Moving abroad: a luggage shipping checklist

Get the complete delivery address, postcode, apartment or unit number and a phone number the recipient will answer. Check when someone can first accept delivery there. If you are using temporary accommodation, get permission from the property before booking and ask about storage, opening hours and how to identify your reservation.

Save these arrangements somewhere you can access while travelling. Give a trusted contact the tracking reference if they will receive the shipment, and make sure they know how many separate pieces to expect.

Sort your belongings before choosing boxes. Start with items you already use and expect to need in the new home. A useful question is whether you would still send something if it needed its own packing space. This can make the decision about bulky, rarely used objects much easier.

• Keep with you: travel documents, immediate essentials and the clothing you need before the delivery is complete.
• Consider shipping: accepted belongings that you can manage without during transit and can pack securely.
• Set aside: prohibited items, anything needing an import check and objects whose compensation exclusions you have not reviewed.

Read the destination customs authority's guidance for your circumstances, including any rules for unaccompanied belongings. Do not assume that describing the shipment as personal effects makes it exempt from charges. Customs requirements differ between countries, and restrictions can apply.

Record which documents or approvals are required and who must provide them. Ask for clarification before sealing an item whose eligibility is uncertain. Keep a copy of the guidance you used, along with the date you checked it, so you can revisit the right source if your travel plans change.

Give each piece a simple identifier, such as Box 1 or Suitcase 2. Record its contents, quantities, condition and values as you add them. Update the list whenever you move an item between pieces. Take photographs before closing each package, then weigh and measure the finished result.

Use that same inventory when completing the booking and customs information. Keep the descriptions, quantities and values consistent across the shipping documents. Keep receipts or other records relevant to the declared contents together, ready if further information is requested.

Choose an available collection date when someone can hand over the labelled luggage. Avoid scheduling your own departure so tightly that there is no practical way to handle a missed collection. Check that the items are at the booked address, that the courier can reach it and that the contact number is correct.

Complete any outstanding customs steps and read the instructions supplied with the labels. Keep copies of the booking, labels and inventory available on your phone and somewhere outside the shipment.

Check tracking during the move and respond to requests for information. When the luggage arrives, compare the pieces with your inventory before discarding the packaging. Photograph any visible damage and keep the packaging while contacting support. If something is missing, the item identifiers and photographs will help you explain exactly what you are looking for.