Storage

Moving abroad is an effort, and depending on how long you plan on living abroad, you may be considering storage options. Many expats consider storage in their home country or even upon arrival in their new destination for various reasons, but having the proper storage unit and company is very important.

Whether you need storage for your essential belongings, personal goods, business inventory, excess baggage or your vehicle, it’s good to work with the right company and storage facility can help ease the moving process.

Storage of Personal Goods

Now that you’ve decided you are considering storing your personal belongings, it’s good to understand for how long, where, and the other major details that will help you decide which is the best place to store your essential goods.

To narrow down your list and select the best storage facility for your move abroad, here are some things to consider:

• Short-term storage or long-term storage
• What areas you need storage
• Access to personal belongings throughout storage  
• The amount of goods or products to store in for a period of time for self storage or storage container
• Size of the storage space according to your needs

Once you have this information outlined, you can easily discuss your storage needs with a shipping company or storage facility, which can be done on our expat moving platform with a relocation specialist to guide you along the way.

Types of Storage Spaces

There are many storage options to consider, but can vary greatly depending on where you are moving from and where you are moving to. And in some cases, if you are planning your relocation abroad, the shipping company may offer a dedicated space for storage so that it’s all coordinated by the same team.

Here are some different types of storage spaces and facilities to consider and discuss with your personal relocation specialist:

• On site and self storage which include various storage options like storage lockers and storage containers
• Dedicated storage warehouse for your service as per the requirement with storage containers and long term storage with different unit size providing extra space
• Mobile and portable storage services for medium storage options and very useful when transitioning from different places

If you just need storage for excess baggage, many airports and private companies offer this service for your short-term excess baggage storage needs.

Benefits of Storage Services

Depending on relocation plans, you may need a more personalized storage service solutio, which a professional team can walk through with you. In some cases, expats moving abroad require multiple forms of storage in their home country, destination country and even throughout the journey if there is a delay in moving to their new home.

The main benefit of working with professional movers that offer storage services is that they can guide you through the entire moving plan and give you the best options and alternatives based on what other expats have considered and done. For this reason, we recommend working with a professional team that is expat-vetted and highly recommended by others who have moved abroad.

There are many advantages to preparing storage services in advance, but here are some examples of expats that need storage for their move abroad:

• Storage between moves or local moves can reduce the frustration when the timelines don’t overlap and the schedule doesn’t work according to plan
• Storage for renovation projects is a great solution, to easily gather items from a short-term storage facility
• Overseas storage offers a secure and safe place to store belongings for short-term or long-term solutions, especially if you don’t know how long you are moving abroad for

Storage Insurance Options

Choosing the right storage facility goes hand-in-hand with securing your personal belongings with storage insurance. While your personal belongings are safely secured in a storage unit, and many times with additional security, it’s best to protect your belongings in case of an emergency - in the same way you would with home or vehicle insurance.

Considering storage insurance is only part of the moving checklist, so be sure to discuss the various storage options with a shipping and storage expert for a customized solution. You’ll sleep better at night knowing your personal belongings are protected throughout your entire relocation and experience abroad.

These are some of the things storage insurance can protect:

• Protection from theft, pests, floods, fire, and many other issues in different storage companies with different insurance options
• Different policies for different purposes such as self storage insurance for business and insurance for household goods storage

In many cases, insurance is required for storage companies, as it serves as secure storage whether its corporate relocation or moving company or long distance moving for different types of moves. To better understand the available insurances, it’s best to speak directly with the storage facility or shipping expert so get your storage insured before you begin packing your bags.

Moving and Storage

When you are moving abroad, there are many things to consider to ensure a smooth and stress-free relocation experience. If you are moving abroad and need container or warehouse storage, it’s highly recommended to work with a trusted shipping company that also offers storage, so that instead of working with two separate companies, you can work with one that can explain all the details and nuances of shipping abroad and can guide you through the process for your storage needs.

As you prepare your move, here are some things to keep in mind to discuss with your residential mover for moving and storage services:

• Discuss the various moving and storage services offered: home storage, local moves, long distance moving, office moving, vehicle transportation, corporate relocation or moving company depending on the unit size
• Understand the different types of moves with storage  options
• Learn whether they offer a secure household self-storage unit for a home move
• Gather all the details for long-distance moves and what storage unit sizes will best fulfill your storage needs (air conditioned)
• Find out what maintenance and additional services are offered, especially for vehicle transportation and storage units for vehicle storage and transportation

Preparing your move may require more planning, but that’s exactly why we recommend you speak with a relocation specialist or storage facility on our expat moving platform as soon as possible so you can best determine what steps you need to take.

Get setup with storage for your move abroad, and get immediate quotes from our expat-vetted shipping companies and storage facilities around the world.