Moving abroad is a big deal. It didn’t stop being the big deal even though it is happening more and more around the world. In this globalized economy, we are all living and working in, there are a lot of reasons and opportunities to move. While once, long ago, you could live your entire life in one house, one town in a single country, today it is perfectly normal to travel half a planet away for business. But with so much traveling, it is only normal that you have to downsize before moving abroad. You have to travel light.
So how do you go about it? How to choose what goes with you and what has to be left behind? Well, if that dilemma is the one you are facing right now, you are in the right place. We talk from years of experience and are ready to give you the pointers in resolving this particular obstacle.
Check what you have to downsize before moving abroad
Before you move on and decide what you want to leave behind, let us first see what you will have to leave behind. When downsize before moving abroad you have to keep in mind the possibility that some of the possessions you intend to move are actually not allowed in the country of destination. Now, every country has its own regulations. Different things are not allowed for traditional, medical, religious, economic or political reasons. However, there are some items that are prohibited more often than others. These items are:
- Pharmaceuticals or chemicals. A lot of countries have strict regulations when it comes to medication or any kind of chemicals. This is only natural. However, it means that you might need to downsize before moving abroad. If you are moving to Kuwait rather than from it, be sure to check Kuwait import requirements and deduce if you are in compliance.
- Weapons of any kind. Obviously, many countries have very strict gun regulations. Therefore, even if a firearm is allowed, it will mean a lot of paperwork for the importer. You will have a lot of work in preparing your legal, personal weapon over the border. However, even if you don’t own a firearm, you might still have trouble with other objects. A lot of countries consider sharp objects such as knives to be weapons as well, making them banned for entry. This is especially problematic if you happen to be a sword enthusiast…
- Various kinds of consumer products. Of which there are too many to list.
Do your items make the list? Be sure to check the import requirements of your country of destination immediately. After that, we can move to the next step – inventory!
Make inventory
Before you can pack and move out, or even plan on relocating, you should take an inventory. What this means is taking pen and paper and going through every little possession of yours. You should be ready to categorize them.
The system of categorization you could choose doesn’t really matter. It could be by room, for example, things that are from the bathroom, bedroom, attic… It could be by the size of the items, by their weight (good for cost estimation), or by value (emotional or commercial). All it matter is that it makes sense for you. This is because you are the one that will have to actually remember it.
When you do that, you will have to decide on the fate of the objects. This is because downsizing before moving abroad naturally means not everything is coming with you. So, first things first. Find out what you want to keep, and what will be leaving your possession. If you are having a problem in deciding, just think about how often do you use it. Have you used it in the past year? No? Then it is probably not worth it.
Things are not often used, but are valuable for the future? Go read the storage services part of this post. Otherwise, let’s see what to do with the throwaways. Well, for starter, you likely don’t have to just throw it away, though it is the easiest of options. There are two more. You could either donate or sell. Selling is quite easy if you have time to post it online, but if you are in a hurry, donating is better. Charity organizations need everything from clothes to furniture so we are sure that they will take whatever you are offering.
Research your new home
When international movers Kuwait relocate you to a new country, you will have to get used to the changes in lifestyle. The most obvious one will, of course, be the language. Even when moving from one English speaking country to the other, you will still find that there are some language barriers.
Take a cup of coffee and some time alone to research everything about your future lifestyle. And it is not only the language. There is also the food, the prizes, the job market – even things like architecture and common courtesy. Help your future self acclimate to these conditions by researching your future location prior to a relocation!
Hire good, reputable movers
Picked out a country and found out a lot about it, great! Picked out an apartment to live in, even better. All you have to do now is pick good residential moving companies Kuwait.
Be sure that the mover you are using is well-reviewed, reputable, experienced and licensed. In a complicated thing such as this, you don’t want any chances.
Ask for storage services
If you are moving your business with some good office movers, or you simply have a lot of things that you cannot keep in the new, smaller house or an apartment, just hire storage services. Be sure to research the best one, and always aim for climate control ones.
In conclusion
To sum it up. When trying to downsize before moving abroad, be sure that you know what you will need, in what apartment, and which services will deliver you there.