The Ultimate Worldwide Moving Checklist

There’s no doubting the stress that comes with moving. You’ve discovered your dream home, signed on the dotted line and now comes the not-so-easy part. Coordinating how to get your belongings from one place to another and relocating your entire life can seem daunting. However, this essential piece in the international moving process doesn’t have to be so complicated. We’re here to help you start early so that you can avoid any unnecessary stress and worry along the way.

We’ve created the ultimate worldwide moving checklist to help make your move as painless as possible. With our guidance and this 8-week guide to the upcoming big moving day, you’ll have everything complete and ready, with plenty of time for excitement.

8 weeks before you move

At Three Movers, we recommend starting the planning process at least two months in advance. This will help ensure that your move goes smoothly. There’s a lot to do and prepare for, however that’s where we come in. Follow this list and you’ll definitely stay on track.

1. Assemble all of the receipts, quotes and records related to your move in a moving binder or digitally online. Utilize Google Drive and you can even share the files with the other members of your household. In the midst of your move it’ll be hard to keep track of everything so save yourself some time by knocking this step out first.
2. Begin reaching out to and scheduling in-home estimates with companies offering reputable worldwide moving services. Hiring professional movers is your best bet to guarantee that your belongings make it to your final destination safe, secure and on-time. During your in-home estimate, be sure to notify the moving consultant of all the items that need to be packed and moved by professional movers. Set aside any items that you want to pack yourself in a specified area to avoid confusion on moving day.
3. Start packing your first box by identifying all of your important documents and valuables. This way you’ll never misplace any of your critical items.
4. Begin going through your home, room by room, and purge any unwanted items. Determine what you’d like to sell, keep, donate or put in storage for later. Consider having a garage sale to get rid of the items you deemed unnecessary.
5. Deep clean your home. Giving your home a good clean early on will help you to organize your things and may even increase your chances of selling your home. Also, if you’re a renter, you’ll be much more likely to get your security deposit returned to you.
6. Request time off from work for moving day. If you can swing it, consider moving on a Friday so that you have the entire rest of the weekend to get settled.

6 weeks before you move

Since the last two weeks have been spent cleaning, organizing and setting aside your essential items, now it’s time to dive deeper.

1. Meet up with friends and family prior to moving day. Throw a simple dinner or going away party to enjoy some last memories in your current home.
2. Start gathering all the necessary moving supplies. You can often get free boxes by asking around at your local grocery, liquor and office supply stores. Boxes are generally cheap but tend to add up if you need a lot of them.
3. Clearly label your moving boxes. Notate what is in each box and the room they should correspond to. This will make your life a whole lot easier when it’s time to unpack and organize.
4. Complete any necessary small repairs. This goes along with the deep clean and will help increase your chances of selling your home or getting your security deposit back on your rental. It’s likely that you’ve been putting off a few repairs for a while, now is the best time to do them.
5. Secure a storage unit or speak with an expert storage company. If there’s some downtime in between moving out of your current home and moving into your new one, you’ll want to secure some storage space as soon as possible.
6. Start researching your new area for points of interest. Make a list of some restaurants or other hangout spots to check out when you arrive!

4 weeks before you move

In exactly a month, you’ll be sleeping in your new home. This is when you’ll officially want to secure your overseas moving company and make most of the necessary arrangements for your new home.

1. Choose your moving company. Establish your budget, gather any additional quotes and book your desired worldwide moving services. Keep all your receipts and any other important documentation in your moving binder.
2. Secure your travel arrangements. Are you driving or flying to your new destination? Book all your airline tickets and hotel accommodations if necessary.
3. Decide how you want to transport your car. Do you want to hire a professional vehicle shipping company or will you be driving it yourself? If you’re driving it, make sure that the insurance and all the maintenance is up to date.
4. Contact your new TV, internet and utility providers to arrange for the services to be turned on and schedule any required appointments. You’ll also want to notify your current providers that you will either be ending or transferring their services.

2 weeks before you move

With just two weeks to go, the goal is to finalize all of the moving day logistics.

1. Submit for a change of address. This can be done by visiting your local Post Office or filling out a simple form online. You should also contact any other businesses that need to be aware of your new address (banks, insurance companies etc.).
2. Cancel or update any subscriptions or memberships. Give them your new address or cancel services entirely if they’re not located in your new area. A gym membership is pointless if you have to hop on a plane to get there.
3. Confirm important dates with your overseas moving and vehicle transport companies to ensure that everything is still scheduled as planned.
4. Start packing. With all of your packing supplies collected, now is time for the actual packing. Pack one room at a time in order to avoid feeling too overwhelmed.

1 week before you move

You’re officially down to just seven days until the big day. For this week you’ll pack a 24-hour moving kit and finally have everything ready to go for moving day.

1. Pack a day-of moving bag. This should include any important medications, a first aid kit and enough clothes and toiletries to last you until you unpack the rest.
2. Take a part any bulky, oversized furniture items. This’ll make them much easier to maneuver on moving day.
3. Gather all your keys and garage door openers to hand these over to your real estate agent.
4. To prove that your house was in good condition, take photos of your empty home.
5. Finish all of your packing before moving day. Don’t make the mistake of scrambling on loading day to pack up your last few boxes.

On moving day

The big day has finally arrived! You should have completed all of the necessary tasks for moving day, it’s now time to move into your new home.

1. Wake up on time. Avoid hitting the snooze button at all costs. You have a big day ahead of yourself.
2. Clear a path for your movers. Make it easy for your professional international moving company to haul your belongings to the moving truck without stumbling over things.
3. Be available to answer any questions your movers may have during the whole process.
4. Order food as a thank you to your hardworking movers.
5. Do a final walk-through of your empty home. This is your final chance to make sure that nothing has been missed and everything is cleanly. You will not be returning.
6. Tip your movers.

Professional Worldwide Moving Services

If you’re in need of professional worldwide moving services, look no further than Three Movers. We specialize in professional moving and storage to anywhere in the world. We’d be happy to take some of the stress out of your move and provide you with the service you deserve. We offer packing, unpacking, physical moving and storage services to meet your relocation needs.

Give Three Movers a call today for your FREE moving quote and to speak with a worldwide moving specialist about our fair, competitive pricing.