Emigrating to Australia? What to look for in an international removal company

Emigrating to Australia? What to look for in an international removal company

Relocating overseas is one of the most exciting yet trying experiences an individual can have in life. At your fingertips, you have a whole new world to explore while you get used to the different social norms and values of your new home.

Before you can look forward to this, you have to deal with the practicalities of moving abroad. This includes everything from filling out the required paperwork to finding a company that handles international removals to Australia. But how do you find such individuals? And how can you work out whether they’re reputable or not? Below we help to answer these questions.

Shop around

Whether you’re looking for international removals to Australia or Spain, it’s essential that you shop around for companies and compare quotes once you receive them. Doing so will ensure that you get the most competitive price and don’t end up paying over the odds during an already expensive time.

Ensure that you don’t just look at the final price; consider what services are included, what shipping method will be used, the time-frame and who’ll be handling your possessions once they arrive in the destination country.

Fortunately, companies like Doree Bonner have a quote calculator on their website, providing potential customers with a free quote in two minutes, making shopping around for quotations much less laborious.

Consider visiting their website to use their quote calculator, learn more about their services, read customer testimonials, locations they serve and much more. Or contact a team member for any specific inquiries and see how their services could make your move to Australia easier today.

Start your search early

It’s never a good idea to leave something until the last minute; the earlier you start looking for an international removal company, the better. Approaching companies before anyone else does is the only way to guarantee the date you want, and the sooner you can tick sorting the removal task off your to-do list, the sooner you can focus on other aspects of the move.

Failure to do this can result in your custom being turned down as someone else has filled the slot that you wanted, which means that you’ll have to approach another company that may not be as reputable or affordable as the one you initially wanted to handle your move.

Look for reviews

Before you purchase any service, it’s vital that you look at the reviews provided by previous customers so that you can determine whether the company is reliable or not. Refrain from simply looking at the ones listed on their own site, and use well-known review sites like Trustpilot, Yelp and Google reviews, as they’ll give you a better picture of what to expect.

Providing that you have friends or family members that have used international removals to Australia, it may be beneficial to ask them for recommendations on the companies they’ve used or heard good things about. In additions, utilise online blogs and forums to gain insight into some of the best international removal companies.

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Take the hassle out of your move to a new country

Take the hassle out of your move to a new country | H is for Home

Relocating abroad can be a challenging and tough experience, but there are ways you can make it less so. Every aspect of your life needs to move over to your new country of residence, and this can be a big job for anyone, especially if you have a lot of variables to take care of such as your possessions, your car and your family. There’s a lot for you to think about when you move to a new country, so here are some top tips on how to keep everything together and make your move as stress-free as possible.

Black & white illustration of a moving lorry

Outsource as much of your move as possible

Taking all of your possessions overseas can be a large logistical operation, so work with a trusted international moving company to ensure that your precious items reach your new home safely. They will be able to take a lot of the hard work out of your move and leave you free to enjoy the experience and get settled in your new environment.

Illustration of looking for a lawyer on a mobile phone

Check you have everything you need

When moving to a new country you need to make sure that you are obeying all the local laws and have all the visas, permits and licences you require. This is particularly important if you are moving pets, children or vehicles with you to your new home. Find a local lawyer who can guide you and help ensure that you have all the relevant documents ready before you move.

Illustration of a passport and visa being stamped

Keep your paperwork safe

Whenever you move to a new house it is easy to lose things, and this is even more true when moving abroad. Important paperwork such as your passport, visa and other vital documents should be kept with you, if possible, until you arrive at your new home and can put them somewhere safe. If possible, make copies of any important documents and keep them in a safe place so that if anything does go missing you can replace it easily and use the copy in the meantime.

Illustration of hands protecting an icon of a person

Work with local service providers

It can be hard to find service providers when you move to a new country, so consider working with companies that specialise in providing services to a specific region. For example, if you’re moving to Northern Ireland you could get your NI home insurance from compareni.com, which is dedicated to searching all the insurance providers that serve Northern Ireland in order to help you find the best deal.

Illustration showing a network of friends

Establish a local support network

Everything is easier when you have a trusted network of friends, so try to find some local pals who can support you and show you the ropes in your new country. There are some great apps out there for meeting new people which can help you if you struggle to make friends easily, so that you can quickly get your life back on track and make fun new memories. Befriending locals will help you to get used to your new country of residence’s customs so that you can settle in quickly and make yourself feel at home.

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5 Reasons to move to a new place

5 Reasons to move to a new place

Making the move to a new place is a big change in one’s life. There’s a lot of work to be done, requiring effort, time and some money. Fortunately, companies like Chicago movers are willing to help you make that bold move much easier. Some people, like digital nomads and backpackers, are used to living from place to place, other people find it very challenging – and treat it as a decision that needs very careful thought and planning.

