A Family company that specializes in moving Families!

There are big corporate moving companies that specialize in moving big corporate employees with big relocation budgets. There are also big corporate companies that specialize in moving Military families and Government employees. Most do a great job and offer what’s called a white glove service for their customers. But do they have the time, patience, staff and competitiveness to look after the family who is paying for themselves that need some handholding and friendly helpful advice through the process?

That’s where UPakWeShip comes into its own! UPakWeShip is a family run business with 7 family members spread between its offices in the USA, Europe and the UK. With operations on both sides of the Atlantic, most of our moves are controlled and managed by UPakWeShip with no third-party agents contacting you.

Why is having one company door to door so important?  It allows us to maintain a high standard of quality control, operational and communications, and most importantly stops extra fees being billed to you by third parties. How often do you see reviews online that say the move was ok, but we were charged an extra fee before delivery for various made-up reasons. It’s common practice for the delivery agent that probably only won the job by being the cheapest to make more profit by charging extras on the delivery. Not with UPakWeShip though!

Many years ago, we were so fed up with this practice and complaints from our customers when we used a third-party mover, that we decided to set up our own company in the UK and Europe so that we could make sure this did not happen anymore.

When moving with UPakWeShip, you will feel the difference between us and the big guys, we answer the phone, you can always speak to the same person you did last time and we are knowledgeable, friendly, patient and most importantly give you a lump sum all inclusive price without the worry of extra sneaky fees being made up to line some large corporations pockets! See UPakWeShip’s price guarantee here.

We are the UPakWeShip family that wants to help your family relocate with no stress or worries.

One company door to door. Get all inclusive moving and shipping rates online with our international moving cost calculator.

The post We are Family appeared first on UPakWeShip.

The Port of Los Angeles has resumed operations after fire erupted on board the ONE Henry Hudson, which was berthed at the port.

CNBC reported that an electrical fire on a lower deck of the container ship on Friday evening caused an explosion that shook the vessel, knocking out power to lights and cranes. A shelter-in-place order for local residents, due to hazardous material on board, was lifted on Saturday. Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, Gene Seroka, said approximately 117 containers were physically damaged out of the 8,000 onboard the vessel.

The ship was moved four miles out to sea to prevent the fire from damaging the port infrastructure and allow the Los Angeles Fire Department’s fireboats to continue firefighting operations. All crew aboard the One Henry Hudson were safely accounted for, according to a ONE spokesperson.

These are the things that can happen that make us always suggest your belongings are well insured.

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If you haven’t watched the International Moving Doctors video on how to complete a packing list when you are shipping your things overseas, then I suggest you should

It explains how to produce a “customs friendly” list of all your things you are shipping by typing a list as well as sticking the correct labels on all your items and numbering them so in the rare event that customs look at your list and ask to view item 22 they can easily identify it quickly without looking through everything else.

I know I’m biased but I really think its worth a quick watch.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGQ1Wjj6r4M

The International Moving Doctor  You Tube channel is full of helpful information on subjects like how to pack, how to tape a box properly, what to ship and what to leave behind as well as many great tips from the UPakWeShip coordinators on shipping self load hipping containers and U Crates.

Please also subscribe so that you get notified when the next video comes out. We try and do a couple every month. We are currently working on a video about how not to get scammed when moving overseas which will be full of great advice for people relocating overseas.

The post How to do The International Packing List appeared first on UPakWeShip.

Guess where this lovely couple are moving to?

They have done such a fantastic job packing and loading their pallets.

It looks like they used the same size boxes to pack everything so it all stacked nicely together. The shrink wrapping and tie straps are perfect and obviously you can see they are well labelled.

We have mailed you some travel tags and mugs for your journey as a thank you for the pictures and we wish you bon voyage.

Thanks for sharing and using UPakWeShip.

The post Saying hello from California. 2 pallets just loaded! appeared first on UPakWeShip.

As an expat living in Portugal, Bruce is full of information about the  trials and tribulations of moving to and living in Portugal and is willing to share some valuable information with those thinking about doing the same.

Lets start off by asking where are you from Bruce and how long have  you lived in Portugal?

I’m North American, from the USA. This is my fourth year living in Portugal.

Why Portugal?

We’ve had a vacation bolt for 15 years in Spain — still do — but we prefer Portugal for our permanent residence. Why? It’s got charm, soul, spirit, great people, a favorable cost of living, peace, and lots of lovely little villages.

