Moving is a stressful process. It often takes a lot of time and meticulous planning to do properly. And it can get even more stressful when you need to move to another country. You need to think about what things you should be bringing with you. You need to find a new home and reliable international movers Japan. But do not fret! In this article, we cover some of the most important international moving tips. Follow these, and your move is sure to be relieved of some stress and panic.

International moving tips – Keep Organized

One of the key things to do when moving is keeping organized. You should get a place to store every information you have on the move. And there will be a lot of information. You will need a place to store all the documents, to-do lists, and lots and lots of paperwork. There are two ways to go about storing your information. You can do it the old-fashion way – in a good, sturdy binder, or on computers.

Due to the size of everything you will need to organize, we recommend getting an app to help you sort this through. Microsoft has OneNote in their Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium, which is just what the name suggests. It’s a helpful little binder-like program in which you can create multiple tabs and pages for all your information. It also has a lot of templates you can use to create to-do lists, checklists, and others.

Once you decide how you will keep everything in check, you need to set some goals. Create milestones through which you can track your progress. You will also be creating a lot of lists, so be prepared for that as well. Keep track of everything – you will need to do certain things before others, so by keeping organized you reduce the risk or backtracking your steps.

Creating Lists

One of the best international moving tips we have for you is to create a lot of lists. Once you are starting the moving process, take a few hours to sit and write down everything that you can think of that you will need to do. Be thorough. Think about any possible solution that can arise. Being prepared for problems will help solve them quickly. Of course, there will be some surprising situations which you could not have possibly planned for, but covering most of your bases will help a lot.

Don’t be afraid to make as many lists as you need. You can have one for everything you will need at a doctor’s or a dentist’s appointments. Then a list of all the documents and school records you will need, the list of your furniture, clothes and so on.

Get a Binder for Paperwork

The moving process involves a lot of paperwork! Think about creating a system that works for you, which will help you store and organize all of it. Binders are great for this since you can have special tabs for every type of documents you are storing. It’s also a good idea to scan your documents and have an online copy somewhere in your database, just in case something goes missing.

International moving tips – Packing

As you know, moving is quite expensive. Not only do you need to find a new place to live, but you also need the help of professional movers, like Kokusai Express Japan. Adding more stuff for your movers to take will just raise the price of your move. This is why you probably don’t want to take everything with you. Often, it’s cheaper to buy new things than to transport the ones you have.

Clothes

When deciding what clothes to take, think about which ones you wear the most. You should not pack clothes you don’t wear at all. These you can donate or sell for a small money boost. There’s a great way to figure out which clothes you don’t wear. Flip all hangers in your wardrobe to one side. After you have worn an item, flip the hanger in the other direction. This way, you will know which items you do and do not wear, which will help you decide what to leave behind.

It’s also a good idea to research the climate of your new country. Sometimes, there will be a type of clothes that will be useless for you, like warm jackets in a tropical climate. Sell these too.

Books, Electronics, and Furniture

One of the international moving tips people are most keen about is should you move your furniture. And the answer isn’t that simple. However, there is a rule of thumb you can follow.

The furniture is often clunky, heavy and hard to pack and transport. You need to consider whether it’s cheaper to buy new items or to move the ones you have. It’s that simple. If you are not taking your furniture with you, sell it before you move. Storing big furniture items can get quite expensive really fast.

If you have a nice collection of books that you don’t want to part with, you can place them in a good Japan warehouse. However, you again need to consider the cost of storing them. Think whether you will be coming back and whether you will read them again. You can just give them to a relative or donate them.

As far as small appliances, like blow dryers and electronic razors go, it’s easier to buy new ones in your new country. On the other hand, laptops and similar electronics are a different story. If you decide to bring these over, make sure you visit an electronics store after you move to get proper plugs for them. Usually, there is a voltage difference (and the shape of the plugs differ themselves), and you can fry your equipment if you’re not careful.

International moving tips – Take Time to Rest

Finally, the last of our international moving tips is to always take time for yourself. This is one extremely stressful process, and taking a break will help you go through it. Take an evening for yourself, put on some music and have a nice meal, or relax with your favorite TV show. Taking things easy for one night will not be such a bad thing if you plan time for it.