Tag Archives: moving

Tips to Taking Photos When Moving

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When you plan to move, you may want to keep memories of the place you’re leaving or maybe even from the moving process itself. You can have fun posting some of the photos on your preferred social media or arranging the pictures in an album after the move is over.

Always date-stamp your photos to be able to counter false claims by proving the date those photographs were taken. Turn on the date-stamp function of your (smartphone) camera or, if that’s not possible, e-mail those photos to yourself.
Also, make sure the time and date are correct in the settings of your digital camera or smartphone before you start snapping away.

Finally, keep the photos on the memory card, right between other pictures you took at that time to counter “smart” suggestions that you may have changed the time/date setting on your camera prior to taking the photos in question.

Most importantly, have fun to keep your memories alive in your previous home!

Safe moving!

Overall tips when moving overseas

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This week, general and overall tips when moving overseas.

An international move can be complicated but since I’m in the moving biz, I’m going to share with you some basic tips but very important tips before you make the leap overseas.

Employment
Yeah, that’s pretty basic but you’ll need work visas or permits to ensure you are working legally in your new country. It’s also helpful just to know the job market there and a basic understanding of the city you are moving to. Do your research on Google and other platforms to be informed regarding employment in your new country.

Finances
You have money coming whether for work or another way of income and you need to make sure it’s in a safe place. Contact some banks there and find out if you can set up an account before you leave. Know what type of fees they might charge and find out how safe your money is.

Accountant
One of the smartest things you can do before your move is to know the tax system not only here when you are out of the country, but in your new land. It can be complicated so be sure to contact your accountant or hire a tax professional to ensure you have a plan and meet all of your tax obligations. It will avoid major headaches while leaving abroad, trust me.

Health insurance
This is another basic tip but believe it or not, many people don’t check to find out if they are covered overseas. The last thing you need is to get ill and be hospitalized and find out your insurance doesn’t cover you or your family. Check with your health care provider if you are insured or not and make any adjustments if needed so you are insured.

Safe moving!

Tips to staying safe when moving

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Moving can be unpredictable to say the least. Anything can happen so you want to ensure you and your entire family including any pets you may have will be safe during the move. Turning your back to safety could be a costlier blunder that you could have easily avoid.

Some safety tips:
• Kids – It can be dangerous if you have young kids around when moving. Heavy household goods can be dropped so avoid any distractions too by having your kids stay at a friend’s place or relative.
• Pets – Just like your kids, you don’t want to have your pets roaming freely while your move is underway. Anything can happen, plan on taking them to friends for the day or hire a pet-sitter to take care of them during the big move.
• Clear hallways – Pick up any clutter, toys or other items that may be in the hallways. Ensure all pathways are free of dirt, water, other substances and ice outside pathways.
• Clothes – Wear the most comfortable clothes during the move, shirts and pants that stretch. Wear comfortable shoes that have good traction and consider heavy duty gloves to protect your hands.

Safe moving!

Tips moving to a coldstate or country

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If you are planning to move to another state or country that’s really cold during the winter months, there are some tips you should consider doing prior to your move, especially if you are currently living in a warm climate year-round. It’s a big lifestyle change but it does have some benefits.

There’s not as many bugs around, less allergies, better sleep and much more. Some simple tips to consider when moving to a cold climate:

• Lotions – You’ll need chap stick, lip balms and other types of hydration lotions to ensure you don’t get chapped lips, skin cuts etc.

• Humidifier – If your new state or country is really cold like in Alaska or parts of the Midwest, a humidifier will come in handy to keep your skin and other things in getting it too dry.

• Clothing – Good to invest in a nice parka with a hood, wool sweaters, thick and high stockings, scarves, cozy gloves and heavy-duty pants.

• Insulated blankets – Make sure to purchase big fluffy blankets and heavy sheets to keep you warm during the night.

Next blog will be part two on how to stay warm when moving to a cold state or country.

Safe moving!

Tips ensuring paperwork is in good shape before your international move

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You have a passport and visa and off you go to move overseas. Not so fast, you need to make sure other documents are in order before leaving. It’s crucial that additional paperwork and important copies of medical insurance, income tax records and the like are with you heading to your host country.

