Moving abroad is a life-changing decision.

Half of you is probably feeling exhilarated counting down the days.

And the other half a little terrified.

That’s ok. After all, it’s a big change – new country, new culture, new life.

Whether you’re going travelling, emigrating to live closer to family or relocating for a new job – getting ready to move can feel overwhelming.

To avoid the stress, here are five things you should do before you move abroad.

Plan your finances ahead
First, work out how much money you’ll need. For instance, calculate the cost of flights, shipping, and then rental fees for when you get there. If you’re moving for a new job, check what your employee has agreed to cover.

Work out a timetable
Trying to do anything last minute is a recipe for stress.

To avoid any big mishaps that could ruin your trip, sit down and make a list of everything you need to do beforehand and then create a checklist (and stick to it).

For instance:
• Book flights
• Inform your landlord/employer/kids school when you are leaving
• Get quotes for shipping companies
• Check vaccination needs
• If you need to sell anything like your car or house, put it on the market in time.

Get your papers in order
Boring, yes but sorting out your paperwork before you leave will be way easier than trying to do it whilst away. And you don’t want to find yourself waiting in an airport lounge only to discover your passport is about to expire.

Key admin tasks include:

• Make sure your passport is valid and has plenty of time remaining before expiry, Otherwise, it’s better to renew it.
• Check visa regulations for the country you’re moving to. Are you applying for a tourist or work visa? What do you need to get one? Check issuing timescales.
• Tell your bank and phone providers you are moving.
• Make copies of all your important documents and save to the cloud so you can easily access them.
• Settle all your outstanding bills.

Research your destination
It can be lonely moving to a new place. You’ll be suddenly faced with new people, possibly a wildly different different climate and new languages.

For starters make friends with social media - it’s a great way to access the ex-pat community and find out what’s going on locally.

Take language lessons before you go. And, if you don’t have time at least learn local greetings and street directions.

Check the weather and buy appropriate clothes. If you’re worried you’re carrying too much baggage then you can organise that your seasonally appropriate clothes are shipped to you at the right time.

Protect your communication access
Imagine locking yourself out of your email account just when you arrive. Nightmare, right?
To avoid this situation, set up a two-factor authentication process for both your social media account and email. This will allow you to send a text or email to a telephone or email you have designated as a proof of identity.

Organise a good-bye party
One of the most difficult things about leaving is saying good-bye. Give yourself plenty of time to organise a good-bye event. Whether you go for a full-blown party or an intimate dinner, get the date and venue booked early to avoid disappointment. Send out invites. And, be prepared to give a short speech. Don’t forget to take lots of photos, so you can look at them whenever you feel homesick.

Need help selling your house?
Getting ready to move abroad can be stressful enough without then organising what is going to happen to your house.

Let’s face it the housing market is at times unpredictable. If you don’t want to risk waiting around, House Buy Fast can help you. They will buy your property for cash, which means you can set the timescales and get a firm completion date. This way you’re free to focus your energies on planning your trip, rather than worrying whether you house will sell in time.