Recently, we published a video on our YouTube channel, AmSamFam, with lots of information about shipping to American Samoa. Boy, I wish this information would have been available when we were moving to American Samoa. I don’t regret our decision to sell all of our household items and buy what we needed as we came to need it once we were here, but we made that decision not knowing what our other choice really was. It would have been nice to have all the information available to us while we were trying to decide.
If you’re still in the process of making this decision, make sure to hop over and watch the video, so you can feel confident that you’re making a well-informed decision.
For today, I’m going to focus on shipping.
Shipping
When looking at shipping to American Samoa, there are really two ocean freight companies to choose from- ICS (Island Cargo Support) and CSL Cargo.
You can find information on both of these companies through their websites.
ICS- http://icargosupport.com/
CSL- https://www.cslcargo.com/
There you’ll find useful information, pricing, and helpful customer service.
packing
Luckily for us, our friends over at ICS put together an article that dives deep into how best to pack your belongings to ensure they’ll arrive safely and without any problems. Enjoy.
If you’ve moved before then you’ve probably asked yourself, “How should I pack my household items?” It may seem trivial, but it’s a major component of any relocation if you’re packing yourself.
A list of household goods packing tips could be a long checklist of criteria one might have to go over when considering .
It goes without saying that improper packing is one of the major concerns when it comes to breakages and damage.
Based on our years as an international moving company, we’ve created a comprehensive list of tips for packing household goods to help with any move, overseas or cross country.
How to Pack Household Goods Safely for Your Move Overseas
Following are some of the basic materials one should consider to use for household packing:
· Always insist on using strong boxes to pack the fragile items
· Make sure the bottom of the box has additional tape to prevent opening when lifted
· Wrap all fragile items individually in bubble wrap or packing paper
· Corrugated boxes that can be closed shut are highly recommended to secure your belongings
· Plan on using lot of strong packaging tape, labels and markers to clearly identify the content being places in various boxes
· Try and use newspapers, plastics, towels or bubble wraps to fill the empty spaces in the cartons
Different household goods will have to be handled in different ways to ensure they are secured, correctly packed and can be moved easily.
One could come across all sorts of different household goods varying in shapes, sizes and weights.
Investing time and effort by creating an inventory checklist also helps ease out the entire process.
Following are some pointers to pack some of the commonly found household items:
Electronics
· Remember to unplug all electronics from batteries.
· Refrigerators need to be unplugged 24 hrs prior to loading as they need to drain of excess water and ice
· Tape the inner table in a microwave oven so it does not move inside and break the glass door
· Check the device manuals for all appliances for any special instructions
· Double pack electronics with glass screens safely to ensure they do not break
Kitchenware
· Pack fragile ceramic kitchenware in bubble wrap
· Use extra packaging for glass containers and sharp cutlery
· Place paper between all plates/bowls/cups and dinnerware to prevent chipping and breaking
· Wrap cutlery and utensils together in tight bundles and bubble wrap before putting in boxes
· Double wrap wine glasses/ vases / crystal pieces etc, in paper and bubble wrap
Small Furniture Products
· Fully cover edges to prevent chipping
· Remember to protect the surfaces with a bed sheet to prevent scratches
· This furniture will probably be double stacked in the truck and container so all surfaces must be well protected
Other Items
· Pack books in corrugated boxes – don’t over pack large boxes as books are heavy. Pack in multiple small boxes
· Boxes and duffel bags could be used to pack clothes and shoes
· Wardrobe boxes with hangers are available from places like Home Depot.
· Place packaging paper between photo frames
· Fine art, pianos, and musical instruments all have unique requirements for packing – please consult your service provider
The most important thing is to have an in-depth discussion with your shipping consultant while making your initial inquiry.
If you disclose all important information about all the articles that you need moving, it makes the whole process easier to organize from a shipping, packing and loading point of view.
We offer professional and affordable packing services to all our clients who may not have the time to pack themselves.
Remember, moving internationally is a three step process.
- Making sure you have all your household goods packed thoroughly, either by yourself or a professional moving crew
- Moving these items from the house to the loading warehouse for loading into a container for ocean freight
- Careful unpacking of the goods upon arrival at your new destination.
If you are looking for a one stop shop and a company that will manage all three of these aspects and give you peace of mind, or call the team at ICS http://icargosupport.com/contact/
