How do you choose an international moving company?

They say moving is one of life’s most stressful experiences, but it definitely doesn’t need to be. With preparation, organization and a fantastic moving company on your side, your moving experience can be far smoother than you ever thought possible.

But how do you find the right mover for you? With so many out there, it can be hard to determine the differences between each company and how they fit your needs and wants.

As experts in the industry, we’ve come up with how to narrow down your search for a mover to ship your belongings overseas both efficiently and securely.

To pack or not to pack?

If you’re willing to use a bit of elbow grease and spend time packing your belongings up yourself, you can save hundreds of dollars. Any moving company that says it costs more/is illegal/will cause damage, is not at all to be trusted. Packing containers yourself is perfectly legal, and right now, it’s even safer than having packers come and handle your belongings. You know what’s important to you, you know where you’ve been, you know whats’ expensive, and packing yourself gives you complete control over that.

Give Yourself Time

Having time on your side will not only expand your choices – as almost all movers have time limits to their turnarounds. It will also allow you to research companies and coordinate your shipping with your moving schedule.

Are they reputable?

A good international moving company will have public reviews to persuade you they’re the best. Make sure there’s proof of their reputation, rather than it just being their word. Due to the importance of this, your moving company should have been around long enough to create this reputation. All companies need a kickstart somewhere, but the older ones have far more practice in the art of moving and tend to be more reliable.

Look and listen very carefully

If their quote seems too good to be true, it probably is… which means at the end of the service, you’ll end up with a figure double what you’d initially agreed to. Businesses love hidden fees, which is why it’s so important to find a transparent company that offer a lump-sum, no-hidden-fees price from the word go.

Are they Covid-safe?

It’s a new measurement that everyone needs to consider right now. What precautions is the moving company taking to ensure the customer and their employees are safe? This is one of the biggest pros of using a self-packing moving company, as nobody is entering your home. Read our  blog post on how we move people safely overseas in 2020.

Ensure they’re licensed

It is a legal requirement to be registered with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), if you’re considering a company, make sure to check their licensing.

Finding a trustworthy mover can make all the difference in the moving process. For over 30 years, UPakWeShip has been trusted by families and individuals to ship their belongings overseas.