Your Overseas Moving Checklist
If you’re moving overseas, you’re probably full of different emotions. Being excited about upping and moving to a new country is fantastic. You’re craving the adventure and new lifestyle of a brand new place. With moving comes anxiety too. What if something is missed? Do I have everything I need? These questions are flying around your head whilst you’ve got butterflies in your stomach. All these emotions can get confusing and unhelpful when packing up your home to move. We’ve created a moving checklist for you to follow to make life a bit easier for you.
Tell People You’re Moving
Whilst you’re desperate to get your new life abroad started, it’s probably going to be quite costly when you leave, so protect yourself from being stung! End all contracts you have in good time. Some companies may have a period in which you have to give notice, so try your best to notify them as soon as you have a moving date. This will prevent you from paying for extra months when you won’t be using the service. Some common contracts you might need to end are:
- Phone services
- Internet
- Gas
- Electricity
As well as ending contracts, be sure to inform the appropriate Australian government sectors of your move. If you do not, your tax could be affected. Telling the Australian Embassy in the country you’re moving to is also recommended, as is redirecting your mail.
Get Your Finances in Order
Even if you have a job in your new country, life for the first few months abroad is usually tight. Be aware of this and plan your finances well in advance. If you’re moving abroad for the long term and are shipping your entire household, you’ll still probably have to wait a while for all of your belongings to arrive. If you’re going for a short while, you’ll probably leave most of your stuff in Australia and buy temporary new items abroad. Some things you’ll end up forking out money on when moving abroad are:
- Housing contracts
- Phone contracts
- Home and kitchenware
- Bedding
- Visa fees
- Health check fees
- Buying or hiring a car
Each country is different, so it’s hard to give a comprehensive guide to saving money in your new country. However, doing your research and knowing what you need to spend money on will help. Make sure you budget and make a financial plan.
If you’re leaving things in Australia, contact storage companies and compare deals.
Get the Appropriate Vaccinations
Before you move abroad, it’s crucial to get the appropriate travel vaccinations and documents. For example, some countries require a yellow fever certificate. Having the correct vaccinations needs planning as some are given over a course lasting a few months. Get in touch with your nearest travel nurse for further advice.
Research Your New Destination
If you’ve never been to the place you’ll be living in, do your research. Have a look at what work culture is like there and what may be expected of you in the workplace (you may be surprised at how different it is to Australia!), see what’s around for fun to do, local customs, traditions, local foods and so forth. Have fun with it and get yourself excited for the big move! A great way to find blogs about the country you’re moving to is through Instagram and Pinterest. Look through hashtags and save your favourite posts for later.
Another pro tip for moving is researching the local currency. You don’t want to be confused and end up losing money because of you not understanding the currency.
Sort Your Documents
Doing paperwork is annoying, especially when it’s serious stuff. You have to be so careful. Being prepared is the only way to make sure everything goes smoothly. The paperwork you have to do will depend on which country you’re going to, so make sure you do your research. Contact the embassy of the country you’re moving to for exact information on the paperwork you’ll need to prepare. Write it down then plan out the steps you need to take to obtain the paperwork. As well as this, make sure you have the following photocopies:
- Driver’s licence
- Marriage certificate
- Medical prescriptions
- Insurance documents
- Medical records
- Wills
- Bank account information
Some countries also require you to get certain documents certified, which takes time. Double-check this as soon as possible.
Pack Everything Up
When emptying your home, packing is one of the most difficult times. We recommend that you pack your suitcase first of all the belongings you will need as soon as you arrive in your new country, and then pack the rest of your life into categorised boxes. You can also hire a professional packer to help you. Once your boxes are packed up, they can be shipped to your new place, or put into storage.
Get an End of Lease Clean
Moving abroad is costly, so you want to make money wherever you can. If you get an end of lease clean in Australia, the chance of your getting your rental bond returned to you is made higher. This money will come in useful for you when you move onto your new place. If you do decide to get a professional end of lease clean, make sure you choose a company that offers a rental bond back guarantee. If you choose a company that does not offer the guarantee, you could end up losing money.
Buy Insurance
There are dozens of companies that offer expatriate travel insurance. Have a search around and contact each company to see what they can offer you.
Give Yourself Time
The key to moving abroad is giving yourself time to do everything in. Preparing to move your entire life cannot be done in a second. We know you’re excited but it’s good to go over everything thoroughly and do each step at a steady pace.
Enjoy Yourself
The most important thing to do is to make sure you’re enjoying this new step in your life. Don’t let fear and anxiety take over. Stop and think why you’re doing this. This also applies to when you reach your new country. Take a step back and don’t rush it. Settle into your new place slowly; take time to look around your new city and town. Make new friends enjoy meeting new coworkers and share your experiences with people back home. Have fun.
Wherever you’re going in the world, we hope you have a fantastic time and love living in a completely new culture and gaining new experiences every single day!
