International movers who plan every step

For a household, sea freight. It’s priced by volume, which makes it the economical way to move furniture, kitchenware, wardrobes and everything else a home holds. It’s slower than air, but most of what people ship isn’t needed the day they land, and some plan it so their things arrive the week before they do.

• Sea freight is priced by the cubic metre (or cubic foot). A shared container keeps the cost down when your volume allows, though some routes and seasons need a dedicated 20- or 40-foot container.
• Air freight is priced by weight. It’s faster but costs more, so it suits people who need their things urgently.
• A courier is usually the cheapest option if you’re only sending a couple of suitcases or boxes.

We also offer storage at both ends if your new home isn’t ready, so you don’t have to time everything perfectly.

Yes, when it’s packed and braced properly. The main risk is movement inside the container when the sea gets rough, so packing and bracing matter most.

• Packing. Everything that needs it gets wrapped and boxed, and you can add more protection, up to custom crates for delicate pieces.
• Bracing. Straps and timber hold every item in place for the whole trip.
• Sealing. Each container gets a numbered bolt seal at loading, so you’ll know if anyone opened it before customs or delivery.

In a shared container, we usually pack your goods into reinforced lift vans, which keep them apart from other cargo. Even well-packed goods can be damaged in transit, which is why we recommend insurance.

Sea freight is priced by volume (cubic metres or cubic feet) and air freight by weight, so the biggest factor is how much you’re taking. The route, the packing level you choose and any custom crating also count.

Most moves end up bigger than first expected. Over the past year, one-bedroom flats in London have needed anywhere from 4 to 12 cubic metres. So we give you a range rather than one number: a little below what you’ve told us, and comfortably above it.

• No bolt-ons. We’d rather give you an honest range up front than a low quote that grows with every extra item or visa question.
• A tighter range. A video call or home visit narrows it down.
• The final price. It’s set when your things are measured as they’re loaded into the container, and you pay for the space you actually use.

Tell us your route in about 60 seconds, and a Move Manager will send your range.

Yes. For normal household goods, we handle the customs paperwork and clearance at both ends. A few items can only be cleared by you in person, and if anything in your shipment falls into that group, we’ll tell you early.

Customs is rarely as scary as it sounds online. Most moves clear without trouble, as long as nothing looks commercial and nothing is banned where you’re going. We check your inventory against those rules before anything is packed, and tell you which documents you’ll need, usually:

• a detailed inventory of everything you’re shipping
• your passport, and a visa or residence permit
• proof of an address or a job in your new country
• the forms that claim duty-free entry for used household goods

Some things are hard to bring at all. Importing a car into Thailand is close to impossible, for example, and a box of tools can look like commercial stock to customs.

Yes. Every move includes wrapping and boxing for everything that needs it, and we take apart and rebuild furniture that won’t travel whole. You choose how much protection you want, from our standard packing up to custom crates for every piece.

As we pack, we list every item. That inventory does three jobs: customs clears your shipment against it, your insurance is based on it, and you use it to check that everything arrived.

Yes, we strongly recommend it. By law, shipping lines and airlines only have to pay a limited amount if something goes wrong, usually far less than your belongings are worth.

• All-risk cover protects your goods door to door against damage, loss and theft, through packing, transit and delivery.
• You can insure the whole shipment or only specific high-value items.

We help you build a valued inventory, so each item is covered for what it’s actually worth.

Usually not. Most countries let you bring used household goods in duty-free when you move there to live, under rules usually called transfer of residence. To qualify, you normally need to show two things.

• Ownership. You’ve owned and used the items for a minimum period, often 6 to 12 months. The UK, the EU and Australia all set one.
• Residency. Your visa or residence permit usually decides whether you qualify, so tell us which one you have early. It’s one of the biggest factors in what customs will cost.

New items, especially in their original packaging, can still attract VAT or duty. We review your inventory before it ships and flag anything likely to be charged, so you know the cost before it leaves port.

Yes. Door to door means we handle everything between your old front door and your new one:

• packing and an inventory at your current home
• booking the sea or air freight
• customs clearance at both ends
• delivery and unpacking at your new home

You deal with one person from our team, with a backup if they’re ever away. They coordinate everyone else involved, so you’re not juggling a packer, a shipping line, a customs broker and a delivery company yourself.

We handle moves to more than 120 countries. Popular routes include:

• Europe: the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands
• Asia: Singapore, Thailand, Japan and South Korea
• Oceania: Australia and New Zealand
• The Middle East: the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia

If your route is less common, we find the most reliable shipping line and customs partner for it. Our country guides above cover the rules for popular destinations in detail.

We like to start talking about 90 days before your move. That gives us time to book the packing crew, find space on the right container and plan the route. Once your things are collected, sea freight usually takes 6 to 12 weeks door to door, depending on where you’re going and what you’re taking.

• Planning further ahead? Some customers get in touch six months out, so their things arrive the week before they do. We can store them until you’re ready or deliver straight into your new home.
• A year out? We’ll give you a budget based on a similar recent move, then check in every three months as your plans take shape.
• Short notice? It can be done, and we’ve collected a customer’s things within a week of their first call. But some routes are booking out two months ahead, so the earlier we talk, the better.

Yes, and it’s one of the easiest ways to cut the cost of a move. Your Move Manager compares what each item costs to ship with what it would cost to buy again where you’re going.

• Usually worth shipping: good furniture, anything sentimental or irreplaceable, and things that are expensive or hard to find at your destination.
• Often cheaper to replace: bulky, low-value pieces, and appliances that won’t work on the new country’s voltage or plugs.

We also check what customs would charge, because a duty bill can turn a bargain into a mistake.

Fill in the quote form at the top of this page. It takes about 60 seconds, or you can message us on WhatsApp.

A Move Manager checks every estimate by hand before it reaches you. You’ll get:

• a price range for your move, and the best way to ship it
• a written quote listing exactly what’s included and what isn’t
• the documents you’ll need for customs