Moving Overseas | Packing up your household goods
What are the best ways to pack for moving overseas?
If you are moving overseas, there are so many resources these days which enable you to hire people to pack up your goods. Of course, this can be quite an expensive option. The alternative is that you can do the packing yourself.
Whilst this will be a personal choice, I would add that getting the correct supplies is a relatively easy thing to do. Items such as shrink wrap, tape, boxes and lots and lots of bubblewrap can easily be found on eBay or via a quick search of the internet.
The important thing is that your precious goods are well protected on their journey. Really spend some time and educate yourself on how to pack your goods safely and properly. Remember that at sea cargo ships can often encounter up to 20 metre swells. If not packed properly, your belongings can shift inside the shipping container. Your goods must be packed well and secured well in the container to avoid damage.
Another element we like to highlight is the importance of cargo insurance. Whilst packing goods properly will help avoid damage in most circumstances, there are occasionally exceptional situations where damage may still occur. Extreme weather by its nature is unpredictable and can cause damage to a ship and its cargo. Cargo insurance can also help cover unforeseen costs should anything unexpected happen, such as delays, strike action at ports or any other event.
Having said that, we’ll come back to the packing side of things
Some simple and basic packing tips to begin.
We’ve put together the following list that we believe cover most of the essentials for packing up a household for relocation.
- Decide if you want to pack your own goods or hire someone else to do it. This will typically be a time vs cost decision.
- Work out exactly what pieces you will take with you and which pieces you will sell or give away. Depending upon the size of your household you will need to consider shipping container volume.
- Buy your packing materials and supplies if you are doing it yourself.
- Ensure that you give yourself enough lead time to properly pack up all your belongings.
- Create a packing list of everything you have packed and are taking. This is not only for your own use, but also for Customs at the destination end. Take pictures of goods if necessary.
- Label all boxes. This will be of immense help to you at the other end.
- If you are using a removalist to transload your goods from your house into the container at the bond store, check with us when you need to book them so everything runs smoothly. Ask if you can accompany the removalists or meet them at the bond store. This way you can oversee the loading of the shipping container.
- Alternatively, you may have elected to have the container dropped onto your land or have a truck and the container wait outside your property while you load it. Ensure that you have plenty of people to help you pack and secure your goods within the container. You will need to buy straps and use blankets to help buffer the movement within the container. Keep in mind those 20 metre swells at sea.
- Check that you have transit insurance (either yours or the removalist) – this will insure you goods while they are being transported from your home to the bond store or wharf.
- This last step is important if you are packing a container at your place of residence. When the container has been locked and sealed, record and send us a the seal number. We will need this for your documentation. Additionally or alternatively, take a photo of the seal and seal number and send us that also.
Some internet links which you may find useful for overseas relocations.
Hiring a box packer.
http://www.hireapacker.com.au/about/
See if you can find local companies to do this for you.
Or gather together a bunch of friends and/or do it yourself. Be sure to watch some of the youtube videos
Buying Boxes, bubblewrap etc.
https://www.hireabox.com.au/buy-boxes/
http://www.boxngoboxes.com.au/index.html
http://www.themovingboxcompany.com.au/categories/The-Moving-Packs/
http://www.packingboxes.com.au/
http://a1bargainboxes.com.au/Moving-boxes
https://www.ashcroftpackaging.com.au/shop/browse/id/54
Also try doing a search on ebay or check out bunnings for packaging as well.
Youtube Videos on helpful packing hints.
If you look down the right hand side of youtube – there are many more examples. Packing small goods is easy. For bigger goods and if you are electing to pack your own container. These videos may be quite useful for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4I5W7BmMns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6s_LsLdv0o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9O_FifvlS8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrPZ_VGr7-M
Removalists
Check out your classified ads in your local paper. Prices can vary widely. Ensure that they understand they are delivering your goods to a bond store and packing your container for you. Ask if they can provide any strapping necessary to tie down any heavier goods within the container.
Do a local internet search for ‘removalists’, ‘household removals’
If you are moving from interstate. This is the easiest and most cost effective option for you. You pack the goods and the removalist loads your goods – drives to the bond store and packs your container for you. We can notify the bond store re the arrival of the removalist and so on.
Planning is crucial at this stage so that everything runs smoothly, and there are no extra costs incurred due to hold ups or bad planning.
