Moving Overseas

So you have made the big decision. It's time to pack your bags - and everything else that has been part of your life for many years - and head off for a new life in a far-flung destination.

Your family and friends have told you that you are mad. They have said they will miss you forever, and asked the inevitable question: “What are we going to do without you" But now it is all on, and you are watching your life disappear in a big truck for the port.

However, before that stage is reached there is a lot of groundwork to be done. First, obviously, you have to decide where to go - if only so that you can appropriately label all those precious possessions.

Packing for an overseas move is very different from packing for a move in your own country.

A lot of thought has to go into where you are going, the standard of living there, and any peculiarities of the culture.

You also have to remember that something that makes your home comfortable now may not be necessary in the new country. Sell everything you don't need - things that have been in cupboards for donkey's years, and which you completely forgot you had until the dust was blown off them.

Garage sales are a great way to get rid of things, as are online auctions and simply giving unwanted goods to friends and relatives.

If the move is for less than two years, it may be wise to put some of your things in storage for when you return. Moving things across the world and then back again is not cheap, but neither is re-buying a heap of stuff.

It is common knowledge that you always get less for things you sell than you have to pay for them to be replaced.

Finding a reputable moving company that has experience in international moves is important.  Large companies are usually the best bet, but shop around, ask friends for recommendations and get quotes - lots of quotes.

Find out if the quotes include insurance and what that insurance covers. The last thing you need is a situation in which all your personal belongings are on the bottom of the ocean and the insurance company finds some loophole that enables it to get out of paying you out.

Losing your household goods is a lot more inconvenient that losing your bags at an airport.

One other piece of information that needs to be clarified is whether the company you are using also has an agent in the country you are going to, and whether the cost quoted is for door-to-door.

Otherwise, you could end up having to pay again to have your goods released from the wharf. Also, discuss the issue of duty on any new items, as this can be very expensive.

Before packing, do a bit of research into your new country's laws about what can and can't be taken into the country. New Zealand, for example, has strict guidelines on wood, shell and natural fibre items such as rattan, pine cones and carvings.

There have been some instances of treasured family heirloom Christmas decorations being snaffled by MAF because of the risk of disease being brought into the country. Also, any antiques that have evidence of borer or insect damage will be sprayed and possibly confiscated.

Stuffed animals are also in a danger zone. However, your removal company should be up on the play as to what is and what is not allowed. If you are in any doubt, a few phone calls to the relevant authorities overseas should help. It will take several weeks for your goods to reach your destination. Add a week or two for bad weather and other hold-ups to avoid disappointment and sleeping on the floor in an unfurnished house.

If you are moving only a few items overseas, you may want to pack yourself and avoid a little extra cost.

If this is the case, use packing cases that can withstand a little rough handling, and wrap everything in bubble-wrap. Putting valuables into cardboard boxes is asking for trouble. It doesn't take much for something to be dropped, and then there are tears.

Clothes to wear while you wait a few weeks for your goods to arrive can be packed into suitcases, as you would pack them for a holiday.

It is a good idea to wear or carry any jewellery that is precious to you, so that it won't be lost.

Good planning, enough time to get everything together and plenty of research will make an international move a lot easier on the mind and the pocket.

Then all you have to do is relax and immerse yourself into your new country and new culture.