When moving abroad, people more often than not choose to ship using containers. This is the most cost effective way to your items to another country. Even though you save money when using containers the process of moving is not cheap. It is always useful to find anyway you can to save as much money as possible and in some cases make money from items you don’t need, all of the money you save can be put towards the biggest expense which is the shipping container. People often overlook some very simple tips which will help them move more efficiently and also make the whole process easier and lighter on the wallet.
Here are some very useful tips to save money which can be put towards the cost of the shipping container:
1) Deciding what to bring
Moving home gives you a great opportunity to get rid of all those unwanted items that you’ve always wanted to get rid of. It is very important to bring only what is necessary, for example, if you won’t have a garden in your new home then there is no need to bring all of your garden tools and equipment. You should also consider the possibility of storing things or ‘lending’ items to your family or friends. A great idea is to go though each room in your home and create a list of essential and non-essential items. This way it makes it very easy to get a quote for the items and decide whether you will bring them with you or not.
Once you have the quote for each item you will be able to see if the cost can be justified. It may make more sense to leave some items behind because the shipping cost is simply too high to accept. It might be more cost effective, and less time consuming when moving, to purchase new items when you arrive at your new home.
2) Earn some money
Once you have decided which items you won’t be bringing it is a good idea to try and sell them. You should post adverts online and also in free local advert magazines/papers. You could even consider giving items to charity.
3) Clever packing
If you hire a company direct or through a site such as movehub.com it is always a good idea to present on the day that the packing is done. This way you will be able to make sure all delicate objects are packaged properly – remember to take out the necessary insurance! Also, remember to bring all portable items such as laptops and cameras with you, this will mean that you can carry them on your persona and be sure little damage will come to them.
4) Bring as much as you can on the plane
If you use a shipping container it means that you will be waiting in you new home for several weeks until your container arrives. If you are moving into an empty apartment you should make sure you plan ahead. Bring as much as possible with you, most airlines are very generous and allow you extra baggage space if you let them know that you are emigrating. Why not ship your bed frames but buy new mattresses when you arrive? This way you save on the shipping costs of the mattresses and can use the new mattresses as beds until the frames arrive.