What does Portugal have that say Spain or France doesn’t have?
Saudade … that sense of longing and yearning. While Spain and France may be more spirited, Portugal’s got more soul (I believe).

What are your top 3 things you love about Portugal?
The people. The places. The peacefulness.

Is there anything you do not love about Portugal?
The bureaucracy. And that it’s so difficult for the Portuguese to earn a decent living here that they tend to leave their homes in favor of the big cities–here and abroad.What are your top 3 things you miss about the USA ?
Family. Friends. Foods.

The Yes or No part

What all Americans need to know….
Amazon available? Yes.
Netflix? Yes.
Electrical Appliances work? Yes.
Apple TV? No.
Voltage? Had to up our potencia in each of our homes here.
Vinmo? Vinmo? If you’re talking about vinho, absolutely! Tinto, por favor. I like this guy, I’m trying to talk about a money transfer service and he changes it to wine lol
Good WI-Fi & Internet? Sim.
Most popular cell phone service? None of them are considered “popular,” but we’ve gone with MEO.
Most Popular Bank? Montepio. For 2€ per month, we get lower bank costs and medical/health insurance superior to what we’re paying for privately.
Most popular Grocery Store? Continente.
Most popular Beer? LOL! There are only two: Sagres and Super Bok.
Starbucks? Dominos? McDonalds? Subway? Não, não, não!!!

What do you know now that you didn’t know before you arrived in Portugal?
Portuguese. The language is quite challenging–maybe even more so for me because I’m fluent in Spanish. Quite the stumbling block!

How did you select your international moving / shipping company?
Internet search, then, process of elimination.

Why did you select them?

I didn’t know about the options available on this side of the pond … so, the company we went with was the most honorable among thieves. Obviously he didn’t find all the recommendations from facebook groups suggesting he goes to UPakWeShip or find the all-inclusive lump sum prices online here.

Any personal advice having now completed the international move?
Be prepared–the Boy Scout motto. And be patient, very patient.

What are the definite things to pack and ship to Portugal in your opinion?
Little things: aspirin, over-the-counter eye drops, red pepper flakes, real vanilla extract, hot and spicy sauce–anything but Piri Piri!

I think many expats might worry about health care abroad, how are you getting on with this?
I was on Medicare back in the USA, so I didn’t have any real problems.
My partner, however, had to rely on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.
Imagine paying US $1,250 per month for the mediocre “bronze” coverage, when we pay €2,000 per year for comprehensive health care coverage in the private sector that covers us both! Plus, of course, as residents we are part of Portugal’s National Health Care Service (which costs us nothing).

How is your Portuguese, obviously we know everyone must try and make an effort with some basic words but do you fine most people understand English?
At this point, I can carry on conversations, ask and answer questions, deal with doctors and tradespeople, and complain in Portuguese. But, as mentioned above, Spanish will always be a stumbling block for me; I may know the language and understand its grammar, but my pronunciation always gives me away. Portuguese people initially think I’m Spanish … then English (i.e., from the UK). So many people here speak English better than I do Portuguese — English is part of their core curriculum in school, not considered a “foreign” language — and they’re eager to be “helpful” by speaking English with us. But it’s difficult to learn Portuguese without the practice, which I explain to them.

Top Tips for moving to Portugal?
Don’t regret making the move … and don’t look back. While some people believe that everything that doesn’t fit into a suitcase (or two) should be left behind, we don’t agree. Over the course of our 30-year history together, we collected a lot of “stuff” that means a lot to us. Sentimental value, I guess. But I would never want to regret leaving behind those ingredients which made our life together so home-y and comfortable. I totally agree with this Steve, having your personal history with you helps you settle in and makes your home personal

Just for fun….

Do you get home very often? And when you do, what is the first food you want that you can’t get in Portugal?
No. That’s actually a major issue for us. We have no desire whatsoever to return to the USA unless and until the political warfare, the divisions, the massacres, and the hate turn around for the better. This is one of the most difficult aspects of living abroad for me: I have yet to hold my 18-month-old granddaughter. We videochat (my son,
daughter(in-law) and granddaughter every Sunday. Yet, for the reasons I’ve mentioned — and Covid restrictions — we’ve not been together in “real” time (or place). I’ve offered to pay their expenses to come and visit us in Portugal for however long they can manage, but it’s difficult and complicated for them, too, at this point in their
(professional) lives.

