Packing Essentials for Your International Move

You are going to live abroad! Yes, that is incredibly exciting, but as the excitement fades, you will soon be facing the step before the actual relocation and start living your brand new and interesting life: the packing and moving house session. Packing is not the hellish job people usually believe it to be – it merely requires some diligence and thoroughness on your part. And most of all, it requires you to know what you need for a successful packing. The biggest problem with packing for an international relocation is that all your items will be going through customs, and, depending on the country you are going to, you might be charged for it, so you only need the essentials for the trip. And if you are having an air shipment, then you surely need only the most basic items and be ruthless to your baggage. Throw away all the clutter and all the extra items you might not need. Here is what you need for the packing, and the essentials to be packed:

The Packing Supplies

• Pen and notepad.

  Of course you need a notepad, how else will you make a moving checklist? Pen down every single item in the notepad, and you can – and should – make a copy for the moving company as well, if you are using one.

• Cardboard boxes.

  You do not need specific boxes, and the only specifics your boxes need is that they have a lid and don’t have to be taped up before use. You can get cardboard boxes from everywhere: your moving company most likely sells them, along with all the other packing supplies, and for international relocations you would be wise to take advice from your moving company as it could save you a lot of grief over using worn boxes for a long travelling session. If you are not going to be particularly picky with your boxes, just ask local grocery or liquor shops for spare boxes with lids, they will surely have some to give away.

• Labels or permanent marker.

  You will need, of course, to identify the contents of the boxes before you open them. Label your boxes while making the moving checklist with a marker or sticky labels.

• Packing paper and / or bubble-wrap.

  All the items cannot be simply thrown in the empty boxes. You need to have some buffer paper, or you need to pack every item as the travel is long and it can be a bumpy ride. For packing paper you don’t have to buy anything special, you can just use old newspaper.

• Packing tape.

  After all, you do need something to hold the boxes together. Make sure you bring a knife or scissors for the unpacking.

The Essential Packing

• Clothing and shoes

  Of course you will need to have something to wear once you get to your new place.

• Cookware

  This is optional, as you can get new cookware and save yourself the fee at customs for taking forks and knifes across the border.

• Beddings, linen, and towels

  You will need to have something to sleep on. These are light items so they will not cost you much if they charge you at customs.

• Entertainment

  You will need something to do when you get there. You can’t just go out and hope for the best, bring yourself books, video games, and other types of entertainment. It is vital you bring toys for your children so that they can keep occupied and away from the stress of the sudden change.

Get Insurance!

Of course, do not forget to insure all your belongings! This is vital as your items will be going over hundreds of miles, and you need some kind of insurance and something to lean on in case of accidents.

And with this you should be able to face the relocation without a hitch. Start packing and be thorough about the labelling and the checklist, and you will have no problems when loading and unpacking after you arrive in your new home. If you packed lightly, you should also have no problems with customs, so once the moving company gets your belongings at your new home, you can get ready for your new life to start.