We attracted a lot of attention last year when we returned to Zurich from Japan with our 3 dogs, a parrot, and a ton of baggage. We needed two enormous trolleys. They are only available to you if you request ground assistance (which is not free). I can't even begin to describe the noise level at customs while they were checking the import papers for our pets. Somehow I managed to take photos as one of the Swiss employees was having a conversation with our parrot
The paperwork to import the pets took months. We were very fortunate that we had 10 days after arrival to have the dogs microchipped, which was before the law changed.
We also paid a fee at customs to cover the importing of the pets. The airline will not pay this for you.
We also had transport arranged and the driver we use has access to the baggage handling area which simplifies matters.
We didn't use the services of a pet shipper as we speak German and I am a relocation consultant, but if you are feeling overwhelmed, I can provide you with the name of a reliable pet shipper.
We've decided not to bring furniture. I'm not sure if it will be a surface or air shipment. I'm trying to decide what of my cookware I should bring.
If it ends up being a surface shipment, I'm not sure we're going to want to wait three months for the computer. If we ship the computer separately will we run into problems with customs?
Thanks in advance and looking forward to playing in the Zurich snow.
We used Shumacher cargo logistics, they have been fantastic so far. They have given us tracking information, as well as answered our email inquiries very promptly. They do not outsource, for anyting, and have not charged any hidden fees. Good luck, and we've already gotton a bit of snow here in Biel!!
We used Southern Winds International - they do the logistics, and they contracted with a North American company to pack, and our stuff came in through Bremerhaven - via Professional Relocations to Switzerland.
I liked Southern Winds very much - since my husband's employer was moving us, we weren't completely price sensitive, and the whole process is not cheap. In retrospect, we brought a bunch of lamps we won't rewire. We threw a lot of stuff out and still filled a 40 ft container (Over 80 boxes of books). (We moved from a 9 room house to a 6 room apartment) My husband's office is about 6 miles from our home and they delivered 30 boxes of books to his office for an extra $150. We had one casualty - book case that they forgot to remove the shelves in. But we filed a claim for it. and have complained...but we've already replaced the shelves. The fragile stuff - computer, china, barrister book cases - all arrived in fine condition. We had some things crated, and that worked out well.
Packimpex was very competent, and we also contacted another firm - their name begins with a K, and I can't find it at the moment. We just liked Southern Winds the best.
Our stuff left our house June 14, left the US June 25, arrived in Bremerhaven July 5, and we got it July 18 (only because my husband didn't have all the paperwork together). We might have received it up to a week earlier.
If you fill a 40foot container, you might want to know whether or not said container will fit in your neighborhood, or if they'll have to load the truck and pack elsewhere. Not that it matters that much, but you probably want to check on that if you tend to worry.
The worst part of the whole ordeal was unpacking, and thowing out all the paper and boxes. You can hire people to unpack, of course, but it is expensive. I still have paper - my husband didn't unpack much of anything till I came in August, and it's taken me a while to go through all of the boxes.
As for the bed, we gave ours away in the US. For about 4 months, we slept on an aerobed, while we decided what we wanted here. The aerobed is not bad, you can buy it on amazon.de and keep it for guests.
If you will be moving to a place that has an induction cooktop, you need to make sure that your cookware will work on induction. I had to give away all my pots and buy new ones. If you have huge pots, they probably won't fit in the oven here. I'd bring the stuff you really like. Nothing electical, of course.
Good luck! I hope it won't be too stressful.
e.
Interestingly, Schumacher doesn't use a lift van (they put your stuff on a pallet and shrink wrap it--but that increases the possibility that a box can get lost), so you pay to ship what you have (rather than a crate). However, the savings might be offset by the fact that they have to send a crew from California to Colorado to pick our stuff up. Also, they said we could self-pack some stuff (likes clothes and books), but I have to ask about filling out the customs paperwork because I thought the moving company had to fill out the paperwork.
I know there's another thread out there talking about just shipping housing effects so I might wander over there. Also it's funny, when I pointed out this thread to my husband, he says -- "why don't we just mail our stuff?" In a perfect world, maybe, but not while we're trying to also figure out what we need to store, donate, and get the house ready for closing in the middle of the holidays.
We reserved a place for three days and when we arrived, sure enough, an area on the street was coned off with a notice telling people not to park there.
Obviously this would not work for every street but should be okay in the suburbs. The Police charged a nominal amount which we paid a few weeks later. It was one less worry for us - especially as we self-moved and had to unload the lorry ourselves.