How to protect your cargo from last-minute mishaps

Moving comes with many challenges. First, you need to find a good moving company that offers the services you need. For example, if you are moving internationally, you are not supposed to hire long-distance movers, but rather global international movers. The next few things you need to take care of are getting packing supplies and preparing your belongings. The preparation is a little bit more complicated when moving internationally. There are many more documents to prepare and moving belongings is more complicated. So, just when you thought you don’t have to worry anymore, there are also a few mishaps that could happen at the last minute. As your main goal is to have your belongings shipped in perfect condition, you need to take steps to protect your cargo from last-minute mishaps. Therefore, here is what you can do to protect your belongings when moving internationally.

 What can you do to protect your cargo from last-minute mishaps?

Accidents are not rare during relocation. Of course, accidents and mistakes are more common during a DIY move than with a moving company. Packing is not as simple as it looks. A certain level of skills and knowledge are necessary for packing. If you pack your belongings properly and as it is supposed to, the chances of accidents and damage will be much lower. Most people don’t have the required skills and experience to pack their items properly. Therefore, moving companies are an essential part of any moving preparation. Professional movers are especially needed if you are planning long-distance relocation or moving internationally. Also, you can hire door to door international movers to pack your items for shipping. Additionally, you can protect your items by doing the following:

• Hire a licensed moving company
• Request a moving quote and moving contract
• Prepare your belongings
• Deal with needed documents

How to find a good moving company?

Unfortunately, not all moving companies are reliable or honest in their job. Usually, the fraudulent moving companies don’t have a proper license. Any moving company which works interstates and internationally has a license issued by FMC according to federal law. FMC issued licenses only to moving companies that have the required knowledge and experience to work in this field. Also, it’s very easy to check if a certain moving company has a proper license. You only need to check the FMC official site and enter the name of your moving company. Checking this information is not the only way to find a reliable moving company. You also should ask for international moving quotes from a couple of different moving companies only after a visual inspection of your belongings. Never agree on moving estimate made via telephone.

Choose the right packing supplies

As you already know, moving internationally is much harder than moving locally and even long-distance. The packing process is not exactly the same for these relocations. When you are moving internationally, you will need to use packing supplies that offer better protection for your items. For example, professional movers will instead of cardboard boxes use sturdier boxes such as international moving crates. You can get them in different sizes and purposes such as picture crates, tv crates, motorcycle crates, etc. However, getting proper packing supplies is not enough to protect your items from accidents. You also need professional movers who know how to use these packing supplies properly and pack your items in the best way. For this reason, it’s important to hire experienced professional movers as they are your best option to protect your items during an international relocation.

What document do you need to prepare for an international move?

Preparing the documents for the international move might be the most boring part of moving preparation. You also need to obtain documents for your items such as insurance and receipts from your moving company. Additionally, you should check the laws of your new country and see what items you can and cannot move there. Moving insurance is an important document to have when moving internationally. Most moving companies don’t offer full value protection unless you don’t pay additional money. Also, some movers might tell one story while something completely different. For this reason, you should always read the terms and conditions of the insurance and request a signed copy. When you deal with paperwork related to your belongings, you should then prepare for yourself. Some of the documents you need to prepare are a passport, visa, work permit, birth certificate, driver’s license, social security cards, health records, etc.

How can you move large items internationally?

Moving your clothes or smaller items internationally is not such a big problem. However, if you plan to move furniture or other larger items, you might find yourself in trouble. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to move your large items to another country. One of the options you already know is you can hire a moving company. Some of the other options are United States postal service, consolidated freight, rideshare, courier shipping, or you can move them by yourself. All of these options have advantages and disadvantages. For example, the advantages of renting a moving truck are cheaper prices and your items are always with you. However, all the responsibility lies on your shoulders, and mishaps are more common. USPS is a convenient way of shipping your items as you can set everything up online and get basic insurance, but only boxes under 70 lbs are allowed.

Can you prevent mishaps from happening?

Moving mistakes are common occurrences. Everyone who works also makes mistakes and you can’t always alter the outcome of your relocation. However, there are steps to ensure safety and protect your cargo from last-minute mishaps. The most important step is to work with a reliable moving company. Experienced professional movers are an essential factor in ensuring the safety of your items during relocation. They will know which packing supplies to use and how to properly pack your items. Also, consider getting moving insurance for your items.