Moving your personal goods, much less your family, can be a daunting thought, but after a careful review of all your options, you will see that it needs not be a difficult ordeal, just one that requires thought and organization. Hopefully, this post will help you arrive at the thought process and if we can help you with our personal experiences, please call CostaRicaLandToday.Com.

I have done a big move of personal goods only three times, and I was boxed in (no pun intended) by the same thought process each time. I have come to discover that there are many ways to consider the move to Costa Rica, and some may be much cheaper or at the very least less stressful and requiring less coordination.

The first thing I learned about moving goods to Costa Rica is to find your mover in Costa Rica and coordinate the move through him, as you want to be able to deal with someone local from this end, just in case there should be any questions or problems. How logically simple is that? But had I not been advised, I would have called a mover from Dallas, and I think it would have caused more logistical problems in the long run.

At CostaRicaLandToday.Com, we highly recommend that you call Barry Wilson to coordinate your move, and he can be contacted through his website at: http://www.shipcostarica.com/. His direct email contact is: barry@shipcostarica.com. He is a Canadian who has lived here for 18 years and I have watched closely to see how he operates his business as he has moved two very close friends, and the moves were flawless. I have broken bread with him on occasion and know him to be thoughtful and organized and if I had a problem, I would want him on my side.

Here are some of the mistakes I made that I would suggest you consider prior to contacting Barry at the moving company. We brought everything, and I do mean everything. We should have had multiple garage sales prior to the move because we downsized from a 3,000 sq. ft. house to a 2,300 sq. ft house, and we had acquired junk from the previous 20+ years. We knew we wanted to build and no longer wanted a dining room, as we discovered it was wasted space in our last home just to store a dining room set. But we certainly brought everything else. George Carlin has a gig on “stuff”, and everyone should listen to that before coming to Costa Rica. It took a little over a year for us to actually move into our house, which meant that we paid, by the square meter, to store our goods, which is an expense we had not considered. Had I had the opportunity to do it again, I would have brought our bedroom set, living room furniture, dishes/silverware, and that’s it! Yes, special art pieces and personal belongings, but about half what we brought. That would have cut our moving and storage tab in half.

You can buy American appliances here, and yes, at a higher expense, but still less than moving and storing yours from home. Personal goods are not taxed, but goods that are new are subject to taxation. Many times they are not taxed if you have one of each, but if you bring 10 new flat screen TVs, chances are you will be taxed a very large amount. If you want to have no questions about taxation, Barry at http://www.shipcostarica.com/ will develop a flat-rate move that includes your taxation. You needn’t worry about this, as his company will handle all the details and dealings with Customs and deliver your goods to his storage facility or your new house.

I would suggest you get a 3-ring binder and keep all the papers related to moving in this notebook. If you pack goods yourself, label the box with the contents of each box and keep a copy of that in your notebook. If you have professional packers, make sure you get a listing of each box’s contents, and that the box is labeled with the contents that you have a copy of in your 3-ring binder. All the paperwork related to Customs should be kept here also.

There are specialists who can help with your goods as opposed to sell and buy, so please visit our recommended moving & storage specialists, who offer excellent service for door-to-door shipping of household goods, personal effects, vehicles, and commercial products for both import and export, at http://www.shipcostarica.com/.

The following are some tips on what you should do before and after you move to Costa Rica:

Two Months before Moving:

1. Gather your moving supplies (boxes, tape, rope, etc.). Begin packing.
2. Make any necessary travel arrangements (airline, hotel, and rental car reservations).
3. Call a moving company or make truck rental reservations to move your goods.
4. Cover your real estate temporary & permanent needs (CostaRicaLandToday.Com)
5. Keep your legal, medical, and insurance records in a safe and accessible place.
6. Give your new address to all your mailers (family members, friends, banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions, charge card and credit card companies, doctors, dentists, and other service providers, state and federal tax authorities, and other government agencies).
7. Keep your moving receipts (many moving expenses are tax deductible).

Two Weeks before Moving:

1. Notify gas, electric, water, cable, local telephone, and trash removal services of your move, and sign up for their services at your new address.
2. Notify long distance Phone Company of your move.
3. Arrange help for your moving-day.
4. Confirm your travel reservation.
5. If needed, make arrangements to close or transfer your bank account.

Packing Tips:

1. Make sure you have the following supplies and accessories: boxes (all sizes), bubble wrap or other cushioning material, marking pens, tape measure, furniture pads or old blankets, packing tape and scissors, and money and credit cards.
2. Label each box with the room in the new home to which it should be moved.
3. Make an itemized list of what you’re packing with a yard-sale price on each item, so you don’t have to pay too many taxes when your household arrives at the Costa Rican customs. Personal household goods are exempt.
4. Number the boxes, and keep a list of what is in each box.
5. Mark any fragile item.
6. Pack your personal items (clothes, toiletries, medicine, maps, food, and drinks) into a bag, and keep it in an easy-to-find place.
7. Keep a medical kit accessible.

After Your Move:

1. Locate police, fire, and gas stations as well as hospitals near your home.
2. Locate shopping areas in your new neighborhood.
3. Find out which day the trash is collected and whether your new community has recycling programs.
4. Seek out new service providers (banks, cleaners, doctors, dentists, and veterinarians). CostaRicaLandToday.Com will be happy to help with these.
5. Provide your new doctor and dentist with your medical history. You may need to request your file from your previous doctor and/or dentist.
6. Find out more information about schools, cable service, cultural events, community activities, and the availability of emergency calling services (such as 911) in your new neighborhood.
7. Transfer your insurance policies to an agent in your new community. If necessary, make a detailed list of all your belongings, their value, and your coverage.

You can check what it would cost you to move your household goods and compare costs between moving companies at http://compare-international-movers.com/.

Selling and buying your goods can actually be a cheaper and better option than moving and storing them. Storing your goods for long periods might expose them to humidity. Also, with moving your goods, there is always a risk of breakage of fragile or inadequately packed items. Rid yourself of items you know you will not need.

Moving your goods might be the best decision to go for if you gathered a lifetime of valued personal belongings that you must take with you. If you are an avid collector of artwork, then you should consider using the services of a special artwork packing company. We did this and are grateful we did.

You can also consider a half container, and there are even smaller-sized crates that you can move. There are many that came with their clothes and pets – and that’s it!!

All of these are thoughts and experiences to help you consider your options and don’t feel “boxed in”. If you would like to talk about this more, feel free to contact us personally at CostaRicaLandToday.Com, and we will tell you all we know! Pura Vida! (The Good Life)