When planning your move to your new home in paradise in the Caribbean, shipping your possessions is one of the first things that you need to consider - it is advisable to start getting quotes as much as three months in advance of your departure date.

Read on to find out more or to go straight to our detailed guide to the removals process, click here

This will allow you to shop around for the best service and to go through all of your belongings and get rid of those things that you just don't need. You should endeavour to get a number of quotes (minimum of three) from different companies – you will be surprised how much costs can vary.

Sending off everything that you have accumulated over the years is quite a nerve-wracking process – especially when it comes to expensive items or those with great sentimental value. You need to make sure that you trust the company that you decide to hire. Conduct thorough research in to the companies available. Ask friends for recommendations, visit Internet forums and read testimonials. You should also choose a company that is registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR).

Moving your belongings is not a cheap process and one important way of reducing cost is cutting down the amount of stuff that you want to transport. It may be hard to part with your children's old toys or the piles of books that you read once and then left on the shelf to accumulate dust, but if you bear in mind that every item you want to take will cost you money – being ruthless should come a little easier. When it comes to culling your items, consider whether or not it would be cheaper to buy new when you arrive.

Depending on how much stuff you have, you will hire either a full or partial container. If you have a partial container you should be aware that the shipping process can take a little longer as they will be waiting for someone else to fill the empty space.

The major benefit of a removals company is that they will come in, pack up all your goods in materials that will withstand the vibrations, bumpy roads and extreme temperatures associated with removals, and then deliver them to your new home. They also deal with all of the paper work associated with customs which can be a real pain when emigrating. They quite literally do everything for you and many believe that the service is more than worth the cost.

When packing all of your stuff up prior to departure, make sure that you make an inventory of everything that is in your load so that each and every item is accounted for. The best idea is to number the boxes and keep a corresponding list of what is inside. This will help with making sure that items get through customs without any hiccups and if there be any breakages or missing items that you need to claim on insurance. When your goods arrive at your new home, unpack immediately to see whether anything is missing or broken so that you can make a claim. If you have broken items, take photographs to show the insurance company.

Insurance is the most important thing to consider when moving all of your belongings to your new home. You wouldn't pack everything that you own off with a complete stranger without making sure that you are covered would you? Usually insuring your belongings will cost anywhere from 1.65 – 4.5 per cent of the total goods shipped. Although this is a substantial amount to add on, it's a necessary evil and you will be grateful of it if the worst should happen.

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