Professionals loading packages overlay

How to Prepare for Movers – Ingenious Hacks That Will Make Your International Move Easy

Posted How-to / July 17, 2022

Moving internationally is a complicated process with numerous activities you must complete if you want things to go without a hitch. Learning how to prepare for movers is one of these tasks. If done correctly, it can speed up and improve the efficiency of the entire process, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

The organization of the goods you will move with you across the world, safeguarding your floors, locating parking spaces for your relocation specialists, and providing them with food and beverages are some of the most crucial steps in the preparation process. The next step is to get a babysitter and decide what to do with the pets. Finding out what goods movers won’t move and avoiding packing them is equally important. So, let’s see how to prepare your home for movers so everything can go smoothly and as planned.

Why Is It Important to Know How to Prepare for Movers

Relocating abroad is a big deal. It’s a time-consuming, stressful process that can be really tough on your emotions and your wallet, but it can be a lot easier if you invest in international moving services. Knowing what to expect and having a plan in place will make the whole process of relocating overseas a lot smoother and less stressful. That’s why preparing for movers and having a couple of hacks up your sleeve is so important.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re preparing for shipping overseas with professionals:

  • Make a list of everything that needs to be packed,
  • Start packing early,
  • Get rid of anything you don’t need,
  • Pack a bag of essentials,
  • Label all of your boxes,
  • Make sure you have enough insurance,
  • Set aside some cash,
  • Have a plan for your pets,
  • Change your address (start with USPS),
  • Take some time to relax.

Now, let’s elaborate further on these pieces of advice and see what else you can do to avoid unnecessary relocation stress.

Make an Inventory List of Everything You Are Moving Abroad

Keep a detailed inventory of everything you own so you can keep track of it as it is being boxed and unboxed for overseas transport. If you’re packing your lights, for instance, you can indicate the type of lamp (floor or desk), its condition, and how many of each there are. You can mark off each lamp as it is unwrapped once your shipment is delivered, making it simple to identify those that were lost or damaged in transit.

Don’t Forget to Declutter Before Moving Overseas

If you have a lot of possessions, hiring packers may become expensive. Plan to sort through your belongings before moving day and determine what you wouldn’t like to take with you to your future house and what to pack. Have a yard sale, donate unwanted items to charity, or advertise your nearly new or unused products online.

By getting rid of extra items that will only sit around your new house gathering dust, you will significantly reduce the expense of your international move. Items you might want to donate include appliances, toys, used clothing and shoes, and various trinkets found around your home.

Write Down All the Items That Will Be Handled by You

You won’t have to worry about any packing, wrapping, or loading if you employ full-service movers who also offer packing services. Although it’s likely that you’ll get to your new house before your shipment does, you’ll still need to bring a few things with you. These items should be placed in a box or bag that you transfer to your new residence on your own.

You should include the following items in your first night’s essentials:

Your movers also shouldn’t handle confidential documents, pricey jewelry, or heirlooms because they may contain private information or be incredibly valuable. These items should be packaged by you.

There are instances when you wish to pack fragile, difficult, or uncommon objects in a certain way. It can take longer than doing it yourself to try to explain to your packers how you want unique objects packaged, and there is no assurance that they will box them precisely the way you prefer unless you decide to pay for custom crating.

Guaranteed prices for International Moving. No hidden fees or surprises! Get a Quote

Make a Photo-Inventory of Items Handled by The International Moving Company

Your phone can be used for one of the best hacks in the move-out preparatory phase. So, what’s that got to do with figuring out how to prepare for professional movers? Even though it may seem absurd, one of the most crucial things to do while packing to move abroad is to take numerous pictures.

Take many pictures of each object that will be moved by the movers from various perspectives, including close-up pictures. If any of them are damaged when they are delivered, the photos will demonstrate that it happened while the objects were being handled by the movers or while they were in transit. Before the movers arrive and unhook the cables in order to pack the items, take a few images of the backs of any electronics and home appliances that have a lot of cables, wires, or hoses. This will make unpacking after the move and re-wiring your new home’s gadgets and appliances considerably simpler.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to take pictures of your former house’s general condition before moving out, the utility meter readings on move-out day, and the contents of each moving box before sealing them up (especially if you are in a rented property).

Prepare Your Home for the Moving Day

You are responsible for properly preparing and safeguarding both your old and future homes prior to the arrival of the movers. You must prevent water damage to your home if it rains, snows, ice, or sleets. No matter the season, we advise using covers or a tarp to protect hardwood floors from harm. Finally, breaking a mover’s leg on moving day is the very last thing you would like to happen. We advise using salt in ice or snowy circumstances if the weather makes your walkways or doorsteps slick.

