One of the biggest challenges of relocating abroad involves shipping personal possessions by air freight. The process of packing and shipping items can be time-consuming and costly depending on location, but costs can be offset with sufficient research and planning.
Planning for Shipping
Air freight is one of the quicker methods of shipping goods but is generally more expensive than other forms of shipping. Professionals movers recommend developing an itemized list of goods you plan to ship and write down all relevant information related to your travel plans, including when you would like the goods delivered as well as location(s) of delivery.
Creating this list has the added benefit of helping you keep track of individual items as goods are delivered. You will want to keep this list even after you ship items to confirm that all items have been received.
Understanding Your Options
A relatively cheap option for air freighting materials involves shipping packages with commercial airlines. If you plan to travel with your shipment, you might consider calling the airline in advance to determine costs, methods of shipment as well as relevant policies. Many commercial airlines offer packages to customers to ship goods with cargo.
For larger shipments, and more commonly, your best option is to ship with a certified international shipping service. Shipping services offer different times and rates, depending on availability of service. Most shipping services offer priority shipping, meaning that goods will ship quicker but at a higher price. Calculate current or anticipated costs of shipping and select shipping plans by your budget.
A key determination with larger shipments involves deciding whether to ship items together or in separate batches depending on weight/size.
Weighing and Measuring Shipment
To have a clear sense of how much it will cost you to ship different items, which is important for coordinating packages on a budget, you should weigh and measure each item you plan to ship. You can weigh packages with shipping services like UPS or at home on a scale. You can also purchase and print labels for packages from home.
Next, measure your items to determine length, height, and width. Measuring items will help you determine what size box you need. UPS provides a useful guide for measuring weight and size, including instructions regarding packages that are irregular in shape.
Purchasing Insurance
Purchasing insurance for shipped items is highly recommended, as damage may occur during the shipping process. As a general rule of thumb, only items of moderate to high personal value should be insured. For approved commodities, the insurance cap is set at US$ 500,000 per shipment.
Inquire About Customs Policies
If you plan to ship items internationally, it is imperative that you understand customs procedures abroad. It is highly likely that you will be required to fill out additional paperwork. An Air Waybill (or AWB) is used with international couriers.