7 Things Every Moving To-Do List Needs to Have

Why Is It So Important to Prepare a Moving To-Do List?

When planning on moving overseas, you should know that the key to a stress-free and smooth relocation is a good moving list of things to do. That is why we find having a moving abroad checklist is necessary and will help you out enormously throughout this process. Moving internationally doesn’t have to be dreadful if you find a good strategy to cope with all the tasks that need to be done.

Whether you are relocating abroad on your own or with your family, you have to start preparing at least a month or two in advance. Not giving yourself enough time to organize and prepare each segment of your relocation process will lead to you creating tons of relocation mistakes. That’s why it’s important to find the best relocation date that fits your reasons for the move and your ability to prepare quickly. In case you’re wondering, “How do I make a moving schedule?” this article is here to help you. Here are the top seven things you should have on your relocation checklist.

#1 Your Relocation Budget and All of the Expenditures

Most people try googling “is there a checklist for moving?” when they want to organize for the move, but there is something you should keep in mind. Your checklist for relocating across the world should be customized and tailored according to your needs, preferences, and budget. Balancing finances abroad is not an easy task, which is why you need to make sure you know exactly where your money is going.

Once you make the decision to relocate and live in another country, set a budget for yourself and begin with calculations. There are plenty of expenditures your budget will go through during relocations, but keep in mind the next few are most necessary:

• Hiring professional movers,
• Travel arrangements,
• Fee for the real estate agent,
• At least two months’ worth of rent and living expenses,
• Packaging supplies,
• Car shipping (in case you own a car).

If you are worried about relocating on a low budget, you can always learn some tips on budgeting from people on youtube that have plenty of experience in balancing finances. If you’re interested in this topic, check the video below:

#2 Checklist for an Organized Packing Process

It’s always a good idea to put all of these requirements on your relocating checklist, just so you don’t forget them. If you want your moving packing list to be as organized as possible, you should consider fulfilling some of these next few tasks. Skipping some of these could mess up your whole boxing process, so keep in mind that you should begin boxing up at least three weeks before your move date. Let’s take a look at all the tasks that should be finished before you start boxing things up.

Start by Decluttering Your Home

Shipping overseas isn’t cheap, and not every single item from your old home needs to be moved. Thankfully, decluttering will help you save both time and money. So what do you need to do before you move? Get rid of all the unnecessary items from your house. Anything that is old, broken, easily replaceable, or you just don’t use anymore should not be on your packing list.

The things that you don’t want to move to your new house should be sold or donated to the ones in need. There are plenty of organizations that could help you send your things to families that require help, such as GoodWill. A great tip is to begin by first decluttering the room in your house that you rarely use, such as the basement or the attic.

Prepare the Inventory List of All the Items You’re Planning to Move

Whether you’re boxing up your belongings on your own or hiring an international moving company to provide you with their best packing service, a moving inventory list for the organized boxing-up process is essential. Packing to move is quite a complex task, but with the right strategy, and the help of your list, everything will go much more smoothly.

Gather Needed Packing Materials

Once you have your inventory list, you’ll know approximately how many boxes and supplies you’ll need to protect your belongings. You should gather all the necessities such as boxes and containers for the items in different sizes, bubble wrap and packaging paper and tape, tape guns, permanent markers for labeling boxes, and other similar things.

If you know you’re going to be packing fragile items, remember to gather more protecting materials, covers, and paddings. For some highly valuable items that you’re not sure how to pack and protect, you can always contact professional movers to book a custom crating service. That way, you can be one hundred percent certain that your valuable belongings will remain safe throughout the transport.

#3 Hire an Overseas Moving Company Weeks in Advance

When relocating to another country, it’s always good to hire some professional movers to help you out with the process. If you decide you’d rather have professional assistance, begin searching for companies at least a month or two in advance. You’ll have to research a few companies just so you can compare the estimates. You want the estimate to fit your budget the best, so before booking the overseas shipping company, be sure you know how much money you have to spend.

You can usually update your inventory list a few days before the relocation date, but it’s always good to know approximately how many items you’ll be carrying. Don’t forget to research the company you’re planning on hiring so you don’t fall for some relocation scams. Carefully research them online, read through their reviews, find their USDOT number, and contact them to ask any questions you may have.

