Removals Advice: The two boxes everyone should pack when preparing to move home

Posted on October 4, 2021

The Daily Mail recently revealed in an article published on 4th October 2021,  the two boxes everyone should pack when preparing to move home.  We thought that we’d take their wisdom and add in a little of our own removals advice,  to give you some top tips about how to prepare when you’re getting ready to move home.

  • The Daily Mail suggested that a “Moving Night” box was important, and we agree that this is a great idea to make sure that first night in your new home is comfortable. We suggest that you think about packing a phone/tablet charger, PJ’s, toilet paper, kids favorite toys, your current book, medication etc  –  the stuff that you generally use on a daily basis.
  • The second critical box is the “Build Box” which would contain all your tools that you’ll need to reassemble things like beds – your Mover should assist but they’ll only have basic tools, and certainly no electric power tools , Allan keys and such like  –  so the build box is a great idea to ensure that you can get cracking on fixing up the new house as soon as the removals van arrives at your new home.
tea and biscuits

We also have some of our own removals advice on preparing for an international overseas move.

  • Check that the shipping costs do not outweigh the replacement cost of the item in your destination country.  Something like an old sofa takes up a lot of volume and therefore the costs for moving it internationally may in fact be more that the cost of replacing it in Ikea 
  • Also keep in mind how long you plan to live in this new country, because if you’re only planning on staying for a year or so it might be more cost effective to store everything in your home country and rent the essential furniture overseas for companies like CORTs
  • Go through your wardrobe and separate what you need from what you think you can probably do without. Donate or sell the things you almost never wear — consignment shops are a great option to raise a little extra money for your move, or for the new wardrobe you’ll buy when you arrive. Think about the climate in your new home country and leave behind the clothes that just won’t be practical. Packing for an international move shouldn’t include ten suitcases full of clothes you’re not going to wear.
  • Books, pots and pans, small  electrical appliances — all of those things can be bought in your new home country, and some of the electric appliances may not even be compatible.   These are generally  bulky and heavy that they’ll cost more to pack and transport. If you have an extensive book collection and you’re really attached, consider putting them in a high-quality climate controlled storage unit. Electrical appliances like hair dryers, electric razors, etc. should likely be bought in your new home country. Then you can avoid the need to buy plug or voltage adapters so you can use the outlets, and ensure you have a product that is suited for the voltage of that country means less chance of burning out your electronics.
  • A note about computers and laptops particularly. These days we storage all of our essential data on our PCs so if you’re planning an international move, or you are relocating to another country,  it’s prudent to check with an expert if you require any special adaptors, and make sure that everything is  fully backed up, and that you have the latest anti-virus software updated.  

We also loved what removals advice our friends at International Citizens recommended.

1.     Get Organized – Gather all of your documents and keep both an electronic copy and hard copy somewhere safe. Make sure that any documentation that you will need during your actual journey overseas is kept somewhere that is easily accessible. Next make a list of everything you will need to get done before your trip, then create a timeline. This will help ensure you have everything completed by the date it needs to be done. Items on this list include items like cancelling any services you use like cell phone, electric, internet and cable along with selling your car and home.

2.     Don’t Wait  – Just because you have a timeline with specific deadlines doesn’t mean you need to wait until that day arrives to mark the task off your list. When it comes to getting your visa, immunizations and international health insurance – do these things as soon as possible if you are able to. More items will get added to your list throughout the process and keep you plenty busy.

3.     Research Your Host Country – Knowing the local culture in the country you will be moving to can help you and your family with the transition. Also, keep in mind that culture shock is very common, particularly for non-working spouses as this can be a lonely and traumatizing experience.

ClickMoves is an international moving and relocation company with representation worldwide, so if you’re planning to move internationally and your looking for a quotation for removal service or just some advice, contact us here Free International Moving Quotes Online | Click Moves