A moving story to help you get to your new home

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