Consider Getting Moving Insurance and Storage Services

International relocating by sea can often be unpredictable, and you have to be prepared for every possible scenario. In these kinds of situations, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Getting relocating insurance is a must, and you shouldn’t think twice about it. There are minimal chances that something is going to happen to your belongings, but you don’t want the relocation stress of worrying about “what if” scenarios.

On the other hand, storage services are great when you’re relocating to another country. Once you come to your new house, you probably won’t be opening all of the boxes at once. The things you know you won’t use immediately can be placed in storage units. You’ll get some of your belongings out of your way, and they’ll be safe and protected there.

#4 Gather All the Documents Needed for Relocation

If you’re wondering what you need to do before your move, begin gathering all of the important documents for traveling abroad at least a few weeks before the move to make sure you have everything you require. You should also inform yourself in advance about the type of visa you have to have for your relocation, depending on the reason for your move. For example, if you’re going on an employee relocation, you’ll probably require a working visa, and if you are relocating for school, a student visa.

However, there are certain types of documentation that you’ll have to carry with you, no matter the reason. Some of those documents are birth certificates, medical records, dental records, school records, social security cards, driver’s license, and documents for your car in case you’re shipping your vehicle overseas. If you’re relocating with your pet, don’t forget to bring over pet vaccination records.

#5 Transfer Utilities and Notify Others About Your New Address

One of the tasks many people often forget about when relocating is transferring utilities. Remember to call all the needed companies about your change of address. Call the telephone, internet, and other utility companies to let them know on which date you’ll be leaving your old house and changing your address. Once you’ve done shutting off your utilities back home, begin contacting the foreign service providers. Usually, you can find all the needed information online on the website of the municipality you’re relocating to.

#6 Final Preparations for the Relocating Day

What should I do 2 weeks before moving? As your relocation day starts approaching, you should be finishing all the boxing up work and gathering documents and begin focusing on the relocation day itself. At this point, you should already stop buying groceries and begin cleaning out your fridge. Also, remember to clean out and defrost your freezer.

Check to see if you’ve put everything you have on your inventory list. If you haven’t listed everything, notify your movers about the adjustments. Prepare for the movers by labeling all of the boxes and cleaning out your apartment properly. You should prepare some refreshments, drinks, and food for your movers and yourself because you will certainly need it after finishing all the work.

If you have your kids, or you’re relocating with your dog, have a plan for them as well. Once the movers come to your home, you won’t have time to look after them, so ask your friends and family if they can babysit.

Preparing an Essentials Box for the First Few Days in Your New Home

If you’ve never relocated before, you probably don’t know that the first few nights in your home abroad can go pretty chaotic. You will probably be too tired to unpack boxes, but you’ll still want to use some of your personal belongings, such as fresh clothes, electronic devices, toiletries, and other similar items you use on a daily basis.

That’s why you shouldn’t forget to prepare an essentials box for the first few days at your new place. Everyone’s essential box is different because it’s supposed to be tailored to your personal needs. Figure out what you use on a daily basis, and you can’t go without and put it in the box. Because you should keep it with you at all times, label it properly so it doesn’t accidentally go into the mover’s truck.

#7 Things That Need to Be Done Once You Arrive

An essential part of relocating is knowing what to do once you arrive at your overseas residence. It’s always a good idea to prepare a list of things to do when moving into a new house. The first thing you should do is check the number of packages that have arrived to check whether something is missing and make sure nothing is damaged. Here are a few things we suggest you also do once you’re all settled down in your new place.

Begin the Unpacking Process

If you follow the tip about labeling packages, this one should not be that big of a problem. However, you should probably start unpacking bigger furniture and stuff you have to use immediately. You probably won’t be able to unpack everything in one day, but it is useful to finish at least one room that could function.

Unpack Clothing You Know You’ll Wear

Unpacking clothes should be on the list of things you wish to do on the first day of coming to your home. Of course, you don’t have to unpack all of them, just the ones you know you’ll have to wear according to the weather. On the other hand, clothes you won’t wear any time soon can be put in storage. Just make sure you don’t create too big of a mess for yourself.

Good Organization Means Less Stress

Hopefully, you found that having a proper to-do list for moving will make everything less stressful and more relaxed. If you follow the advice listed here, we guarantee it will stop you from forgetting all of the important tasks. Preparing well means you’ll settle down in your new home at a foreign address much faster, and adjusting to the new country will be much easier. We wish you good luck with your move!