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Packing list for moving abroad

<strong>Packing list for moving abroad</strong>

Moving abroad is a big deal, regardless of the reasons behind why you are doing it. You don’t want to be stranded overseas without access to essential items you forgot to pack before setting off.

To provide you with some handy pointers, Currie Easy Self Storage has devised this packing list for moving abroad. 

Carry on reading to learn more about all the must-have items you should include in your packing list for moving abroad.

Image of green palm trees in blue sky.

Create an organised packing list early on!

To help you be organised and take control of your packing when moving abroad, make an elaborate and detailed list long before you leave. That way, you can tick off the things you’ve remembered to pack and keep everything clear in your mind. It’s better to be safe than sorry, preparation is an essential part of the exciting process of moving abroad. 

Coming up with a highly organised packing list early on will help to lower your stress levels. 

Image of black pen marking ticks in white boxes.

Documents to take when moving abroad 

Organising essential pieces of paperwork, such as passports and identification, should be top of your packing list so you can enter the country and pass their border controls. 

Immigration controls are stricter than ever these days along international borders following the pandemic. You could be sent back to the UK for failing to bring the right documents. So, doing research on the documents you will need to pack and take with you is of paramount importance. You don’t want to be left with egg on your face and have to go back home before you know it!     

 You may need to pack the following:

  • VISA documents provide you with the right to remain in another country for an extended period of time. Meticulously check through a country’s VISA requirements before relocating there. Remember, the UK is no longer part of the EU, so EU member states will require British citizens to apply for the appropriate national VISA 
  • Documents for health insurance cover you’ve taken out that can be used in the country you’re moving to. Many countries across the world don’t have public healthcare systems, and going private may be your sole option
  • Proof of employment (such as a contract issued by an overseas employer) 
  • Proof of vaccination or a negative covid test to board a plane to certain countries – remember to check their COVID-19 travel requirements before you leave  
  • A certificate showing you’ve already gone through an enhanced criminal records check 
  • Additional forms of photo ID other than your passport, e.g. a driving license
  • Bank statements showing you’ve got enough money to support yourself financially for the foreseeable future
  • Proof of the address you’ll be residing at 
Image of a blue passport and a plane ticket.

All weather clothing

It goes without saying that you’ll need to pack plenty of clothes when moving abroad to set up a new life outside the UK. Even if you’re emigrating to somewhere which is renowned for its sun-kissed weather, such as Spain or Australia, don’t forget they have rainy and colder times of the year too!

T-shirts, shorts, trousers, jeans, skirts, dresses, flip flops, raincoats, jackets, flip flops, walking boots – leave no stone unturned when packing your clothes to move abroad! The weather these days is more unpredictable than ever across the planet, so any type of garment could come in useful and save the day.

If you’re particularly sentimental about your clothes, and you don’t feel like them away or giving them to a charity shop, store them in a self-storage facility unit. This means your precious personal goods will still be there when you come back. 

If you’re moving everything out of your home gradually, use our Self Storage sites in Isleworth, Twickenham, and Richmond around London to store your possessions away in a clean and safe space in the meantime before sending them over to your new home abroad.  We have storage units up to a whopping 500f ft in size with state-of-the-art 24-hour CCTV surveillance monitoring.

Travel adapters

In 2022, our daily lives revolve around tech gadgets more than ever, and you will inevitably use them regularly to communicate and stay in touch with your relatives and friends back in the UK. 

One of the advantages of the internet is that it can make maintaining long-distance relationships far easier. But be wary, you will need to include travel adapters in your packing list so you can charge your UK plugs abroad. Don’t allow yourself to get left short on travel adapters so you can utilise all your electronic essentials when you take the exuberating plunge to move abroad! 

Image of travel adapter plugs.

Medications and medical equipment

Looking after your health when you move abroad is vitally important. Do you have medications you must take multiple times a day without fail? Perhaps you have a serious chronic medical condition. In that case, double-check you have packed all your vital medications. 

Do you live with asthma and find flying a stressful experience? If so, definitely remember to bring your inhalers onto the aeroplane with you. Keeping on top of your health and medications when travelling abroad is vital. 

Exchange your currency and bring cards that will work abroad

Having access to cash as soon as you step into a new country with a different currency is crucial. Whether it’s for catching a taxi, an emergency or buying medical supplies – you never know when you may suddenly need cash when entering a new country. So, put finding a currency exchange retailer with a competitive rate before you set off on your moving abroad packing list. The prices charged by currency exchange bureaus at airports and on ferries etc are often exorbitant! 

The debit or credit cards you use in the UK may not work in ATMs abroad. Therefore, you may need to apply for new cards and open a brand new bank account before you move abroad.  

Image of man holding out his hand an illuminated currency symbols.

Skincare products

Us Brits are not exactly known for coping with warmer weather! Remember to bring adequate sun protection when travelling or relocating to warmer sunnier climates abroad. You run the risk of developing skin cancer or harmful melanomas if you fail to take sunblock and sun cream with you when going somewhere hotter overseas. 

Sunburn and chronic skin conditions are no joke, and failing to pack protective skincare products could prevent you from enjoying a smooth transition when moving overseas. 

Additionally, you may want to bring other skincare items and toiletries with you when moving abroad, such as moisturiser, face creams, lip balm, and so on. Are you somebody who is prone to dry or oily skin at the best of times? We suggest being sensible and putting the skin care products you know work best for you and your skin type on your moving abroad packing list. 

Bring items that remind you of home

Soon after moving abroad, you may start missing home and all the little things you had grown accustomed to down the years living in the UK. Obviously, you can’t take everything with you and there are certain items you will have to leave behind, put in storage, or give away. But why not bring special items to remind you of home sweet home? This could include:

  • Memorabilia 
  • Childhood toys and teddies
  • Favourite items of clothing
  • Photographs of happy times with your favourite people
  • Home trinkets (nothing too large)  
  • You may even decide to take your pets abroad with you!
Image of hands holding a black and white colour family photo in a turquoise picture frame.

Planning on moving abroad and looking out for convenient self-storage for your belongings? Currie Easy Self Storage is at hand to provide you with solutions for all your storage needs. Get in touch by sending us an email at info@curriestorage.co.uk or calling 08000 556 556.