There are not only obligations from your own government here but records of “who you are” are important to have to take with you. Make sure you have copies with you in your briefcase or other hand-carried case on the airplane, don’t put them in your luggage in case it’s lost and certainly don’t ship them away in your belongings heading overseas.

Below is a recommended list of documents to have with you when moving:
• Employment contracts and a letter from your employers stating the terms of your stay. If local host-country authorities need them for some reason or ask to see them.
• Birth certificates of each family member
• Pertinent medical records
• Pertinent dental records
• Driver’s license (if you are planning to drive a vehicle in your host country, you’ll need to apply for a license there)
• Property and vehicle insurance records
• Income tax records
• Wills if Appropriate
• Each member of your family’s passport and other documentation

By making sure you have multiple copies of important documents with you, your overseas move will be so much easier in the event that any of your paperwork is requested while traveling or when you are settling into your new home.

Safe moving!

Tips moving via plane

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This week, I’m going to provide you tips if you decide to move via airplane.

Moving by a plane can be convenient alternative to moving by truck or car. If you plan correctly and if you are in a big hurry, here’s some tips to keep in mind:
• Plan ahead – Do your research online and find out what the extra baggage policies are with your airline. Airlines differ on how many bags you can take with you, size and weight are considering factors too. Do your research so you know what your total costs will be to move your personal home furnishings.
• Lighten it up – When moving across country or overseas, costs add up if you have a lot of belongings. If you are moving on a permanent basis, I’d have a garage sale and get rid of a lot of your stuff that you no longer need or use. If it’s temporary, you can probably get away with bringing only the items you use the most.
• Scale – Before you go to the airport, weigh your luggage to ensure it doesn’t exceed the size and weight limits of your airline.
• Alternatives – You probably won’t be able to ship everything via plane, so I’d hire shipping experts like Rainier to package and ship your personal belongings whether by ground, train or air.

These tips will be useful if you are moving via plane.

Safe moving!

Tips on moving your lawn mower

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You can’t just load your lawn mower into a moving truck the way you left it right after you last worked with it. And you shouldn’t do it either for a number of safety reasons. Before you can load a lawn mower into a moving truck, you’re going to need to prepare it properly for safe transportation.

Here are simple steps to preparing a lawn mower for a move:
1. The very first thing you need to do when moving a lawn mower is to drain completely its gas tank and its oil tank and transfer those liquids into appropriate containers.

Gas and oil are hazardous materials that top the list of non-allowable items when moving home. And as you know well, professional movers cannot and will not transport dangerous items of any kind.

Dispose of the lawn mower liquids in accordance with the local environmental regulations. Or you can give them to a neighbor who also owns lawn care equipment.

2. Clean well your lawn mower – The second step to preparing a lawn mower for moving is to clean it from any remaining dirt and grass cuttings before loading it up on the moving truck. The idea, of course, is to prevent your other belongings from getting dirty and to keep the inside of the moving vehicle in decent condition.

Use a large sponge and water to wash your mower and pay special attention to its wheels and undercarriage.

3. Remove all attachments and blades – For safety reasons, you’re going to need to remove the blades from your lawn mower before you load it up for transport. Consult the user’s manual of the machine if you’re not sure how to do it properly.

Use extra caution while handling the blades to avoid injuries. Use thick gloves while removing the cutting elements, then place the original protective covers over the sharp blades to secure them. Finally, wrap them up in large sheets of bubble wrap and pack them separately in a cardboard box.

4. Disconnect the spark plug – The final step to preparing a lawn mower for a move is to disconnect its spark plug so that it can’t accidentally be started during transport. Even with its gas siphoned, a lawn mower can still be started in some cases because of the fuel fumes built-up in the tank.

Follow these tips and your lawn mower will be shipped safely!

Safe moving!

Tips about embassies and important contact information

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So, you are set with your visa and or passport, now you need to make sure you get to know our embassies. Most embassies and consulates around the world have their own websites. When you move to another country, it’s really important to know the contact information and address of the embassy and consulate of the country you are moving to. They have excellent resources and can assist you if something goes wrong in your new international home.

