Moving countries doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. It will no doubt have its obstacles and challenges, but it needn’t be stressful so long as you plan everything. One thing certainly worth planning is the actual moving of possession, the logistics of it, understanding the regulations and companies you’re involving and so on. This article serves as a guide on renting a moving company – and how there’s still a lot of planning that goes into it, even choosing a company, let alone the move itself.
How to pack
First thing first – make sure you leave yourself enough time. It’s common that if you leave it late because when you look around, you can’t see that much stuff that needs doing, you’re usually critically underestimating how much you have.
The next thing is to make sure you have the right stuff, providing that you’re not paying for the removal company to pack everything too. This is the most likely scenario because it saves money to do yourself, and you can also be extra careful when packing precious goods and dividing stuff up into boxes that make sense to you. You’ll need a lot of boxes (a lot!), but of varying sizes too. Some heavy-duty ones, as well as packing tape, old newspapers and bubble wrap.
Finally, use a marker to denote the categories of the boxes clearly, and don’t overfill them, as this can cause a lot of issues down the line. Also, try not to exceed 30ish pounds for a box, but equally make sure there are not loads of gaps and half-empty boxes – be efficient with your space.
The best way to transport your goods
If you have very little to pack, then flying it over can be economical. In fact, some people are able to move with just some additional luggage with their flight over, and perhaps the leftovers are sent with air mail.
When you have actual furniture, paintings, PCs, photo boxes and so on – you may want to look at shipping. You can send around 500 cubic feet of goods to Australia from the UK for around £2000 (AUD $3750). The price depends on the size, but this can often be the most convenient method where everything is kept in one place for one price.
The latter option usually involves a serious amount of help regarding goods removal too. You can usually benefit from a bunch of strong people at your door, ready to carry your heavy furniture into their mode of transit. If you pay a little extra, removal companies will also do the packing for you, but this isn’t required unless you’re either older or seriously lack the time to do so.
Why it’s important to compare prices
The price of these shipments and removal companies is a lot. It runs into the thousands very quickly, and comparing prices is one of the key factors in your decision. Of course, before you compare the prices of all companies and methods, whittle it down to just a handful of very respected, trustworthy companies. The last thing you want to do is to take chances with your life possessions.
Importance of communication
When dealing with your life belongings – your most treasured possessions – it’s important that you leave nothing to chance. Clear and precise communication with the removal company is crucial.
The most important thing here is helping identify all the goods that need moving and those that do not. The last thing you want is to pay a few grand to send off your possessions and see they took nothing in the office room. In fact, it’s a good idea to hang around and give them a hand. This way, they’ll appreciate and take extra care of your fragile items, as well as be on hand to point out anything, such as what to keep behind.
Understanding Australian regulations
The movement of household goods is a threat to Australia, and so they have a biosecurity control over it, contra banning certain items. Take the regulated items very seriously, as border control must strictly stick to protocol. The following items are banned:
- Fresh, perishable food
- Live plants
- Restricted seeds
- Animals (unless you have a permit)
- Some plant-based medications
- Soiled goods
- Goods that are commonly infected with a disease.
Additionally, you should follow the appropriate protocol for items you do bring, too. For example, kitchenware must be very clean, vacuum cleaners must be removed from their waste, garden furniture must be cleaned of any soil and so on.
Cultural differences
It’s worth checking online if there are cultural differences compared to your native country. If tipping is expected when receiving services such as removals… you want to know about it. This is a good chance to start off on the right foot.
Luckily for you, Australians are extremely laid back. This means you’ll unlikely run into problems of offence – it would almost require a certain extra effort to be offensive in Australia – so don’t panic.
Getting to know your neighbours
It’s ideal to visit your neighbourhood before moving. Perhaps during the process of viewing an apartment to buy/rent is your chance to knock on the neighbour’s door and introduce yourself. It makes a world of difference and will lessen anxiety knowing you’ve already got to know your friendly neighbours.
Other people are always the greatest help when you least expect it. From helping you move stuff physically to offering advice on the best local doctor, chatting with your new neighbours is going to be your biggest resource for knowledge on how to figure life out in your new place.
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