For the hesitant minds, you may be able to finally push through with your moving plans by realising its enormous benefits, and they include the following:

Packing prior to a house move

  1. Making new friends and broadening your network

One primary benefit of moving to another place is the chance to meet new people. You can surround yourself with new individuals that will help you grow as a person. Having new friends can give you different perspectives in life, help you discover new interests and generally make you feel better about yourself. Similarly, a new place will give you the chance to broaden your network to find business opportunities or career advancements.

Collection of small cardboard boxescredit

  1. Breaking the usual routine

They say that life is an adventure. Living day to day with monotony can really sap enthusiasm and take the excitement out of life. With a new place to live, you can explore unknown surroundings and discover exciting locations. Starting over can provide you with real inspiration, instilling a mindset to pursue fresh hobbies and interests.

Bottle of dreams

  1. Creating new experiences

New places mean new things to try out, destinations to visit, shops to browse, and food to discover. New cities & towns can offer marvellous experiences you’ve never tried before. This is even more profound with a cross-culture relocation as you get to learn and experience more about other people’s way of life. Even new locations just a few hours’ drive from your old stomping ground will certainly have something different to offer.

Green & white moving van

  1. Feeling free

Your existing neighbourhood can tie you to a lot of things – the usual circle of people, the same old things to do, and a routine that can take its toll on your mental health. Moving to a new area can give you a sense of freedom. And, with the amazing communications that modern technology allows, you can maintain any contacts that you wish to keep – there’s no need to lose your existing friends.

Key in a door

  1. Improving yourself

A new situation can reveal a new, perhaps better version of yourself. Maybe you’ve become a bit bogged down and unfulfilled – perhaps losing a bit of self-confidence in the process. New challenges might help you to become more independent and fearless. You’ll discover a lot of things about yourself as you rise to fresh challenges – a more empowered individual might be the result.

There are countless good reasons to move, with much to discover along the way. Life’s not meant to be stagnant – so if you feel a bit stuck in a rut, move out and be free.

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Moving house hints & tips from the professionals

'Moving house hints & tips from the professionals' blog post banner

vintage Paris Metro parked outside Merci Merci in Parisimage credit: A Magazine

Thousands of people move house every year in the UK and most of them find the task to be mammoth and one that causes a great deal of worry, anxiety and stress. You can make the process of moving house a lot easier on yourself if you take some advice from people who know all about the ordeal and understand how to make it go as smoothly as possible.

self storage units with orange doorsimage credit: Wikipedia

Use self-storage

Before moving house, it’s wise to decide which items you’re going to bring with you, which you want to dispose of and which you’d like to have put into storage. Make a note of this and call in the self-storage experts way before the removal van shows up. This way, you’ll have cleared the things that you don’t want to take with you to the new house. And so, by the time the movers come to collect your things, you can simply tell them to take everything. This way, the process is less confusing and time consuming.

overstuffed postboximage credit: The Guardian

Change your address in advance

According to long distance movers in Dallas, you should change your address well in advance of the moving day to avoid missing any mail. Some of the important ones to tell include your bank, place of work, utility companies, insurance companies, council tax office, doctor and dentist. You may want to change it on your favourite online stores too such as Amazon and eBay so that any deliveries you order will show up at the right address. Don’t forget to do the same with any subscriptions to which you’re signed up. To be on the safe side, you can pay the Post Office to redirect your mail to prevent anything going astray. This is a good idea because you can’t rely on the new residents at your previous home to forward it on to you or to keep hold of it for you to collect.

cardboard moving boxes piled up in a kitchenimage credit: Ben W

Start packing early

According to the BBC, you should calculate how many boxes you need in advance so that you don’t run out halfway through packing. They also suggest that you ‘don’t completely fill large boxes, as they will be too heavy to move’ and that you should use sturdy packing boxes for heavy items in case the box falls through and damages your belongings. Packing early will ensure that you leave yourself plenty of time to get things sorted out before the move. The process of packing the contents of your entire house routinely takes far longer than anticipated. It’s a good idea to pack one room at a time and label each box so that the unpacking process will run a lot more smoothly.

moving day cardboard box illustrationimage credit: Movers to Alaska

Pack a ‘moving day’ box

Pack a special box or boxes containing items you’ll probably need to access as soon as you get to your new place. Cleaning products, phone chargers, pet food – and don’t forget your kettle and tea & coffee making supplies!

unfurnished room with cardboard boxesimage credit: Bicycle Buddha

Before the move

Before you move into your new home, it’s advised that you do a good sweep over the property. Give it a good clean and then make sure to check utility meters, take readings and make sure the electricity, gas, water, smoke detectors and such are in proper working order. Prime Location advises movers to contact your solicitor if you arrive at your new home and find that items that were included in the sale (curtains, carpets etc.) are not present. They also suggest that new residents should consider getting any door and window locks changed on your new property because ‘you never know who the previous owners may have given spare keys to in the past.’

Hopefully we’ve helped lessen the anxiety of your upcoming house move. Best of luck in your new home!

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