Moving can be very difficult and at times, very frustrating. Whether it is your landlord pestering you on when the moving trucks are coming or your boss not being frank of when your last day at work is.
The best advice is to PLAN AHEAD. This may be easier said than done, but you do not have to have an exact moving date in order to obtain a shipping quotation or to make a tentative booking to have your things packed or picked up.

Start planning ahead of time to determine which items you are definitely going to ship and which items you will leave behind. Try to avoid waiting until the last minute to sell or dispose of any items you are not shipping or taking with you.

If you plan to do your own packing, start with those items that you do not use regularly or will not need again before you leave. Start wrapping and putting these things in boxes to get an idea of how many boxes it will take to pack up your other items like your wardrobe or kitchen cabinet and estimate the volume of your shipment.

Even if you are going to leave the packing up to Shipmates you can get some boxes ahead of time to pack some personal things on your own.

As your moving date nears, and you know when your last day at work is and when the landlord wants the keys by, you need to start making your travel arrangements (if you haven’t already done so.) Contact your airline or travel agent to check prices and availability ahead of time.

Keep a calendar for key dates and make a ‘have to do list.’ Contact your gas, electric, water, cable, and telephone providers to make arrangements to have these services cancelled. A lot people like to keep their cell phone working until the last minute. Depending on the phone company, you are able to cancel your mobile phone contract at Narita or other International airports prior to your departure. Be sure to contact your mobile phone service provider in advance and check to see if this service is available for you.

If your Japanese is not up to speed and you are having difficulty communicating with these companies, contact Shipmates and our representatives will be happy to assist you.

So, you followed our ‘Plan Ahead’ advice and all seems to be in order. You just might have time now to do that Kyoto Trip you always wanted to do or one last trip to the Hot Springs.

So relax, and remember that representatives at Shipmates Worldwide Moving are always here to assist you and make your relocation as pleasant and trouble free as possible.

One final piece of advice, try not to have your Sayonara Party the night before your move.