Top Tips for Moving Out of Ireland

Moving overseas can be an organisational nightmare, but with the right planning, and a good removal company to relocate you, there is no reason why your home move should not be a happy and exciting time.

Any home move benefits from excellent organisation and planning. But this is crucially important when you are moving overseas as there is so much more that can go wrong, and there may be cultural and language barriers to overcome, making it even more difficult.

Choosing the right international removal company is crucial to ensure a stress free relocation overseas, they will have the skills, knowledge and equipment that is vital when moving overseas. But how do you know which the good removal companies are and which to avoid?

What are the mistakes to avoid when moving overseas from Ireland?

This guide will give you all the information you need to ensure you have a smooth relocation to your new life abroad.

You might also like to read International Home Moves – The ultimate Home Moving Challenge for even more tips and useful information to make your move overseas as easy as possible.

Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Overseas

• Research everything: From the country you intend to move to, to any international removal company you are considering hiring. The more information that you gather the less likely things are to go wrong.
• Plan. And plan some more: Plan to the last detail every stage of your home move. Even missing the smallest detail could cause major problems when you get to your new country.
• Don’t waste time: It is amazing how quickly moving day will be upon you, so get as much done today as you possibly can. The earlier your start your relocation planning and organisation the easier moving day will be.
• Hire professional packers: For certain countries, this will be a requirement for clearing customs anyway, as they will require a detailed inventory of the items being imported. A professional packing team will know exactly how to pack your items for maximum protection and the most efficient way to pack each box. Note that many insurance companies will not insure items in transit that you have packed yourself.
• Pack a moving day box or bag: This is an essential thing to do as it will contain all the things that you will need on moving day and for the next couple of days. Often you will arrive in your new country before your household goods so you will need some basics to tide you over until your things arrive. Typically your bag or box would contain medication, important paperwork, drinks, snacks, and a change of clothes for example. Be sure not to pack anything into the pack that is prohibited in the country you are moving to. Your removal company or the embassy website of your new country will have details of such items.
• Have a contingency fund: Create a home moving budget, and include a healthy sum for contingencies. You may incur unforeseen custom or storage charges, or need to stay in a hotel overnight due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Hire the best international removal company you can find: Good international movers are worth their weight in gold. We will cover this in more detail later but it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to find a good international removal company.

You may also have a car that you wish to ship with you to your new home. International Car Shipping – Your Questions Answered has a wealth of useful information to make shipping your car abroad as easy as possible.

Deciding What to Take When Moving Overseas

Like any home move, the fewer things you pack and take, the cheaper your home move will be.

The number one thought should always be: Is it cheaper to replace an item in your new country than pay to pack and ship it.

Many homes abroad are sold with the furniture which will save you significant shipping costs, equally the climate in your new country may not be kind to MDF type furniture.

Electronics will often be of a different voltage or plug type and may not be safe to use in your new home. You should also note that statistically a TV is the most damaged item when moving home.

Consider the customs and culture of your new home country, the climate, and the area you are moving to. Will you ever wear those suits again? Do you need 6 pairs of red high heel shoes in a village? Every item you leave behind will save you money.

Also be aware of any items that are prohibited in your new country. Every country has different rules so check with your removal company and with the embassy of the country you are moving to.

Sell, donate, or recycle any items that you do not need and will not be taking with you. Do this before you start getting your removal costs estimates so that the removal company surveyor can see exactly what you are intending to take with you.

Must read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move takes you room-by-room, step-by-step through the process of how to sort through your things ready for your international home move.

Get Removal Cost Estimates

Now that you have slimmed down the number of items you will be taking you are in a position to get some removal cost estimates. Ideally you should get 3-4 quotes so that you can compare them.

By filling out this quick form you will be contacted by up to 4 International removal companies who will be able to move you to your destination country, on the dates that you requested, and will be able to provide you with a quote for your move.

Get your free international home removal quote

Arrange an In-Home Moving Survey

It is essential that any international removal firm you intend to hire conducts an in-home survey. This allows them the opportunity to assess exactly what you are moving, and to develop a packing and moving plan tailored to your particular home move.

This is also your opportunity to interview the removal company. Have a list of any questions you may have, this may include insurance options, any specialised packing you may need, how your goods will be shipped, and how long from pick up to delivery.

Ask all the removal companies you invite to your home the same questions so that you can make comparisons between each one.

