Packing may seem like a mundane task, but it is no less than a science, especially when you are moving out of country. The list of dos and don’ts can get over-exhausting if you don’t have a plan to from the start.
Laying down the strategy and sticking to it till the end is the only way to make your packing process smooth. Moving to another country is a big deal, and you have to be ready for all contingencies. Nobody wants to run around looking for a local drugstore last minute because they forgot to pack their inhaler.
Besides struggling to get somewhere in a different country, you may also not find the exact products in a different country. So, make sure you follow a packing plan, and pack smart, not just light.
This article will help you pack your luggage efficiently for an out-of-country move.
What to Bring When Moving Out of Country
We realize how much stuff we own only when we have to cram it into a tiny suitcase. When moving out of the country, it is neither possible nor practical to bring all of your stuff along.
Cutback on the items you have to bring by dividing everything into three categories: legal, practical, and sentimental.
The legal stuff includes passport, ID card, wills, insurance policies, birth/marriage certificates, etc. The practical includes clothing, medications, pet food, electronics, converter plugs, etc.
Lastly, sentimental items include photographs, memorabilia, and books.
Packed Extra?
Airports allow only a certain weightage of belongings to be carried on the plane. Anything beyond that weight cannot be onboarded. Some airports have nearby storage facility where you can dump your extra belongings, like the storage Aurora CO, and return from your trip a week or month after and safely pick them up.
Make a Packing List
Lists are like maps you can refer back to when you are in the middle of packing. They can help you stay organized throughout the process no matter how complex it gets.
Whether you are spring cleaning, decluttering, downsizing, or packing for a move, creating a packing list is a fail-safe method by which you are guaranteed to remember everything important.
You can check off items off the list as you go, which is kind of insanely satisfying. If you don’t want to create a physical list, work with a mental one, visualizing ticking off each task off the list as you go about your packing.
Wrap Fragile Items
One of the best packing hacks is using your clothes, pillowcases, and sweaters to wrap fragile items. Using these items for packing will save you money on bubble wraps.
Moreover, you will be packing two items in one go. So, make sure you use the clothes you plan to take with you to your destination. Doing so will save you a lot of space, time, and money.
Roll Your Clothes
When it comes to smart packing, tightly roll up your clothes instead of folding them. Folded clothing items tend to take up more space. However, rolled-up clothes are an excellent space-saving hack.
Besides saving precious packing space, rolling clothes is more manageable and takes less time than folding them properly. Moreover, rolled-up clothes tend to wrinkle less than folded ones, so it’s an added bonus.
Don’t Leave Any Empty Spaces
You need every inch, nook, and cranny of your luggage space when it comes to packing for an out-of-country move. Most airlines allow a particular weight limit, and shipping and cargo can cost a lot.
So, make smart choices when it comes packing luggage. If you have shoes, baskets, jars, or bags within your luggage, make sure each item is needed for the trip, and isn’t just coming for the ride. Use the insides of socks, gloves, or scarves to keep fragile items in, like perfume bottles.
Organize and Label
As far as packing is concerned, organization and labeling go hand in glove with the actual packing process. Before you can even start packing, you need to plan and create different strategies for organizing your luggage.
Organization makes packing almost like taking a walk in the park. Labeling, on the other hand, makes the items packed more accessible once packed. You can expect a smooth unpacking when you have labelled every box, bag, and container with its contents. Otherwise, you will be unpacking haphazardly and making a mess.
Utilize Carry-On Allowance
Every airline offers a carry-on luggage allowance to the passengers. Most people don’t benefit from this allowance when they should be using it strategically to pack in more items.
While you shouldn’t overburden yourself with a lot of carry-on weight, you can pack in more items smartly and take with you as carry-on luggage. You can pack an extra pair of clothes in your carry-on or wear your weighted clothes, like jackets and fur coats, on the plane to save a lot of space.
Learn About Customs Regulations
Custom regulations are an essential part of the process of moving luggage overseas. You cannot take certain items with you when moving to countries that do not allow them.
Similarly, some electronics are also restricted by regulations for import. You will need special permissions to take these items with you, or the customs will have to confiscate them.
While most everyday items do not have customs limitations, you should be aware of what’s allowed and what’s not in the destination country to avoid any inconvenience.
Pack the Essentials Last
Essentials can include a variety of things, from your toothbrush to your charger to your passport. These items are essential because you will need them immediately after landing in your destination country.
However, you will also be using them throughout your stay and upon leaving on the return flight. So, make a mental note (or a physical one) to pack these items and do not, under any circumstances, forget them before leaving.
Final Thoughts
Moving out of country can test your packing abilities to their limit. When you move to another country, you are basically setting up roots in an entirely different country. While you may need to take a lot of the stuff you already own on this journey, you cannot take it all. So, you have to plan and pack strategically to use every inch of the packing space. You should categorize and downsize the items to take with you before you start packing.
