Relocations bring both joy and tension into our lives, and it’s even more emphasized when we decide to move across the world. But even traveling to live in a different country can be stressless with some handy moving hacks.
Perhaps you have moved before, so you know what to expect. But international relocations are far from simple in every meaning of that word. We move to another country for love, and it can excite us and scare us at the same time. Or we’ve worked hard to reach our well-deserved pension, so we’re looking at the best places to retire in Europe and enjoy our secondary youth. The reasons to move can be many, but changing the place we call home for one entirely unknown also brings stress. So “How do I make a painless moving” and escape the strain entirely, you might ask.
Be Certain What to Expect Abroad, so Do Your Research Thoroughly
As you’ve made up your mind about relocating across the world, two burning questions arise: “How can I make moving easier?” and “Where should I start?” We can steer you in the right direction with a simple quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who very wisely stated – “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
It’s true that you are probably well aware of the complexities of finding life in a foreign country, as you’ve had to gather the necessary documents needed to travel abroad. But first and foremost, you had to decide WHERE. And jumping blindly into a location in time and space where you’ll be stuck for months to come is out of the question. So before you raise the anchor and fulfill your dream about relocating to Luxembourg or sipping cocktails right after you move to the Bahamas, be investigative and prepare.
When You Move House Across a Great Distance, You Should Know Where You’re Landing
It may sound silly, as you aren’t going to sit on a plane blindfolded and let it take you anywhere in the world without knowing exactly where it is you’re going to live abroad. But knowing where just doesn’t cut it – it may be sufficient when you travel as a tourist, but not when you’re relocating your whole life there. So before you close the lids to your suitcases, ensure you know these things:
- The climate of a country will most certainly affect your transition and settling. It may be among the best places to live abroad, but if you haven’t realized it’s going to get mighty cold there, you’ll be in for more than a culture shock. That’s why you need to research the weather conditions and pack accordingly.
- The laws in the country you’re planning to move to may be similar to the ones back home, but they can also be outrageous as a ban on building sandcastles on the beaches of Tenerife, Spain. It may also come down to simple things, like knowing if there’s a dog breed banned from being imported if you’re planning to move with dogs.
- Perhaps sitting at the highest top of many lists are the costs of living overseas. Somewhat similar to determine as we do it on the US territory, the costs rely heavily not only on your future income but also on monthly expenditures and, above all – accommodation. You may not be allowed to purchase a property right away, but the apartment rent should be an important part of your calculations.
- The educational system may not worry you if you are relocating abroad alone to work. On the other hand, if you are seeking knowledge offered at one of the famous foreign universities or you’re looking for the best places to live abroad with family, researching the school system will be vital.
- Perhaps often overlooked, the healthcare system must go somewhere on the list of important things to know about a place. Will you have to pay a hefty monthly bill, or are you eligible for universal healthcare? Will it be covered by your employer? This is majorly crucial information for anyone planning to move abroad.
Additionally, while you’re at it, some nitpicking won’t hurt. As for the grimmer topics, one should have extensive knowledge about the crime rates in their future country, but on the lighter side, some may believe it is equally important to know what people do for fun around there and about the way they get entertained.
And while we’re mentioning Spain, we’ll help you with an easy hack – getting to know the sassiest coastal towns from the video below.
Use a General Timeline and a Checklist to Make the Move Easy
Speaking about more practical tricks is inevitable as the day of your transition approaches. But let us lay them out by order of appearance, so to say. The first is not to be that person that does everything last-minute. Relocations abroad are no joke and shouldn’t be taken lightly (unless you can pull off relocating with one bag, a passport, and swag sunglasses). Be smart, and start preparing on time – the necessary papers, the info, the goodbyes. And then, take the next step and create a relocating abroad checklist to keep all these things in check at each passing moment until you leave. Being in charge of what goes around you is the best possible hack to battle stress.
How Do You Pack to Move In a Hurry?
But what if you are pushed toward a new life unexpectedly, but not at all unwillingly? And life has decided to shove you in a certain direction while you’re trying to brace the change and ride the wave toward victory? What if you don’t have enough time to stop and think about breaking the language barrier? There is one hack to rule all hacks and reduce the growing panic, and it’s to pick up the phone and call an experienced international moving company. While you may conquer some obstacles on your own, to be truly swift and without any uncorrectable mistakes, you should hire professionals.
