Moving abroad is a thrilling and adventurous experience with new life opportunities and lessons. At the same time, searching for new destinations, an extreme task that haunts everyone, is how to pack belongings properly and what things to pack and load.
You always have the urge to pack everything and bring it along with you due to all the sentimental attachments. However, you have to manage the weight of luggage and shipping costs. It is essential to create a checklist of important belongings that are crucial and essential for you.
Packing essentials and lists varies from person to person. There is no fit checklist because everyone leads a different lifestyle. But there are some universal things for everyone that everyone acquires.
We have organized efficient packing tips and checklists for long-distance moving to make your relocation fun and interesting.
Research Your Destination
Relocation to a new country is always a new experience with different challenges and lessons. While packing for international moving, the first and foremost task is to research the destination thoroughly.
Learn about your new destination, including its culture, laws, and climate. Studying your new designation will give you deep insight into what to pack and what you will acquire when you reach your new destination.
Proper study allows you to make plans and agreements beforehand and makes you aware of issues and challenges in your new destination. It also allows you to make an efficient list of essential belongings and pack those things that you consider expensive and not easy to find in your new destination.
Research always helps you prepare for everything and be organized. Analyzing your new destination will save you time, effort, and money in the long run.
Gather Important Documentations
You don't want your important records and documentation to get lost, as they are important in proving your identity. Losing important documents makes your move stressful, as you will be stuck at one point, and you don't want that.
Always consider making extra copies of your important papers and keeping them separate from the original documents. Carry the original documents in your backpack or your sling back because you might need them anytime while moving.
So, it is integral that they are with you all the time to avoid any inconvenience. Some of the essential papers and records that you need to keep for international relocation are:
- Passports and Visas: Keep your passports and visas with you all the time, as they are proof that you are fully able to commute internationally. Without these papers, you are not allowed to move, and it will become a hectic experience.
- Medical Records: Relocating to a new destination means shifting your lifestyle to a new place. It is recommended to bring all medical records because you never know when an illness or disease can strike.
- Driving License: Another document you need is your driving license, probably an international one. If you don't have a global driving license, it's better to have one before shifting to a new country.
- Health Insurance Documentation: Health insurance documentation is an important record that allows you to save money in case you get sick or contract any disease. It also allows you to get regular checkups and vaccines without spending too much.
- Medication Prescriptions: If you are taking any medicines, it is advisable to bring medical prescriptions with you so that you can easily find your medicines in a new country.
- Credit Cards: You won't be able to activate a new account in a new country quickly. So, take your credit cards with them and ask your bank whether you can use your local cards in a new country or issue you an international card.
- Immunization Records: It is crucial to take immunization records with you when moving abroad, as they protect you and the community from potential disease.
Medical Supplies
No one wants to get sick in a new country, especially during relocation. So, it is always recommendable and essential to bring necessary medical supplies with you to make yourself immune to potential diseases. Whenever you relocate to a new country, it takes time to adapt to the new surroundings and atmosphere, and there are high chances of getting sick.
You do not get a new doctor as soon as you set foot in a new country. So, bring your medical prescriptions and general medical supplies, such as anti-allergy and ibuprofen, along with stomach pills. This can save you from climate diseases and make your body immune to the new weather and atmosphere.
Here are some of the general medical supplies that you can bring with you while packing to move abroad.
- First-Aid Kit: Take a universal first-aid kit with you because you never know when an emergency will occur. You might not use it, but it is better to be protected.
- Masks and Hand Sanitizers: Bacteria spread most diseases. To avoid any bacterial disease, it is essential to keep masks and hand sanitizers with you and use them properly.
- Anti-allergy Medicine: Everyone's health is different depending on their immune system. The most common health condition is allergy. It is better to keep anti-allergy medicines with you to avoid any serious outcomes.
- Prescription Medicine: Remember to pack your prescription medicines, as they are the most important ones. You may not find them abroad, or they might be expensive.
- Water Purification Tablets: The most common way to get sick is through a change of water. You don't know if the water in your new location is pure and filtered, so pack water purification medicines to avoid this problem.
Electronics
Electronics have become the most integral elements of our lives. We don't function without our electronic devices. So, you can't travel without your electronic gadgets. Pack only those essential devices that are not too heavy to move so they can move easily.
Here’s the list of those items that are essential for you to pack:
- Flashlight
- Camera
- Laptop
- Voltage converter
- Portable charger
- Smartphone
- External hard drive
- Headphones
Clothes
While packing clothes for your move, consider the climate of the destination country. If the climate is cold, sacrifice summer clothes and pack winter clothes because you have to consider the storage capacity. The best method to pack clothes professionally is to declutter first and get rid of unnecessary clothes, either by donating them or selling them. After that, you will be more transparent about what you want for your move.
Pack proficiently, keeping in mind the climate conditions of the destination you are relocating to and the price of clothes. If the clothes are expensive, then pack smartly; here are some types of clothes that are universally essential for everyone:
- Rain jacket
- Dresses or Suits
- Bathing suits
- Pyjamas
- T-shirts
- Winter coats
- Socks & Jeans
There are many methods for packing clothes to save space and time. For example, you can put smaller items in big ones, like socks in shoes, and fold the shirts and pyjamas in rolls to save space. Research your destination and pack accordingly to save yourself from the hustle.
Toiletries
Pack only those toiletries that you think are essential, and you will not find them in your new country. Do not pack large toilet items that take up so much space. Just pack pocket-size items that last only one month,
The best toiletry packing tip is to pack only the items that you use regularly. Do not pack extra skin care products if you don't have any skin issues.
Some of the toiletries that are essential to pack for international moves include:
- Shampoo/conditioner
- Soap
- Razor and blade
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Floss
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Deodorant
Note: Keep in mind that some airlines don't allow sharp objects like nail clippers or razors on international flights. Contact your respected travel partner and ask them whether you can bring these items, then pack them to avoid any hassle.
Shoes
Shoes are important in everyone's life. It is important to pack them so that they don't get damaged and take up too much space.
Pack shoes according to the climate conditions of your destination country. The first method is to declutter them and sort them by type, including the shoes you don't wear most. Discard those shoes that you don't wear; either donate them or sell them.
Do not pack shoes that increase the weight of luggage and take up too much space. Wrap the shoes in plastic wrap and put them inside shoe bags. Shoe bags take less space than shoe boxes, so you can pack more shoes in them.
Money
Ensure that your credit cards are working properly and that you are authorized to make international payments.
Inform your local bank that if your credit cannot be used internationally, issue you a credit card that can be utilized in another country.
Also, bring a few hundred dollars in cash or money from the nation you are moving to because you need it in an emergency.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is an important document in your packing checklist for moving abroad. Insurance compensates you in unexpected situations like flight cancellations, medical emergencies, and stolen belongings.
Without travel insurance, you will suffer great financial loss and stress if the above happens.
So, when packing for an international move, it is integral to ensure that you have proper travel insurance documents and cover all your travel needs. This will give you significant peace of mind and relaxation, allowing you to focus on your move without worrying about any bad things that might happen.
Get Your Packing Checklists
Moving is a very stressful experience, and it is a cherry on top when it comes to international moves. But with proper guidance and checklists, you can make your international journey peaceful and enjoyable.
My Moving Journey provides all the tips and checklists you need to make a safe relocation.
