# Shipping Household From US to Europe



## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

We're a retired couple planning on selling the home this spring, putting everything in storage, travelling and exploring for a year or two, then relocating somewhere in Europe. Never mind that we have no idea where yet!

I'm trying to get a handle on the "putting everything in storage and relocating" part. We are knee-deep in serious downsizing right now, will sell all the vehicles and nearly all the furniture, and hopefully end up with 1000 cu ft to store and move. We would like to store everything when the house sells and move it directly from storage into the overseas partial container. I'm pretty ignorant about all that, so here goes:

Can we inventory our belongings when we pack them suitable for customs, or does that need to be certified and sealed somehow (maybe by the moving company)? Is there an alternative, like opening and inspecting at the destination port of call?
Can anyone recommend a good overseas moving company? Door-to-door (from our US storage location to our new home) would be good.
Any other considerations I'm missing?
Thanks so much for any help!
Gerrit


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

If you call around to some of the local moving companies where you live in the US it may be possible to arrange for storage with one of them - and then you can just give them the word when you are ready to have them ship your stuff to you. Most "international movers" are actually local moving companies that are part of a chain or network that links to international shippers, customs clearance agents and movers in your country of destination who make the delivery to you in your new home. Most of the big national moving companies can also do international moves in this manner.

They should be able to pack your stuff for storage so that they are ready to ship directly to wherever you wind up. But call around and get multiple bids for storage and moving services. It's not always a matter of taking the lowest bid, but rather the one that meets your service requirements including insurance (during storage and shipment).


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Very interesting, @Bevdeforges , thanks. It would be nice to get one company to pack, store, and ship, and it seems like that would take care of customs inspections too. I didn't realize that "domestic" movers can often handle this too. I'll distill my storage & moving requirements and start calling.


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## PS to Paris (Apr 30, 2016)

Gerrit Barrere said:


> We're a retired couple planning on selling the home this spring, putting everything in storage, travelling and exploring for a year or two, then relocating somewhere in Europe. Never mind that we have no idea where yet!
> 
> I'm trying to get a handle on the "putting everything in storage and relocating" part. We are knee-deep in serious downsizing right now, will sell all the vehicles and nearly all the furniture, and hopefully end up with 1000 cu ft to store and move. We would like to store everything when the house sells and move it directly from storage into the overseas partial container. I'm pretty ignorant about all that, so here goes:
> 
> ...


As we write, I am in the process of shipping household goods to France. I hesitate to recommend my movers, since I have not yet received the shipment, which is being sent out from LA (as you know, there are substanial delays assoicated with shipping goods internationaly at this point, and we have not yet received estimates on dates of arrival).

The moving company you choose should be able to provide you with suggestions re packing and making inventories. One of the companies we interviewed (and did not choose) insisted on doing all the packing themselves, so as to facilitate the process of clearing the goods through customs.

Since you have not identied a destination country at this point, I am not sure how you would handle the shipping destination, since destinations and customs are obviously country-specific. Sounds like you would need to check with the movers to see if they could hold the shipment in storage at the port of destination until you have firm plans as to where you plan to relocate. Sounds potentially expensive.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Thanks, @PS to Paris . We plan to store our belongings here in the US until we have a residence in Europe, then do the shipment. That might take a couple months, so we'll try to start the process as early as possible. Good luck with your move!


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

-We're a retired couple planning on selling the home this spring, putting everything in storage, travelling and exploring for a year or two, then relocating somewhere in Europe. Never mind that we have no idea where yet -

Unless these are valuable, cherished items - I would sell/give everything away. Buy a new life in Europe. 

If you still want to keep some items. I would put them into climate controlled storage in the US until you determine a base location in the EU.

Who is going to transfer the items from storage to the shipper?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Stevenjb said:


> If you still want to keep some items. I would put them into climate controlled storage in the US until you determine a base location in the EU.
> 
> Who is going to transfer the items from storage to the shipper?


I can only tell you what my experience was and maybe it might be of use for someone. I cleared out my parents' house after they moved to an assisted living place. Stored all the stuff that we wanted to hang onto (pending further consideration) with a local moving company. I selected a few items to have shipped to myself here in France, and the moving company handled packing them up and transferring them to the shippers. (Two separate loads - two different shippers, as I recall.) 