Or at least, contact attested professionals and see where you stand – will you simply invest in international moving services, or will you require more of their neat and handy solutions? While the estimate for relocating efficiently won’t be low, in the end, it will pay off because not only will they act as your partners and do the hard work, but also protect your belongings to a great extent. A swift and reliable packing service delivers just that – a perfect hack to allow you to move with great ease.
Use These Moving Tips and Hacks to Your Advantage
Once you’ve given your movers a call and you have at least a general idea of the relocation costs, you can start implementing some more tips into your planning process. These are all things that should be done and over with up to two months before you head out of your current home and leap towards a place you consider being among the friendliest countries in the world.
Set the Budget Down to the Last Bit
The finances are right on par with the packing as being one of the dullest parts of the process, but both need to be dealt with at the beginning of your journey. Knowing where you exactly stand with the funds, both for the move itself and for a period of time after you enter your new home, will help overcome a pinch of relocation stress.
Call the Utility Companies
Canceling the utilities is important on several levels. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to just hop on a plane whenever you like to settle any unfinished business back home. That’s why you shouldn’t leave gas, water, and other necessities up and running beyond your move-out date. And end up with an immense bill later on while you’re trying to adjust to a new country.
Notify Everyone You’re Leaving
Before you start wondering how to keep in touch with friends and overcome the distance (video calls, hello? And also plane tickets so they can come to visit you!), you should consider all the institutions that need to be notified. From the Post Office and the banks to the IRS and creditors, there’s a list of necessary address updates to be done with before you can successfully move overseas.
One of the Best Hacks to Make Moving Easier Is to Do Some Purging Before You Pack
After you’ve seized all the paperwork and done all the preparatory steps, it’s time to do some groundwork around the household. Deciding what to pack when relocating abroad and what to leave behind can help you keep focused and kick stress into a tiny flare at the back of your mind (it’s good to keep a tiny bit, it helps achieve a clear mind). So, begin with the purging – throw away damaged and unusable stuff, put the items in good condition in boxes, and donate and eventually sell what you can – garage sale or online, whichever fits your timeline.
You Can Also Begin Packing Some Boxes for Storage
But no matter how much we strive to get rid of unwanted items, there’s always something that remains neither here nor there, but unfortunately should be kept all the same (grandma’s old heavy dresser, we’re looking at you). That’s where the relocation company steps in, with their secure storage service, which many professionals offer for free for a month.
How Can I Move Cheaply? By Playing Smart and Using Your Surroundings
Although relocations to foreign lands should be taken seriously, especially when talking about protection of the belongings in transport, you can lower the costs with a few simple tricks. Use your household items to pack and place anything heavy (like books and shoes) into suitcases. They are easy to manipulate because of the wheels and handles, and they are also sturdy. However, shipping a car overseas can’t be pulled off by stuffing it into a package and sending it through the post office – it’s something you should pay an overseas vehicle shipping service for. Into which containers everything else goes is open for debate, though.
Labeling the Boxes Is Considered One of the Smartest Packing Hacks for Moving
And here it is – the uncrowned queen of packing hacks and moving tricks to prevent things from breaking, but also give you an enormous advantage while unpacking – labeling. The label above and below, so the writing can be seen from all sides, no matter how the boxes are stacked. It’s not only vital to do so in order to preserve your delicates, electronics, and alike, but you can also color-code each box by the room or simply write down the name of the room in which it belongs.
Additionally, you can snap a photo of the contents in each box and number the packages so you can easily track down each item and compare it to the inventory list. It will do wonders for the stress levels, as you will unpack with ease but also file a claim if something goes missing during the way.
By Implementing Ingenious Moving Hacks, You’re Helping Yourself Move Stressless
People have always migrated, and they continue to do so in this day and age. But what the vastness of the internet has brought us is the availability of help in the form of advice, as well as many tips which can make even moving abroad seem simple. So before you start compiling all the tips for learning a new language, ensure you have made at least mental notes of all the pieces of advice that can help you move to another country. And do it with a wide grin on your face, knowing you’ve conquered the process like a boss.