How do I stay calm on moving days? Once the overseas shipping company arrives and starts loading up everything, people tend to get antsy about moving overseas, as they suddenly become unsure whether everything has been taken care of. These moving day tips serve to keep a person composed during relocation, as embarking on a long journey without being certain that all tasks are completed can be quite unsettling.
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep Before the Relocation Is One of the Most Important Moving Day Tips
What should you do the day before moving? Hopefully, you had thrown a farewell party a few days before the relocation, said goodbye to your family and friends, and reassured everyone that you would stay in touch with them. Doing all that the night before is not the smartest of ideas. It is best to go to bed on time and get up early feeling fresh. The next twenty-four hours will be tiring, especially when moving abroad, and not getting your eight hours of sleep will make matters far more difficult.
Check All the Important Documents Twice Before the Relocation Crew Arrives at Your House
So hopefully, you have caught the first rays of sunshine, had a hearty breakfast, and now you are eagerly anticipating the overseas moving company to knock on your door. As soon as the morning routine has been completed, you should immediately double-check whether all documents needed to travel abroad are present. You certainly wouldn’t want to move across the world without your visa.
Inspect Your New Household Inventory List One Final Time Before Movers Start to Pack
If, for example, you have had to deal with the issue of how to start the task of moving from a large home to a smaller one, downsizing when moving to a smaller home was probably part of the process. Take the list of items that you have decided to keep, and go through each room once more. Something can easily get forgotten, and afterward, there will be regrets, especially if the item has sentimental value. Be vigilant if it is a last-minute relocation, in which case you have had to ask yourself, “How do you pack to move in a hurry?”.
Also, Check Once More if Everything Has Been Cleaned Properly
One of the biggest relocation mistakes is not cleaning the home before returning the keys to the landlord. You will certainly want your deposit back, especially when moving internationally, but if you are leaving the place in a poor state, you won’t get it. Therefore, once more, check every room, and tidy up anything left. Don’t give reasons to your landlord to keep the deposit; some will find one even in the tiniest of details.
Also, after booking an international moving company and their packing services, you have probably received instructions on the issue of “What should you not pack when moving.” Hence, inspect once more whether your kitchen and bathroom appliances are emptied or whether there aren’t any combustible materials and objects among possessions to be packed for relocation. Relocation crews are strict when shipping overseas, and you wouldn’t want to get in an awkward situation.
Make Sure to Have a Bag of Essentials Before Traveling
One of the most helpful tips for moving day is to have a prepared bag of relocating essentials. This bag will have all the necessary items to get you through the first few days after relocating to a new home, and here is what such a bag should contain:
- Basic toiletries,
- Clothes for a few days,
- Bed linen,
- Kitchenware,
- Food and refreshments for the journey,
- Valuable things like jewelry.
Also, don’t forget that if you are not relocating abroad alone, every family member should have their own bag of relocating essentials. Here is a nice video that can give you ideas on what to include in your bag of essentials.
Dress as Comfortably as Possible for the Relocation
When relocating abroad, it is smart to follow the weather forecast and see both the expected weather conditions of the USA and the foreign place you are relocating to. You should be dressed according to the weather conditions, and pack suitable clothes in your bag of essentials. You don’t want to arrive in a foreign country and realize that the temperature is 86 degrees F and you are wearing pants.
Make the Journey as Comfortable as Possible as Well
Whether you are relocating to Portugal or to the Netherlands, the journey will take a lot of time. It is in human nature to question things, and once you begin traveling, relocating stress and anxiety may intensify. Therefore, don’t forget to pack in your bag of essentials some books or create a playlist. A great thing to take your mind off relocation is to start learning a new language in order to break the language barrier more easily.
Having a Clear Financial Plan for Relocation Is One of the Best Move-in Day Tips
Knowing that you are in a secure financial situation when relocating can help reduce the stress a lot. Although sorting out the relocation budget should have been a priority on the relocation abroad checklist, sit down once more, and go over the expenses that await you:
- Decide on how much you can afford to tip the relocation crew (they do deserve it if the job has been performed successfully).