Ultimately the remaining stuff went to the Salvation Army (after a couple of the moving company staff asked for those items they particularly wanted, which I gave them, no problem). If you use a local company with their own storage space, talk to them and see what they can suggest or offer.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

@Stevenjb -- Yes, see my second paragraph: we're purging almost everything. The target of 1000 cu ft is the size of a 10' x 12' x 8' bedroom.

I'm finding that most movers have storage facilities too, so if it's not too unreasonable we'll go that way. That makes packing, storing, and relocating seamless.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Here's a great site I just discovered: iContainers.com . They are a shipping brokerage which provides instant, sensible quotes from a variety of shippers for port-to-port or door-to-door shipping based on the number of containers of volume. The website is easy to use and soooo sensible! I haven't actually _used_ them for the move yet, but so far they're really impressive and I hope to.

I've been having a terrible time with most of the big domestic movers. They only quote on "X bedroom homes", as if you're going to move your entire home to Europe, and/or they insist on a "video walk-through" of your home to make a quote. That's just as unreasonable. Right now the stuff we will want to move is all mixed in with the stuff we'll purge, and will remain that way up until we're ready to pack. We can target a shipping container volume much more easily and reliably.

With iContainers door-to-door we decouple the packing and storage from the relocation, which gives us more flexibility and lower cost too. It's a little more work, but will be worth it I think.

BTW, the volume of a 20' container is 1150 cu ft, and the 10' x 12' x 8' bedroom I mentioned above is 960 cu ft, so that's a good guide. If you can cram it into a bedroom that size, it will probably fit in a container.

EDIT: Not all countries are served. Door-to-door is Spain only.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Edit #2 on the previous post, after a phone call: iContainers does do door-to-door to other countries besides Spain by contracting with a delivery service. Also, they only ship: no packing or loading/unloading.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Here's another tidbit I've learned. Customs in Europe will want to see a "packing list" or manifest which lists the general contents of each box or item and the current (secondhand) value. This can be done by anyone; it doesn't need to be a certified shipper. Put your last name and a number on each box to correlate with the list.

This separates the packing/storage from the shipping, which is just what we want. It's much more economical to use self-storage than the shipper's storage, and a local mover can pack (well) and move to storage without getting the shipper involved at all. You'd think this would waive the shipper's guarantee, but they probably won't guarantee even their own packing if it's left in storage 1 - 2 yrs. You can also get damage and loss insurance regardless of who does the packing.


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

Did a search (I'm bored) for Storage and International Shipping, here is one I found









Storage Services for International Moving | International Storage


International moves can be complicated, but when it comes to storage, International Sea & Air Shipping makes it easy! Located just 15 minutes from Midtown Manhattan, our 40,000 square-foot facility offers clean and moisture-proof storage for both commercial and household goods.




internationalmoving.com





Sent from my Lenovo TB-8705F using Tapatalk


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Just be careful with the "do it yourself" shippers. In many cases, any insurance on the shipment may require that the shipper/mover has packed the cartons and the container. Also, consider whether or not your shipment costs include a customs clearing agent. Having cleared a couple of individual items through the Customs office at Roissy (CDG airport), it's not a trivial exercise, particularly if you don't live in the area and don't have some experience in these matters.

OK, let's tone down the big endorsements for any one mover or shipper. Fine, you've found someone who looks like they will meet your needs - but until you've actually moved and received your shipment, you don't have any real basis for endorsing them. Nice promises and a slick website do not always guarantee a smooth process.


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## Gerrit Barrere (Feb 24, 2021)

Bevdeforges said:


> OK, let's tone down the big endorsements for any one mover or shipper.


Sorry, I guess that is out of line and I won't do that any more. I can't edit the post at this point, so delete or modify it if you wish.


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## Redford Rebane (Dec 5, 2021)

This advice may come in handy for me too. I am currently in the process of the reverse after living in Estonia for the last decade. I moved from the US using only suitcases, but now with the cost of extra luggage fees and hassle of airlines, I am looking at shipping my stuff back to the US. 

I guess I should try to contact a local moving company and see if they can offer any advice. I just am afraid that between import taxes and current shipping issues, it will cost an arm and a leg and will take months to get shipped.


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