Better employment, education, or a higher standard of living — whatever your reason for moving to Singapore, you can only focus on it once you get a few basic things right; one of them being moving your belongings to your new host country. So, to help you do just that, here’s a short guide on moving to help you hit the ground running in Singapore!
Moving to Singapore with your belongings
While moving to Singapore from your home country, you’ll be faced with questions like:
- How do I find reliable people to move my goods to Singapore?
- What should I take to Singapore and what should I leave behind?
- What should I carry with me when I fly to Singapore?
- How can I make the move as economical as possible?
- How can I insure my items against damage and loss?
Depending on what you own, where you’re moving from, how long you intend to stay in Singapore, and a few other factors, the answers to these questions will vary from case to case.
Finding The Right People To Do The Move
International moving companies are a dime a dozen and finding the right one is important to ensure that all your goods are moved to your new home without damage or loss. You should check for customer reviews and references to assess different moving companies before obtaining quotations from them.
An important indicator of a packing and moving company’s reliability and overall service quality is its affiliation with the international moving trade industry in your region. For instance, if you are moving from the US, then, you should look for a mover that is a part of the American Moving and Storage Association’s (AMSA) Registered International Mover (RIM) program. Similarly, you should look for moving companies with certifications by International trade associations like FEDEMAC from Europe, LACMA from South America, or global associations like FIDI, IAM, and OMNI.
Alternatively, you can let relocation experts handle your packing and moving requirements. Relogo can recommend the perfect moving company for your specific needs, to ensure door-to-door delivery from your home country to Singapore.
Deciding What To Take And What To Leave
It is important to have an idea of what type of home you will be moving into before you start packing. For example, you won’t need to move your furniture if you’ll be moving into a fully-furnished home. Similarly, if your new place doesn’t have an outdoor area, you won’t need to bring your patio furniture or gardening tools.
Things that would cost more to move than to buy in Singapore should be left behind in your home country, unless they hold a strong sentimental value. It may not be easy to adjust to your new home so it will be nice to have some items that make you feel happy and at ease. That said, you should forgo items that are old and wonky which might need to be replaced soon.
Furthermore, you should also consider if your appliances will be operable in Singapore. The voltage of power supply in Singapore is 220/240 V at a frequency of 50Hz. Besides, most power outlets in Singapore use the G type sockets which have three rectangular pins, used mainly in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, among a few other countries. The lifetime of your electrical appliances may be compromised due to voltage difference, even if you get an adapter to use the appliance in Singapore. Hence, you should ensure that you only carry the devices that meet the above specifications.
Picking The Essentials To Carry On Your Flight
There will be some essentials you’ll need as soon as you arrive in Singapore, before your shipped items even arrive. You can carry these items with you on your flight as part of your luggage:
- Medication for any illnesses or allergies that you or your family members may have (do check on legal usage in Singapore). Don’t be surprised that your familiar off the shelf medications might require a doctor’s prescription in Singapore;
- Important documents like passports, government IDs, immunization and health records, birth and marriage certificates, and driving license;
- Electronic gadgets and accessories like phones, tablets, laptops, chargers and adaptors;
- Miscellaneous like prescription glasses and contacts, your go-to toiletry or skincare brands, and sentimental items to help remind you of home; and
- Your favorite outfits and footwear that will help you survive the warm weather in Singapore.
It is also advisable to carry enough clothing with you while moving to Singapore so that you have something to wear before your shipment arrives. Be sure to carry your summer clothes and swimwear, because the climate in Singapore is generally hot and humid with daily temperatures ranging between 25-30°C. While Singapore is generally hot and humid, most indoor places tend to have their air-conditioning on full blast and the significant change in the temperature can be quite a shock, so do pack some light jackets with you.
Saving Money On Your Move
Most certified international packers and movers offer end-to-end moving services, which includes disassembly, packing, transportation, and reassembly. Depending on the kind of items you want to move and your packing skills, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money. You can ask your shipping company to send boxes so you can pack things into them yourself. By packing your things yourself, you can get more items shipped in fewer boxes, which can help you save money if you are paying for shipping by volume on a per box basis.
Insuring Your Move
To be financially protected against damage or loss of the goods, you can purchase a moving insurance. All certified movers offer some kind of basic insurance that is added on to your shipping charges. For extra coverage, you can choose an all-risk insurance coverage where your items are protected from all types of risks, but this may cost you more. You can also specifically insure your most valuable items by their individual value to ensure that you don’t suffer heavy financial losses, in case they aren’t delivered to you in Singapore in the expected condition. However, the greater the declared value of your items, the higher the amount you’ll need to pay to insure them. Therefore, it is recommended that you choose what to insure wisely. Our advice is to state the true value of items of higher value, while items such as used clothes can be labeled together and given an estimated bundle value instead.
All the above may seem like a lot of things to do, but these are things that just have to be done to ensure that your life after moving to Singapore gets off on the right foot. Let Relogo’s team assist you with finding the right movers. They will understand your needs and assist you with getting quotes from trusted and reliable movers. If you need more help, Relogo’s affordable concierge service can provide you with hands-on support on all of the above and more, allowing you to settle in quickly after moving to Singapore and focus on things that are more important.