Ensure All the Furniture Can Fit Through the Front Door

It’s likely that a reputable moving company will have little trouble carrying your furniture from your old house to your new one. However, your movers might need a heads-up if entrances are too narrow or if the furniture is particularly heavy and enormous. This enables them to prepare in advance and provide the appropriate moving supplies. To make sure your couches, pianos, and other large objects will fit through your doorway or window, measure them.

Have a Designated Packing Zone In Your Home

One way to help keep your home organized and one of the best relocation hacks when it comes to figuring out how to prepare for movers to pack is to create a designated packing zone. This is an area of your home where you can keep all of your packing supplies and boxes. Here are some tips for creating a designated packing zone in your home:

  • Choose a location. It should be an area that is easily accessible and where you have enough space to store all of your packing materials. A good place to create your packing zone might be in the garage, in a spare bedroom, or in a storage closet.
  • Gather your supplies. This might include boxes, packing tape, markers, labels, and other materials. You can find these items at most hardware stores or online.
  • Organize your supplies because this will help you to be more efficient and will prevent you from forgetting anything.
    Label everything because it will help you to easily find what you need when you are unpacking at your future residence.

Ensure That Overseas Shipping Company Can Easily Access Your Home

Parking is a straightforward but crucial aspect that is frequently forgotten when relocating. The driver will probably phone you on the move-out day to ask where to park and to inform you they are on their way.

Find a Suitable Parking Space

Make sure the professionals have a place to park their enormous trucks if you haven’t already arranged it with a representative at the relocation company. If you want to park somewhere other than your own driveway, you’ll need to get a parking permit to park on the street or special authorization to park in a shared driveway.

Alert the Neighbors About Your Move

Once you’ve decided on a relocation date, it’s a good idea to let your neighbors know that you’ve hired a moving company so they can prepare for the arrival of the large moving truck. If you reside in an apartment building, be sure to inform the tenancy office ahead of time so that parking (and, if necessary, elevators) can be booked for the relocation team.

Keeping the Pathway Clean Will Speed up the Loading Process

It is important to keep pathways clean not only for appearance’s sake but also for safety reasons. Cleaning up any trip hazards ensures that everyone can move about freely without fear of injury. In addition, a clear pathway makes it easier to spot potential hazards such as spills, so the relocation truck and its crew can park and do their job without any hassle.

Don’t Forget to Hire a Sitter for Your Kids and Pets

It’s not a good idea to juggle kids and boxes at the same time. Having to watch your youngster while a team of movers is at your house will only cause you to become distracted from the job at hand. Because of this, we strongly advise getting help on the day of your move if you have young children and are moving.

You’ll need a trustworthy adult who can supervise your child, whether it’s a sitter, daycare, family member, or friend. This will not only prevent the movers from tripping over your toddler who is crawling, but it will also maintain your child’s daily feeding and sleep schedule on track.

Also, if you’re taking your pets to live abroad with you, ensure you have a strategy for them before the movers show up there. Remember that the front door will need to be left wide open so that the movers can load and unload their vehicles. Relocating with pets is much easier if you think of a plan ahead of time.

Prepare Some Snacks and Tips for Professional Movers

One of the important relocation tips for the move-out days is to ensure you have cash available prior to the movers showing up. While opinions on tipping vary from individual to individual, many experts will advise you to give your movers either a decent flat charge or 5 percent of the overall price (split among the movers).

The whole contents of your home can be moved from one place to another swiftly and efficiently thanks to the hard work of movers. It’s a laborious task that calls for a lot of diligence, talent, and backbreaking work. Offering food, such as snacks, bottles of water, and a delivered lunch is a lovely way to express your gratitude.

If you want to spare some time and prepare the snacks by yourself, the following video shows some great ideas.

Take a Deep Breath and Relax, Overseas Moving Company Will Handle the Rest

Relocating to another country can be an extremely stressful experience. There are a million things to think about and organize, not to mention the added worry of making sure everything arrives at your new home safe and sound. But there’s no need to panic – an experienced overseas moving company will take care of everything for you, from packing and shipping a car to customs clearance and delivery. All you need to do is take a deep breath and relax – your move will be in good hands, and they will do everything so you can move efficiently.

Kate Holland

A true grunge and rock music fan born in Seattle, Kate has moved across the country and started writing about her experience.

Free Moving Estimate

    Preferred Method Of Contact:*

      Preferred Method Of Contact:*

        Preferred Method Of Contact:*
        Get a Free Estimate Call 855-879-6683Call: 855-879-6683