A new year represents new hope. Even if a few months have already passed, you can still expect new things to happen this 2021.
Like the new year, moving to a new home opens windows of opportunities you probably never had access to before. However, it could also bring forth challenges along the way.
Fortunately, international moving companies have expanded their services to more than just the moving day itself. In this article, you will find the four essential services that could help make every step of your overseas relocation a lot easier.
1. Finding a Place to Move Into - Home Search Services
Before you start planning for the relocation, you need to have a place to move into first. Unlike what TV shows and movies portray, finding a new home isn't just about procuring any property available.
Once you relocate overseas, you'll be far from all things familiar - your family, your friends, and the community you grew up in. Letting go of these comforts could be difficult.
To make things easier, you need to choose a place where you can feel secure and comfortable adjusting to a foreign land.
Property search agents can help you search for housing that is most suited for your lifestyle, needs, and housing allowance. They also take the neighbourhood into account, ensuring that you find a place where many people speak the same language and have similar backgrounds.
Beyond the search, these service providers can also handle negotiations on your behalf and deal with the paperwork to give you a seamless and stress-free home search.
2. Packing and Unpacking
Packing and unpacking are two significant tasks that movers usually take on their own. But the thing is, this can be much more difficult if you're moving your belongings to a different country.
Take note: the difference between packing for a holiday and an international move is worlds apart. Aside from the sheer number of items to pack, the latter also requires more thorough preparation and expertise.
Professional packing services ensure that all your belongings - from basics like clothing and dinnerware to artwork and other unique pieces - are packed securely.
Here are what professional packing service providers can offer:
- Highly trained and experienced crew
- Customised packing materials
- Complete tools and equipment
3. Moving Your Belongings - Custom Clearance and Freight Insurance
After all your things are packed and ready to be transported, the next thing you need to think about is their transit. Many reliable logistics companies can provide help with this. However, not all of them offer assistance with custom clearances and even freight insurance.
Customs Clearance
Moving household items across sovereign borders can quickly become a complicated affair. Since it is unlikely that you've gone through the same process before, it pays to have expert help from those who have extensive experience in the field.
With years of doing the task, international moving companies can help you through the different customs clearance stages for different countries. This way, you can rest assured that someone will be paying close attention to the process while you focus on preparing for your new life ahead
Freight Insurance
Now that the papers are ready, all that's left is to ship your things to your new country. But do you have the peace of mind that all your belongings are secure?
Whether it's an antique vase passed down from one generation to the next or a painting gifted to you by a close friend, the items you own aren't just material possessions - they also carry emotional value that cannot be quantified.
That said, you might want to consider adding extra protection for your belongings during shipment. Besides professional packing, freight insurance can give you much-needed reassurance that while your items are in transit. After all, accidents can still happen even with the utmost preparation and meticulous execution.
4. Getting Settled - Orientation and Adjustment Assistance
Moving abroad can be quite disorienting if you come unprepared. Even if you had, you might still experience an overwhelming sense of loneliness and culture shock.
With the comforting familiarity of your old country miles away, you'll need all the help you can get to adjust to your new home. This is where orientation and adjustment assistance services come in.
While different, your new neighbourhood is bound to have something that can help you feel more at home there. Plus, there is a certain allure to the adventure of getting to build your life from the ground up.
To make it less daunting, objective orientation from settling-in services can prove useful in learning about the community's inner workings, the facilities you can use, and all the other options available to you.
They can also provide you with tips on how to get settled in the new country. Here are some examples:
Make your new place feel like home.
This is all about bringing the feeling of comfort and warmth into your new place. Buy blankets, candles, and plants. Decorate with picture frames to remind you of your old friends.
Create a safe space within your home, like a reading nook or a backyard garden, where you can relax and do your favourite hobbies.
Learn the language.
Regardless of the country, learning the language - or even the unique deviations of English (e.g., idioms, terminology, and expressions) - will help bridge the cultural gap you might experience with people around you in the new place.
Get to know your new community.
Take a tour of your new neighbourhood. Visit tourist spots and experience the most sought-after activities there. Find out what's special about your new country.
Doing so could help you learn the lay of the land and appreciate the country, even if it's significantly different from where you come from.
Make new friends.
No matter where you live, having friends is vital in making that place feel more like home. So, don't be afraid of making new ones when you move to a foreign land.
Initiate conversations with neighbours; have friendly chats with people you meet in public places. This will help you feel a lot less lonely and make your adjustment easier.
Moving Abroad? Help Is Available
Doing everything by yourself may be a sign of independence in some instances, but when it comes to moving overseas, it's best to get as much assistance as possible.
Consider the services listed here to minimise the hassles of international relocation this 2021.
AUTHOR BIOPraful Gupta is the Business Head for Asset Mobility at Writer Relocations, India's premier mobility services company that handles all types of moves: International & Domestic Relocations, Office Relocations, Commercial Move Management Services, Hospitality Logistics, Fine Arts Logistics, Orientation Services, and Storage Solutions. Headquartered in Mumbai, Writer Relocations has presence in 7 countries and operates in more than 190 countries.