Usually there is not a huge difference in the prices charged by the best international movers, as their base costs are all similar. What sets the best removal firms apart is their attention detail, outstanding customer service, the quality of their packing materials and the level of support they offer you during your move and beyond.

How far in advance should you schedule an international home move? As soon as you have a confirmed move date you need to schedule your removal firm. Keep in mind that door-to-door delivery times can vary wildly from country to country and customs delays are not unusual.

Good to know: There will likely be many questions you have for your removal company but this guide offers some suggestions for questions that you may have overlooked. Questions to Ask Your Removal Company

Shipping Options for an International Home Move

Depending upon your destination you may be offered between one and three ways of shipping your things overseas:

• By road: Often the cheapest and quickest way of moving, especially to Europe.
• By sea: Depending upon your destination this may be the only or the best way of shipping overseas. Although slower than the other shipping methods, the savings can be significant.
• By air: This is generally the most expensive way to move things abroad, and for larger home moves of 3 bedrooms and more is often not available.

How to Choose a Good International Removal Company

Whilst it in no way means that an international removal company is not good, it may be in your best interest to ensure that any international removal company you are considering hiring is a member of an international removal company association.

FIDI: A FIDI accredited international removal company must adhere to and pass over 200 quality assessments that cover all aspects of a home move from the paperwork to the actual move itself. The high standards set are regularly audited to ensure that the standards are met and any company that fails to meet the requirements is excluded from FIDI.

You can find out more about FIDI at www.fidi.org

FAIM: This is the quality mark awarded to FIDI members. Any international removal company must comply with a number of pre-requisites before they can be considered as qualifying. These include:

• They must have been operating inter-continental home moves for a minimum of 2 years.
• They must carry out a minimum of 10 inter-continental moves per year.
• They must have all appropriate insurances in place
• They must sign and adhere to the FIDI Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Charter
• They must have regular FAIM audits to ensure they comply with the strict FAIM standards
• The company must also prove they are of good financial standing

Find out more about FIDI-FAIM certification at www.fidi.org

Things to consider when hiring an international removal company

• Does the removal company offer door-to-door tracking of your shipment?
• Does the removal company offer you a move manager? Someone who is familiar with the country you are moving to and can offer you guidance and support for any questions you may have about your move.
• Does the removal company have secure storage facilities should you need them?
• Do they offer English-speaking customer support in your new country for the final stages of your home delivery?
• Be crystal clear about the limitations of any insurance you are offered so that you are fully covered in the event of a claim.
• Does the removal company employ third parties to deliver the final stage of your goods and if so who are they, how do you contact them if you need to, are they FIDI accredited?

Reviews and the experience that other expats have had using a particular international removal company will be very useful in your search for a good removal company.

Read as many reviews as you can, visit expat websites for the country to intend to move to, log into forums and find out as much as you can about other people who have used removal companies and what their experiences were. Learn from their mistakes so that you do not encounter the same problems.

Must do: Read verified reviews of any international removal company you intend to hire. Find out how to spot fake reviews and get the most benefit from reading about previous customer experiences in How to Make Reviews Work for You.

Useful Websites If You Are Moving Abroad From Ireland

• Passports: A simple mistake many international movers make is to forget the expiry date of their passports. If you need to renew yours then here is the link to the www.dfa.ie passport portal
• Exporting a car from Ireland: You will find all the information you need about exporting your car from Ireland at www.revenue.ie
• Relocating a pet abroad: You will find all the information you need about relocating abroad with your pet at www.agriculture.gov.ie
• Foreign Embassies: Here is a list of all the foreign embassies accredited to Ireland who may be able to offer you good advice about moving to their country. www.dfa.ie
• Citizens Register: Before leaving Ireland it is a good idea to register your details onto the Citizens Register, then should the need arise the Department of Foreign Affairs can easily contact you. www.dfa.ie
• Irish Consulates and Embassies Abroad: You can find a list of Irish Embassies and Consulates abroad at www.dfa.ie should you need it.
• Expat Forums: You may be interested to visit the expat forums listed in this article which ranks the top 10 expat forums.
• EU Customs Portal: If you are moving to Europe you may find this list of contact details for every customs office in Europe useful. www.tarriffnumber.com
• Find a school abroad: This website at www.expatchild.com has lots of useful information about finding a school for your children abroad.
• Find colleges and universities abroad: You can find a college or university in any country at www.education.com

We hope you have found this guide useful. All that remains now is for you to start your home move by getting an international home removal quote from the prevetted movers via the form at the top of this page.