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Seven Small Steps to Keep Sane in International Relocation

Posted on November 17, 2023November 23, 2023 by Angie Weinberger

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Seven Small Steps to Keep Sane in International Relocation

International Relocation is usually stressful. It ranks among the top ten stress factors in life. I have worked as a Global Mobility Manager and I regularly consult expats and their spouses on career choices one of the lessons I learned is that you cannot take away the stress from international relocation completely but you can make it easier by following those seven rules I will share with you now.

1) Organize your move into smaller tasks with a checklist.

It is all about organizing yourself and all those relocating with you. Try to break down the move in as many steps as possible and work those off day by day. Better one baby step a day than a huge step in a week. I’m a fan of an online and an offline checklist and you can use our checklist. Shortly before the move, I would rely on hand-written notes and Post-its. Kanban-style visualization helps in any kind of project. If you are looking to move for work you should sign up to our blog to get our moving checklist and other helpful resources. You can sign up here and join our Global People Club.

2) Reserve time to get tasks done

You can set aside a time in your diary possibly early in the morning where you get 1 or 2 relocation items off your checklist. You will instantly feel better for the rest of the day. If you are a couple make sure that every one of you has a block of tasks bundled that make sense together. For example, your spouse might clean out closets while you check the exact moving allowance and contractual agreements with the moving company. You might take charge of selling household goods that are no longer needed while your spouse writes to insurance companies and other authorities. You might want to consider downsizing too, in which case we recommend you read this MyMove article, which offers great downsizing tips (saving you money, trouble, and stress).

3) Work with the relocation company from the beginning

If you work with a professional relocation company clarify expectations early. Find out what their service includes exactly so you don’t do superfluous work. Usually, they will do the packing but not the unpacking of your boxes. Get an understanding of the volume your company will pay for you to relocate. If you move internationally for the first time you will not know how much a container holds. Invite the relocation consultant to your home as soon as you know about the relocation. The relocation consultant will tell you exactly how much of your furniture and stuff will fit into one container. The less “stuff” you have the better. You also don’t want to take valuable furniture into a climate that is tropical. Make fast decisions about what needs to be stored. In my last move, I used colored stickers to help me identify which picture would go into which building. You can use stickers for everything that will go into storage. Also, make sure that the relocation company will be authorized to dispose of anything you don’t want anymore. You can find an overview of FIDI-approved companies here: https://www.fidi.org/expats.

4) Separate important documents

Sometimes the most important customs documents or your child’s passport end up in a moving box. Important documents need to be separated and best kept outside of the apartment during the packing process. Scan all of them and put them in an electronic folder like Dropbox where you can access them at any time. Moving companies such as Keller Swiss Group tend to have a “red box” for all items that should not go into the container. Request it with the consultant’s first visit. Also, in the modern day and age you want to have all your important documents on a drive as you might need a copy of a passport, birth, or marriage certificate during transit or in the early days in the new country. Remember to scan all university and other records too while you are at it. In Switzerland for example you need all these documents when applying for a new job.

5) Plan at least two days for arrival and unpacking

My mum once had to unpack all my boxes because I needed to start to work. It took me quite a while to find out where everything was. Some of the things my mum put away nicely are still where they were three years ago. Try to make sure you have enough time to unpack. With children, you need to plan extra time too. Usually, as unexpected issues might come up during your move you can make it easier on yourself and your family by scheduling more time “off”. You can also ask your employer in the new country that you would like to arrive a few days earlier and if they can help you with the service apartment or hotel being available a bit earlier than your start date.

6) Make sure people have enough to eat and drink

Moving is a physical exercise too and if you are a nerd like me you probably hardly carry out that much. You don’t use the stairs so many times normally and you will feel exhausted from answering a lot of questions. You can create a good atmosphere with the movers by providing enough food and drinks to get through the packing. You should also tip them generously. So have enough cash with you at the location you depart from and the location you are moving to. Since an overseas shipment will take at least 6 weeks there is enough time to prepare for the moving day in the host location. Remember also that you should stay in corporate accommodation until you are positive that your consignment will arrive on time. In emergencies, relocation companies will rent out furniture to you but it is an unnecessary hassle.

Miracles cannot be expected but if you ensure movers have enough to eat and drink it usually helps the mood.

7) Keep all receipts and expect Murphy’s law

Sometimes moving goods get lost at sea or damaged. If you care too much about Granny Susanne’s old kitchen cupboard you might need to consider storing it. If it is valuable to make sure you get proper insurance. Keep all receipts of expenditure you had due to the move even if you get a lump sum cash allowance to cover your relocation costs. You might need them to claim insurance. You will have a packing list and you can take photos of your important furniture and paintings for example. Otherwise, you might not have proof of damage. Most relocation companies are very generous with handling issues (unless they are not adhering to industry standards). Before you get into a fist-fight with the relocation company it is best to escalate the issue to your in-house Global Mobility Manager. These are seven small tips for keeping sane during relocation.

If you liked this post please share it with a person who is currently relocating to another country.