As difficult as it is to answer this first part of your question, Mark, the second part is far easier: The first food I’d eat, which we can’t get here in Portugal, is a hot pastrami sandwich with a pickle and coleslaw in New York City!

Pickles…… really? Being English the only pickles I like come in a jar with Branston written on it lol

I hope you enjoyed this, cheers
MARK NASH

The International Moving Doctor

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UPakWeShip has the following Vacancies

Shipping Coordinator Los Angeles California: We are looking for an international shipping coordinator to help join our busy operations team. Experience would be great but happy to train someone that has a can do helpful attitude with some geographical knowledge. Great phone etiquette and basic typing and computer skills is a must. Our office is based in Garden Grove. Salary depending on experience.
We also offer paid leave, free health insurance, Company performance bonus and simple IRA retirement plan. Office based, Monday to Friday and no weekends.

UK / Europe. Home based, Sales and Customer Service: We are looking for an experienced International Moving & Shipping person to take care of sales leads and inquiries for people wanting to move from the UK and Europe. UPakWeShip is a well-known, successful International brand with offices in the USA /Canada, Europe and the UK offering customers the ability to pack their items into specially designed containers that are then shipped overseas and the container delivered to the new residence, safe and secure, hassle free, based on online cost effective lump sum rates.
Candidate needs to have International Moving sales experience and some operations knowledge in order to answer questions, give helpful advice and ultimately book the shipment. UPakWeShip already loads its own groupage containers to the USA and hopes to soon be loading Canada, Australia and New Zealand from the UK and Europe.
Excellent salary, bonus and pension scheme for the right candidate.

UK, Europe or USA: Home based Marketing Assistant: required to assist looking after social media, newsletters, promoting services and producing helpful videos. We are willing to employ full or part time in either the UK, Europe or USA. This could suit a graduate or a college marketing student looking for day release or part time work and full time during the holiday periods.
No product or service experience needed but a good all round knowledge of marketing and geography would be helpful.

Please email resumes to move@upakweship.com

UPakWeShip has the best team of employees operating in the USA / Canada, Europe and the UK, looking after its customers door to door. We pride ourselves on being a little different in our approach but always strive for 100% customer satisfaction which results in many loyal customers using us multiple times both ways across the Atlantic.

UPakWeShip is not a baggage company. The average size of a move is between 100 and 300 cubic feet.
Having our own operations on both sides of the Atlantic lets UPakWeShip control the move door to door, maintaining a high level of customer service as well as keeping pricing competitive.

The post UPakWeShip Job Vacancies appeared first on UPakWeShip.

But does it financially make sense?

You may feel your furniture is invaluable, but it’s still worth exploring how to get it from A-B in the most cost-effective way possible.

Well, your options will vary depending on what furniture you’ll be bringing with you. If you’re shipping 95% boxes, but want to ship a sofa or a bed, it can hugely increase the price of your quote, and it’s usually cheaper to buy that item brand new when you land.

Consider the layout of your future house. Will your furniture physically fit into your new rooms? Will the aesthetic be the same as the house you’ve just moved from?

If the answer is yes, you have three main options for shipping large items…

A U-Crate 200, is specific to UPakWeShip – the largest self-packed crate we offer. Other companies may have similar sizes, and these crates are shipped alongside other movers’ belongings in a shared shipping container. The benefit of the U-Crate 200, is that whilst it is enormous, it is still a pallet-based-crate, which means the cost is lower and there is a flat rate… if it fits, it ships!

The U-Crate 200 is large enough to fit a couple of your most prized furniture items, alongside boxes. Prices will vary depending on where you’re shipping from and to, but you can find out precisely how much it will be via our immediate online rates!

Always bear in mind, not all companies offer up-front costs with customs and taxes included. Our self-packing service is notably lower due to not using a packing service. If you find quotes much lower, ensure they’re inclusive!

However…

…A shipping container may be exactly what you’re after! In which case, you can opt for either a 20-ft container, which is roughly the size of a one-car garage, or a 40-ft container, which is the size of a two-car garage!

A container will be perfect for those looking to ship a reasonable amount of furniture, plus boxes and any other belongings you’ve decided to take with you. Shipping containers are also the best option if you’re looking to send a vehicle abroad too.

