Common Packing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
15 Sep 2021
We have gone through several costly packing mistakes in Part 1. In Part 2, we will investigate some specific but easily avoidable problems that can cost you more time, money, and stress.
1. Shipping items that should not be packed
You would be surprised how common it is for people to discover items that should not have been packed when they were unpacking boxes. Some common items mistakenly packed included remote controls, and instructions and warranties for items belonging to a previous residence.
The easiest way to avoid this is to gather those shouldn’t be shipped items and mark them with a “don’t pack” sign. Larger items can have similar signs taped to them to avoid inadvertently being packed. It’s quick and easy to take these precautions but costly to deal with if skipped and found them be shipped when you were unpacking boxes.
2. Shipping furniture or large appliances that won’t fit in your new home
After the excitement of your shipment delivery day, there is nothing more deflating than watching the international moving company move in the much-missed furniture, but won’t fit the space it should belong.
Measure the width, depth, and height of your large items before packing, can help avoid this problem. If you know exactly where you will be moving, ask to ensure the items. If you are yet to find your new accommodation, keep the dimensions of those items in mind when you are house hunting.
3. Shipping appliances not compatible in your destination country
Besides the strength of voltage, other differences that can make some appliances incompatible in different countries. Take for example there are three different tv broadcasting systems used around the world. If you take a North American TV into Hong Kong, it won’t work unless there is a converter box to convert the signal.
For any appliance you’re considering shipping, take time to research or ask your international moving company if it works. Keep in mind also that with voltage differences, it’s relatively easy to get a step-up or step-down transformer to allow you
to use smaller devices, but ones that have higher electricity needs usually need large and heavy transformers that can be quite expensive.
Shipping appliances and furniture for an international relocation can be an excellent opportunity to save money and time setting up your new home, but it can become costly if you don’t do your homework.
If you have any questions or want to arrange a quote, contact your local Asian Tigers office or reach out to us via our online contact form.
You might also be interested in taking a look at: Common Shipping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – Part 1; Timing Your Move; and Learn From My Shipping Mistakes.
