HOME RELOCATION: How to transport your things efficiently and safely?

When we moved from Metro Manila to Bacolod in 2015, one of the major concerns that we had was transporting our things. It was during this time that I realized that I have too much stuff. Aside from our clothes, shoes, bags and other personal things, I had my Starbucks tumbler collection as well as my miniatures which I started collecting when I was young. We also had a home complete with furniture and fixtures made of hardwood like narra that we cannot simply discard because these are actually given to us by my parents as "pamana." 

Thus, we had no choice but to transport them all to Bacolod. Based on our experience, here are some tips on how to transport your things efficiently and safely:  

1. Mode of Transportation 

Use the right the mode of transport depending on the items' size, weight and nature. 

Air Cargo is recommended for smaller and not-so-heavy items. It is ideal for important items since it arrives at the destination faster or you can bring it with you as checked-in baggage during your flight. It is a bit expensive thus, it is recommended that you maximize the prepaid baggage allowance. In the Philippines, most domestic flights can allow up to 40 kilos of check-in baggage per passenger.

Sea Cargo, on the other hand, is recommended for bulky and really heavy items like furnitures and fixtures. Though it would be nice to get a full 20-footer container van to put all your stuff, it is also impractical if you cannot really fill the whole container. Thus, you can try to opt for loose cargo and just pay for its actual weight. Just keep in mind, that sea cargo can take a few days to arrive at the destination and may even have delays at the port so, make sure not to include items that you might need immediately in your new home. 

2.  Packaging

It is very important that we package our things properly prior to shipping. Use bubble wraps for breakables and plastics for items that should be kept dry. Make sure not to mix liquids, aerosol sprays with paper or documents since leaks might happen. Furniture, fixtures and appliances must be put into wooden crates. Boxes are also recommended to be cling-wrapped to avoid getting wet. 

3. Insurance

Make sure that you declare the correct value of your belongings and get appropriate insurance. We must accept the fact that despite all the safety precautions, accidents or natural calamities may occur that can pose significant damage or loss to our belongings. Thus, the least that we can do is minimize these risks since our things are exposed during shipping. 

Marine Insurance can protect your items shipped via sea cargo against the possible damage and loss because of bad weather, sinking, fire, typhoon, collision even piracy and jettison. Since most of our stuff is shipped via sea cargo, we got our Marine Insurance from Malayan Insurance. The small payment we made gave me the peace of mind that in case something happens to our things while on the voyage, at least we could afford to get new ones.  

How about you? Are you planning to relocate soon? Feel free to send us a message if you have any questions.