Emigration – Top ten tips to emigrate

How to best to emigrate stress and hassle-free

We hear lots about immigration, but little about emigration – people leaving the UK, emigrating to Australia, New Zealand or even further afield. Of course, immigration consistently achieves headline news but emigrating receives little or no interest in the press, surprising when it affects many UK households.

In 2016, just under 340,000 Brits left the UK compared with only less than 300,000 in 2015. That’s a lot of house moving. In 2017, the figure was slightly higher at 350,000, with net migration at 273,000 in the year ending June 2018.

Here we’ve collated our top 10 hassle-free emigration tips!

1. Sell your home

No.1 priority is to sell your existing property to fit within your relocation timeframe.

First, get your property valued.

Here are some valuation alternatives:

1. Online valuation tool – easy to do, fast results.
2. Estate agent – slow, but they have good local knowledge.
3. Cash valuation – fast service.

Next, decide which best suits your situation and get your property sale moving.

Owners with a 6-12 months relocation window should expect to receive the total market value. Those with shorter timescales need to consider accepting less to complete the sale in time.

2. Ask for help

If job relocation is the reason for emigrating, ask your new employer if there is any help to cover some or all of your moving costs.

Most of the more significant employers offer a relocation package, so don’t lose out.

3. Collect packing materials

Each time you go to the supermarket, ask the customer service desk for any left boxes after filling their shelves. These are often relatively small, but they are better to use as larger containers can be heavy once filled, and breakages quickly occur. Wine boxes with segregated sections are also better for packing glasses and ornaments.

Collect materials like old newspapers, old sheets and blankets – these are a great way to protect your valuables and furniture.

4. Do a packing timeline.

Start early by creating a plan of attack. Get organised.

5. Important boxes

Keep one box to the side where you can keep all of your essential items such as keys, documents, toiletries, medicines and everything else you’ll need until the minute you leave home. Keep this box safe so you can access any item when you reach your final destination.

Also, have an “Open First” box – think about what items you’ll need to access first when you get to your new destination. Things like tea/coffee, cups, toilet paper, cleaning materials, towels.

6. Label boxes

Mark each box with a marker pen noting its contents and which room it belongs in.

7. Clean as you pack

Give each area a thorough clean immediately after clearing, making for a more efficient move, avoiding having to clean the entire property on moving day.

8. Keep it eBay, Charity shop, ‘Trip to the tip.’

While you box everything up, separate your junk and charity shop items into boxes. Moving home is an excellent opportunity to clear the stuff that accumulates over the years.

9. Alternative to removals

It may be financially beneficial to do away with removals altogether and buy everything new at the other end.

Consider the cost of hiring a removal company to haul your stuff across the UK or abroad versus what it would cost to buy new at your new destination.

10. Don’t buy until you’ve moved in.

When arriving at your new home, take the time to unpack and unwind. Don’t run out immediately to buy new fixtures and furnishings.

Allocate time to sort your stuff and set up home. If you rush off the first week you’re in your new home; it will likely lead to buying unwisely, especially on items you don’t need.

The only shopping you need to do in the first few weeks is in the supermarket!