If you are moving overseas, then you may very well need to pack a container to ship your goods ahead of time. We Aussies might still call Australia home, but at any one time there are around one million of us living overseas. Setting up home in a new country can be stressful, but you can start out on the right foot in your adopted home by packing your used container carefully and understanding what is involved in the shipping of your household effects.
If you are moving overseas, then you will most likely have to buy a shipping container and can choose between a new and used shipping container. Few companies hire containers for overseas moves because they are expensive to get back.
For a one off move, it is best to buy a used container that is still water tight, weather proof and in good condition. To ensure that your goods arrive safely, it is best to choose an A or B grade used container. A used container tends to be very affordable and you can even recoup your money by selling the container at the other end of the journey. Make sure that you take out insurance that will cover the cost of the container and your household items for the course of the journey.
Packing a Used Container for an Overseas Move
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You can hire people to pack your container for you, but it is not necessary if you have a few tips up your sleeve. If you pack and load your own container you can save yourself a lot of money.
- Small household items and clothes should be placed in sturdy boxes and labelled.
- Bikes – wrap bikes in blankets or sheets to prevent scratches.
- Books – place books into small boxes as they can get very heavy and the boxes can break under the weight or make them too heavy to easily move.
- Crockery and fragile pieces – all breakable items need to be individually wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap.
- Flammable items cannot be shipped at all.
- Paintings/frames – wrap them in bubble wrap and then cover them in cardboard; they should be stored standing and not lying flat.
- Tables – if possible remove the legs and bubble wrap or cover the table in blankets.
- TV/computer – Laptops should travel with you, but TVs and PCs if possible, should be placed in their original boxes and reinforced with Styrofoam boxes.
- Valuables – jewellery, personal papers such as birth certificates and passports should not be packed into the container.
When you load the items into the used container place the heavier boxed items on the floor and stack upwards. Pack boxes and items tightly together in order to prevent them from moving around inside. Contact our team now to discuss the best way you can utilise a container for shipping goods overseas.
