As a resident of the UAE you’re likely to be familiar with the process of packing up house and moving. The usual checklist with international moves includes updating travel and vaccination records for the whole family, cancelling television and phone subscriptions, and clearing water and electricity bills. You’ll also have to organise your belongings and sell off or donate furniture and other items that aren’t being shipped.
While there’s a lot to do, timely planning can make your move much easier. Below is a list of things you need to do before moving to the US.
Ready?
Declutter
Getting organised before moving is a good idea. However, this holds even truer for the US. Lighten your stress and workload by decluttering before you enter the packing stage by figuring out what to toss, keep, sell, or donate. If you know where you’re moving to and have measurements of your new home, then make sure you get rid of any furniture that won’t fit, or be of use to you, when you get there. This will make the final packing process much easier and quicker.
Be aware of restricted items
While restricted items like narcotics, some medicines, weapons and trademarked goods should not be packed, remember that plants and food products cannot be taken into the US. With stricter rules being enforced at customs in the last five to ten years, adult text and video material, and decorative products with ivory and rhino horns from protected species will also not be shipped. Therefore, it makes sense to check through your belongings, and understand the rules and regulations, before you begin the process of packing and moving to the US. It also pays to remember that you cannot ship certain beverages to the US, so if there’s a favourite bottle you’ve been saving up, now is the time to uncork and enjoy it!
Plan your packing
Whilst your international movers packing service will undertake the mammoth task of packing each and every one of your belongings, you need to plan what ships via sea and what you can carry with you on your flight. If there are things that you’ll need immediately upon arrival in the US, you should keep them handy as sea freight can take up to six weeks to ship. For bulkier, time-critical belongings that cannot be hand carried in your luggage, you may consider air freight options. While pricier than sea shipping, air freighted goods can reach the US in under a week.
Car clearance
As the US and UAE both drive on the right side of the road, a lot of families opt to move their cars with them to the US, however only US spec cars can be imported for more information read our ‘moving to the USA with a car’ blog. If you plan to do the same, you need to ensure that all your previous fines and traffic violations are paid and that your vehicle is clear for export before starting your moving process. Also, keep in mind that vehicles under a year of use are liable for import duty. Do your homework on car shipping costs before you decide to move your vehicle to the US.
Research your mover
Many new moving companies make tall claims about being able to ship to the US. Unfortunately, the reality can often be very different. The US has strict custom clearance rules and regulations and not every company that comes up in a search engine is equipped to confidently handle a move. Before finalising your choice research all the options available to you. An experienced international moving company will have a proven record of shipping to the US and will offer customer testimonials. You may also want to check the percentage insurance they offer on the goods being shipped, as well as caveats (if any) on door-to-door service.
With decades of local and international experience, GAC is one of the few companies equipped to help you move to the US, stress-free. For information on what you need to do before a move to the US, shipping quotations and advice , click here.
