A moving story to help you get to your new home

JAKARTA (JP): When Sandra decided to ship her things back to Canada on her own, she had no idea what lay in store.

The shipping company she had chosen two months in advance had a branch in Vancouver and came with a recommendation from her colleague, who had just moved back as well.

But several days before she was to leave, the company pulled out and suggested another company to go through.

"They dumped me just days before, and referred me to another company I or no one else ever heard of, which wanted a letter from some ministry stating that I was sending only personal effects. How could I get that done in such short time?"

Finally, in the eleventh hour, as she sat with her furniture loaded on a truck waiting for an address of a warehouse at Tanjung Priok to go to, she phoned another shipping company which could promise an agent in Vancouver, but did not require a ministry letter.

With a box of custom-made cushions for her new chairs among her things gone missing, irreversible damage carelessly done to her new table during transit, and long delays and extra expenses at the destination due to another consignee's beetle-infested shipment in her container, which resulted in two lengthy fumigations, Sandra says she feels truly experienced in disastrous moves.

Looking back, she offers this advice: "I tried so hard to be completely organized ahead of time, but the unexpected happened when the shipping company I counted on pulled out. So either get rid of your stuff, or if you really can't part with your possessions, have a friend help you every step of the way. I was just a nervous wreck at the end of the move, and shed more than my share of tears out of sheer frustration. I really could have used some help."

At the moment, she said she was hoping to hear from the insurance company about the damaged table and missing items, and was glad she did not let the shipping company dissuade her from taking out insurance.

Sandra is not alone, and perhaps everyone has at least one horrible moving story in their lifetime to tell, whether it's been abroad or at home.

Rated the second worst stress after death, moving home is no one's cup of tea. But perhaps hearing others' difficulties can provide a common ground for others and their grievances as well as lessen anxiety.

The pitfalls of moving can also be avoided by thinking ahead and anticipating possible problems that might arise.

Take the time to talk to several shipping companies prior to your move and decide on a backup in case the one you first chose cannot follow through for some reason.

If no e-mail address is printed on a business card, be sure to ask for one from the person and company you are dealing with in order to avoid long-distance phone tag. If possible, take down the e-mail address of the manager to send copies of correspondence.

Get in touch with friends or colleagues who have made the move from here to find out how everything went and what advice they can give you on hindsight.

Decide on the things you can leave behind, considering the practicality of voltage differences, space, doorway sizes and customs laws in the country you are headed for.

There are several ways of disposing of used personal effects, such as holding a garage sale, giving them to your servants, selling items privately or donating them to charity.

Some companies hold informal in-house auctions, where employees secretly bid for an item by writing an amount on a piece of paper.

The highest bid receives the item, and the money paid goes back to the seller. Approach newcomers in the neighborhood or at the company, with a list of things for sale.

Otherwise, list the items for sale and post them at community bulletin boards at well-known places where expatriates frequent, such as cultural centers and supermarkets.

Watch how your items are wrapped for the move, and insist on more packing if it gives you better peace of mind. Listen to your intuition.

Next, make packing lists with a brief description of the item, what it is made from and an estimate of its value. If there is a serial code, include that as well.

Keep several copies to give to customs officers in the country you are headed for.

Some countries need to have the packing lists at the time you arrive in the country.

If damage occurs during shipment, take photographs and get reprints for your personal records as well as for the claim to the insurance company.

File your claim as soon as possible, as some policy certificates stipulate a limited time of coverage from the date the items land in the country.

Leave copies of your bill of lading, packing list and shipping invoice with a trusted friend here who can assist on this end if trouble arises with the move.

When shipping, mark each box or piece with a number and the total amount of items you are shipping; for example, box 1 of 10.

Keep track of the number of boxes and pieces you are shipping on a list, with the contents in each.

Finally, have a patient friend accompany you each step of the way to not only lend support, but also to keep track of the details you may forget about because of the franticness of the moment. Maria Kegel