Here are some important websites you should bookmark and make sure you have on hand before you move overseas:
• Embassy.org – Washington D.C. is the “hub” for international resources, lists of directories, passport and visas guides and much more.
• Governments on the Web – This is one of the most comprehensive lists of governmental institutions on the worldwide web which lists ministries, parliaments, offices, city councils, central banks, embassies, multi-governmental institutions and more. A great resource to use and know about the important local offices in your new country.
• Visa information – A private company not affiliated with a government agency but provides expedited visas, passports and other vital information needed for your move overseas.
• Forms and customs information – Rainier Overseas provides useful information on our own site including forms and customs information you should be aware of. Our online search tool is also really helpful.

Safe moving!

Making an international move during the Covid-19 pandemic

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The world is on hold, but the move must go on. For some, this is simply reality. You have sold your house here in the US, and you need to be in your new home overseas as soon as possible.
Don’t Panic. Not all is lost. For starters, you might be happy to know that moving has been deemed an “essential service” virtually everywhere in the US. This means that currently, movers in the US can pack, pick up, load, ship or store your personal items without much difficulty. This checks off one major box for many. However, regulations related to the moving industry are not universal. Many of our foreign partners are currently unable to operate at full capacity due to either government regulations or labor shortages (or sometimes both). So now you might ask, “Do we go ahead and ship or do we wait it out?”
Well, let’s start with research. Fortunately, most everything you need to know about the current pandemic situation in the country you are moving to can be found online. In most countries, the media is doing a pretty good job of reporting on current status of the Covid-19 virus as well as the projected impact of the virus on life in that country. So, as if you need to be told this, the internet will be the first place to start.
Beyond that, you will need to keep an active chain of communication open between you and your shipping company. They should be able to advise you of any relevant changes or events that might impact your move and provide you with the best options available for your particular situation. Here are just some examples of what’s happening around the world:
In the UK, moves are not currently considered “essential,” so all inbound shipments are currently being unloaded into storage warehouses and kept there (mostly at the expense of the owner of goods) until the government resumes allowing deliveries. Most companies are offering very reasonable storage rates considering the times and circumstances.
In Australia, while most movers should be able to deliver shipments, there is a 14-day quarantine for all people entering the country from abroad. This might mean that someone else will need to receive delivery on your behalf, or, alternatively, you might need to arrive in the country earlier than previously planned.
As Canada is one of the few countries where you must personally present yourself to the customs office to clear your goods, this poses a completely different issue. There is a 14-day quarantine there as well, and since the transit time for most shipments to Canada is less than that, you will likely have to plan for additional storage charges as well make a logistical plan that takes this quarantine timing into consideration.
These are just a few of the situations we are seeing around the world, and things are changing so fast that by the time you finish reading this blog there is a good chance something else might have changed. The best advice we can give you is stay engaged and available, plan ahead, and be flexible. Check your emails regularly and make sure you have clear methods of contacting and being contacted by your movers and your forwarders.
That, and pack an extra case of toilet paper!
Stay safe and Stay well!

Making the most out of “Quarantine”!

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Are you making the most out of your quarantine? Whether self-imposed or government sanctioned, let’s look for a silver lining in it all.
If you are planning a move in the next year, quarantine may be just what the doctor ordered for a completely different reason.
Now is the time to Purge! Transfer stations and dumps are all still open for business and let’s face it, social distancing at a dump is a must do regardless of the outbreak. Get the kids together and take a road trip to the dump. The lines are shorter than usual, and it will give you another reason to wear that face mask.
Donations! While most are not open at this moment, when the quarantine is over, they will need your unwanted treasures more than ever. Start separating them out, make a pile somewhere in the house (don’t worry about the mess, no one is coming over to see it) and then when this is all done you can run it out and be ahead of the game.
Get planning your move now! We are open for business and working hard “virtually” to continue assisting. Now is the time to set up a “Virtual Survey” of your home to determine not only budgetary cost but knowing your options ahead of time, may change what you decide to dump or donate.
Once you know what you want to take, you have the time, start your valued inventory. As you sit on the couch today, instead of binge watching all the seasons of Games of Thrones start making a valued list of all your goods. This will save you having to do it at the busiest time of your move, when you have so much else to do.
Lastly, learn about your new home. The internet is filled with valuable information about your new county, state and city. Now is the time to research with the kids or maybe just for yourself. For customs information you can visit our web site at www.rainieros.com/forms/customs-regulations-by-country/

Be safe and stay well!