Speaking of paperwork, there is likely to be a lot of things that you will need to organise before you go abroad to live. Things like health care and health insurance should be considered, as well as the important documents like your passport which will need to be valid to travel to another country. Spending time now looking into the documents that you will need will reduce the risks of anything happening to cause problems for your move.
Related: Which European countries have Golden Visa schemes?
Getting your furniture to your new home
Air travel limits how much you can take with you, so most people moving abroad need to ship furniture and larger belongings separately. Start by having a thorough clear-out, since shipping costs depend on volume. Think about whether each item will suit your new home: rooms, climate and style can be very different, and a piece that works here may not fit there. Anything you leave behind can be sold to help fund the move, or given to a furniture reuse charity.
When you know roughly how much you are taking, get quotes from several international removal firms and compare what is included, such as packing, insurance and delivery to the door. Most household moves go by sea, often in a shared or dedicated container, and the journey can take several weeks, so plan to manage without your things for a while after you arrive. Keep a detailed inventory, and check the destination country’s customs rules on what you can bring in.
Shipping your belongings overseas
Deciding how much to take with you is a big part of planning the move. If you are going for a long time or for good, you may want to bring much of your furniture, which means finding a company that can transport it internationally. Shipping everything by sea in a container is usually the cheapest option. Items are loaded in and the container is closed with a security seal to keep the contents safe on the journey.
If you are only going for a year or two, you might keep some belongings in storage and travel lighter. Think about what is worth the cost of moving and what would be simpler to replace once you arrive.
Work out the timing too. Goods sent by ship take longer than you do, so plan for the gap between landing and your furniture arriving, and make sure you have somewhere to live lined up for when it does.