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An international move is not just a bigger domestic one. The timelines are longer, the paperwork is heavier, the costs sit in different categories, and the decisions you make in the first few weeks of planning shape the whole experience on the other end. Whether the destination is Singapore, London, or Mexico City, families and companies relocating from San Francisco, Portland, or Los Angeles need to think about the process differently from any domestic move they have done before.
Start Planning Earlier Than You Think
The most common mistake in international moves is underestimating the timeline. A domestic move can be pulled together in four to six weeks if it has to be. An international move needs three to four months at minimum, and six months is more comfortable. Customs paperwork, visa coordination, pet quarantine timing, and ocean freight schedules — which often run only every two or three weeks on any given route — do not compress well.
Booking the household goods survey early is the single most valuable step. The survey produces an accurate volume estimate, which drives the quote, the customs documentation, and the shipping schedule. Everything downstream depends on it.
Pro Tip: If your employer is covering the move, get authorization for the survey the same week the assignment is confirmed. Waiting even two weeks for internal approvals can push the whole shipment into a later container slot.
Ocean, Air, or a Combination
Most international household moves ship by ocean freight because the volume is too large to fly economically. Ocean transit runs three to eight weeks depending on the destination, port capacity, and time of year. Air freight is faster but costs several times more, and is usually reserved for a small subset of items needed immediately at the destination.
A hybrid approach works for many families. A small air shipment carries clothes, kids' school supplies, and any work equipment needed in the first week. The main ocean container follows four to six weeks later with the rest of the household. That combination minimizes the awkward gap where you have arrived, but your belongings have not.
Understand Customs and Duties
Every country has its own rules about what household goods can enter, at what duty rate, and with what documentation. Some countries allow used household goods duty-free if the owner has lived abroad for a defined period. Others assess duties on specific categories — electronics, alcohol, vehicles. Your mover should provide a detailed customs guide for the destination and help prepare the required paperwork, but the accuracy of that paperwork is ultimately your responsibility. Errors trigger inspections, delays, and unexpected charges.
Pro Tip: Photograph and inventory every high-value item before it leaves origin. Serial numbers, purchase receipts, and clear photos make it much easier to prove ownership if a customs officer asks questions on the other side.
Plan for the Things That Cannot Go
Every international move involves letting go of things that would have stayed in a domestic one. Certain foods, plants, and household chemicals are prohibited outright. Some electronics require voltage adapters or will not work at destination without modification. Vehicles often make more sense to sell at origin and buy fresh at destination than to ship. A good origin mover walks you through what stays behind before packing day arrives, not after boxes are already on the truck.
Storage on Both Ends of the Move
International moves often involve gaps between when goods leave origin and when the destination home is ready to receive them. Storage at both ends is worth planning for, not improvising. Chipman's warehousing and storage services can hold shipments at origin while paperwork clears or timelines shift, and reputable international partners handle the same on the other side. Confirming those arrangements before shipment leaves the origin warehouse — not during transit — prevents expensive last-minute scrambling.
The Human Side Deserves the Same Planning
Logistics is only half the challenge. Adjusting to a new country, currency, healthcare system, and educational environment is the other half. Employers relocating staff internationally typically invest in cultural orientation, language support, and destination services that go far beyond the physical move. Families relocating on their own benefit from connecting with expat communities in the destination city before they arrive.
Ready to Move Beyond the Coast?
International moves are complex, but with enough lead time and the right partner, they do not have to be chaotic. Chipman Relocation & Logistics has been coordinating international household moves from the West Coast since 1939, working with families and corporate relocation programs across California, Oregon, and Washington. Request an international move consultation to start planning the details that make the difference.
