Top Relocation Tips

Household Shipping

There are a number of ways that you can ship your household items. You can either do this by Sea Freight or Air Freight. There are advantages for both and you will need to decide which best suits you based on cost, how much stuff you have, when you would like your household items to arrive etc.

Other considerations to be made are;

• What kind of restrictions are there on goods that may be transported
• Insurance during shipment
• If you want to use a shipper that does household packing or
• Doing it yourself?

Air Freight

Air Freight can be a cost effective way of transporting goods. It has the advantage of speed of delivery which may be a good option if you have already arranged permanent accommodation. It may be the best option if you are moving to a land locked country or inland areas.

Sea Freight

There are a few options in the type of sea freight that is available.

If you have a lot of stuff you may choose to do a full container load. This usually involves the shipping company to come to your home and loading the container there as long as there is sufficient access. There is also the option of your container being customs checked in front of you, giving the assurance that what is in your container after it leaves your sight is only what you will receive at the other end.

If you don’t have a lot of items to ship but still a considerable amount then you may choose a Groupage Option where the container is shared with other company clients that are shipping to the same destination. This option is however subject to availability.

All shipments will be delivered to the closest port to where you are living.

What can you ship?

Two rules of thumb when packing you stuff and being customs savvy are 1) If you don’t know what it is then you probably don’t have it or it doesn’t concern you; 2) If you are unsure of an item, get it checked out!

For a list of the items that Customs prohibit from entering Australia; we recommend that you visit http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4369 to get a detailed description of these items

Packing

It is never too early to start packing. The last thing you want is to be caught out on the day of your flight with cleaning out the shed!

Things to remember when packing:

• Each carton that you pack should be labelled clearly with a detailed inventory of what is inside the carton. This helps the shipping company to pack the container appropriately, customs and unpacking at the other end!
• Access – if you live in a controlled zone, you should contact local authorities to ensure that there is ample parking for the removalists. If there is no parking restrictions then arrange with the neighbours to have enough space for parking as close as possible to your home. Make sure that your driveway is clear of obstruction
• Any appliance that is connected directly to the main power supply needs to be disconnected by a profession, arrange this in advance
• Ensure that all fixtures and fittings are dismantled prior to packing; this includes self assembly furniture, shelving, cabinets etc.
• Refrigerators and Freezers need to be defrosted the day before shipping and wiped out with a damp cloth and vanilla essence
• Consumables are generally prohibited. Any prescription medicines should be accompanied with a letter from your Physician.
• Artworks, should be wrapped carefully and securely
• TV’s, radios, telecommunication devices etc, may not work outside the country that they were made for. If you plan to take any of this with you it plans to check to see if they will work in your new destination.
• Firearms generally need a import permit from the country that you are moving to, check this out with the customs department of the country you are moving to
• Outdoor Equipment generally needs to be quarantined. Make sure that when preparing it for shipment that you have cleaned these items thoroughly

Make sure that when the shipping company is in your home, you have the baggage you are taking with you on your flight clearly separated from the stuff that you are shipping.

For Customs requirements visit:

New Zealand
www.customs.govt.nz/

United Kingdom
www.hmrc.gov.uk

Canada
www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-eng.html

Australia
www.customs.gov.au

USA
www.cbp.gov