It is widely acknowledged that moving home is stressful: sorting through possessions, packing, and getting all the paperwork sorted is just the start of what feels like a never-ending to-do list. In fact, a survey by Which? revealed people find moving house more stressful than having children, changing jobs or getting married.
On top of that, when relocating to a new country, or even a new continent, this stress is amplified: uprooting family (including any four-legged friends), moving to an unfamiliar location and starting over can feel overwhelming. That’s before you get to the more practical elements such as finding new schools, getting any relevant vaccinations, language training and organising visas.
In our globalised economy, relocation is a reality for many people, with more and more workers heading overseas for projects or permanent contracts. A recent survey by Collinson, a global loyalty and benefits company, found 46% of HR managers expect some of their staff to be sent on international assignments within the next three years.
So, what can you do to make your big move as easy as possible? For those of you feeling the pressure, we’ve pulled together some top-tips for seeing-off the stress that house-moving can entail.
If you are a student looking for the best way to ship your stuff overseas for university, check out our unaccompanied bags option.
Step 1: Read up
Although researching your new locale isn’t the same as experiencing it, doing some digging can help you understand more about the area and what life is like there. Take a look at your new abode on Google Street View to get a feel for the neighbourhood or reach out to someone in your network who lives there to get some insider advice.
Step 2: Find a helping hand
A helping hand can go a long way in reducing the stress and ensuring your next chapter kicks off nicely. Moving abroad for a new job or lifestyle is a brave decision to make, so getting a dedicated assistant, to guide you throughout the process, can increase the chance of it being a success.
Step 3: Be brutal about your belongings
Use packing as an excuse to find your inner Marie Kondo and get rid of anything you don’t need or love. There’s no point in moving something to the other side of the world to collect dust when it could be donated to a more loving home.
Step 4: Fly your furry friend
Moving a family doesn’t always just mean humans, you need to think carefully about your furry friends too. If you’re moving further-a-field then you need to make sure you leave plenty of time to organise everything from vaccines, quarantines and flights for the family fur-ball. Why not take a look at our advice on travelling with your pets.
Step 5: Tweak those subscriptions
From bank accounts to loyalty cards, Amazon to Netflix, it seems like almost everything these days is managed online. Use this is an excuse to sort out those subscriptions, from cancelling local ones to making sure your address is changed on those that you want to continue.
Step 6: And relax…
Congratulations, you’ve done the hardest part, moving a lifetime of stuff is stressful, but you have made it to your new home. Now it is time to let your inner interior designer roam free as you start unpacking it all.
People don’t traditionally think of flying their homes overseas, but at IAG Cargo we recognise that speed and ease is hugely important in a house move and can help ease the stress. We have partnered with Santa Fe Relocation to offer a brand-new, simple and convenient relocation service. This one-stop-shop, which looks after all your moving needs, operates in 47 countries and 96 offices. Take a look at how our relocation service might work for you.