- Create a new apartment inventory list. After packing all your stuff, you will have a clear idea of what has to be bought once you have settled in the new country.
- Take into account all other relocation expenses like plane tickets, storage services, and overseas vehicle shipping services (if you have hired a professional overseas shipping company, you will know the definite cost of these services immediately).
That is especially important if you are relocating on a low budget or without a job. You should be certain that your savings can support all the relocation expenses. Otherwise, anxiety before traveling could become overwhelming.
Try to Keep Your Children Away From the House Once the Movers Arrive
If you are relocating with kids or pets, know that they both experience high levels of anxiety when relocating. However, those feelings can get even worse once the relocation crew arrives and starts dismantling and packing everything. Children and pets find this unnerving and don’t cope well with the bustle of relocation.
You can address this issue in two ways. First, a so-called “safe space” can be created for your children and pets. That means that one room should be packed much earlier than the rest, and in this room, your loved ones should sit until everything is complete, playing with their favorite toys. The other way is to find a babysitter or a person to take care of your pets, and this is probably the better option as your children or pets will be completely separated from all the noise of furniture relocation.
Tell Movers to Pack Your Children or Pets’ Possessions the Last
This is another relocation hack that will make relocation for your children and pets much more comfortable. One of the common pieces of relocation advice is to furnish your children’s rooms first once you have arrived at the new destination. This will be easy knowing that their possessions have been packed last. You should apply relocation labels, and your children’s containers label “to be packed last,” for example.
Have Friends’ Assistance if You Haven’t Hired Professional Services Is Necessary
How can I make moving day easier? If you have decided not to hire professional relocating services, be sure to ask your friends for assistance. Carrying everything alone is extremely exhausting and inefficient. Moreover, when it comes to heavier household possessions like furniture and appliances it is also dangerous. In short, you will need help in order to load your sofa or fridge into the truck.
Don’t Forget About Packing Materials and Tools as Well
You cannot relocate items without appropriate protective materials. If you have hired professionals, they bring everything needed. Otherwise, you will need to get everything. This includes:
- Bubble wrap,
- Protective paper,
- Relocating blankets,
- Cardboard boxes or plastic containers,
- Tape and scissors,
- Relocating labels.
When it comes to tools, you will most likely require the following things:
- Utility dolly,
- Sliders,
- Lifting straps,
- Ramps,
- Basic toolbox.
This equipment can be found at your local house supply store. However, tools can also be borrowed from your local storage services. Nevertheless, you need to have them once the preparation begins.
Here Is Some More Useful Advice on How to Handle the Final Moments in Your Old Place
Luckily for you, many people have already gone through this experience and have taken the time to leave advice on how to handle various situations that often occur during relocations. You should take full advantage of this fact, and here is some further information and advice:
“What are the pros and cons of moving to a smaller home?”, “Is moving to a smaller house worth it,” ” Would it have been better to choose a house over an apartment?” – questions like these may suddenly start assailing your mind once you have begun traveling, but it simply isn’t worth tormenting yourself. If a mistake has been made, there will be a way to rectify it. Try to calm down and, as mentioned, read a book or learn the language in order to take your mind off relocation.
If you want to be certain that everything is adequately packed and stored in the back of a truck, be in your home once the movers arrive. They won’t mind anything at all, and you will be able to objectively evaluate their work and decide on gratuities accordingly.
Don’t forget that we are still in the pandemic. Therefore, you should double-check that you have all Covid-related documents required by the country you are relocating to. Also, you should supply all the basic toiletry for the relocating crew as well.
This is a precautionary measure. Unfortunately, there are dishonest landlords who will try to keep your deposit or ask for some additional money because they have discovered some damage. Hence, once everything has been packed, take your phone or camera and take pictures of every room. In that way, you will have evidence that you left the place in good condition.
The Key to a Successful Relocation Is Planning and Organizing Everything on Time
Relocations abroad are wonderful, and there are many benefits of doing so. Stress is an inseparable part of the relocation, but you can alleviate the pressure a lot by using our advice. People who are not organized often feel unnecessary intense anxiety when leaving their old place, and there is no reason for that. When you know what to do, everything is easier.