Quotes for shipping containers vary, but the sheer size of them means they are the most expensive option for movers. However, if you’re going to ship a large number of items, you might as well utilize the space! No matter how much space is used in your container, the price will be the same, so if you’re between a U-Crate 200 and a 20ft container, it’s worth bearing in mind!

The short answer of whether shipping furniture is worth it is simply, it’s up to you.

Many international moving companies will encourage their customers to ship more, as it raises the prices. But as mentioned, shipping furniture is usually more expensive than buying it brand new in your destination.

If you do choose to move furniture, ensure you’re working with a reliable mover with up-front costs and no-hidden-fees, so you don’t receive a nasty surprise at the end! With offices in the EU, Canada and UK, you can be confident your prized possessions will get from A-B safely and securely!

The post How Expensive is it to Move Furniture Abroad? appeared first on UPakWeShip.

If you’re in the early stages of moving or thinking about moving abroad in the next year or so, our cost calculator is a genius way to tell you everything you need to know about your move instantly.

To use it, all you need to do is input your current location and your destination, and ta-da! The cost of our various services will be presented to you.

For those who have been offered a lump sum relocation allowance, this is an ideal service, as it will give you not just a ballpark, but a complete cost of how much this area of your move will be if you go with UPakWeShip. Our costs are all-inclusive, and you can then work out how much you have remaining to spend on other aspects such as flights.

Even if you haven’t got a relocation allowance, our calculator will allow you to budget more effectively for the other parts of your move to consider. Those of us who are big planners can make the most of this time by using your service cost as a base to build upon. With other research, you could figure out your entire moving budget during this period of time, where usually you’d be running around last minute!

Once you have used the calculator to find your service, any of our door-to-door options can currently be delivered! This means you can begin your packing preparation ASAP! Having the pallet or U-Crate in your home will take a huge weight off your shoulders, and you can even begin the paperwork so that when moving day comes, all you need to worry about is packing and getting yourself out of there!

Another huge perk of our service is that the pick-up date is flexible. If you’re unsure of when you’re moving, your date can be added later or be amended, provided we receive notice of the alteration. This means you can input a preemptive date – or no date at all – when you order your service!

For more information on UPakWeShip and our services, check out our website! We’re proud to bring 30 years of shipping experience to every customer and endeavour to make your moving process as smooth as possible.

The post Why Our Instant Cost Calculator is Every Mover’s Best Friend appeared first on UPakWeShip.

While affecting ports worldwide, it is especially being felt in Southampton, Felixstowe, New York, and Los Angeles. The shutdowns due to coronavirus mean that some vessels may not be able to enter or choose not to enter certain ports as the loading and discharging of goods grows. Shortages of 20 foot and 40-foot shipping containers have also been a side effect of the Coronavirus and ships that are running as scheduled are at maximum capacity.

Please be patient, flexible, and allow for possible delays in container availability at the time of loading. The more notice we have, the better!

Due to these issues, there is a possibility of extra charges incurred and freight cost fluctuations are a possibility. Your shipment may need to remain in storage at origin until containers become available. Continuous planning and pro-active measures are taking place to mitigate any delays for smooth movements by us, however, delays in transit times are possible. We expect this to continue through early 2021.

UPakWeShip will do everything in its power to maintain your existing quote and transit times and will keep you updated via our automatic tracking system and by our coordinators. Please be patient during these difficult times and know that everyone at EuroUSA and UPakWeShip are doing everything possible to keep your shipment on schedule.

At the time of writing, this is not affecting our U Crate and pallet services but is affecting some of our self-load 20 and 40-foot shipping container routes.

The post Important Information Concerning Shipping: Covid-19 and Brexit appeared first on UPakWeShip.

This is resulting in overcapacity and/ or equipment shortages. While affecting ports worldwide, it is especially being felt in Southampton, Felixstowe, New York, and Los Angeles.

The shutdowns due to coronavirus mean that some vessels may not be able to enter or choose not to enter certain ports as the loading and discharging of goods grows. Shortages of 20-foot and 40-foot shipping containers have also been a side effect of the Coronavirus and ships that are running as scheduled are at maximum capacity.

Please be patient, flexible, and allow for possible delays in container availability at the time of loading. The more notice we have, the better!

Due to these issues, there is a possibility of extra charges incurred and freight cost fluctuations are a possibility.

Your shipment may need to remain in storage at origin until containers become available. Continuous planning and pro-active measures are taking place to mitigate any delays for smooth movements by us, however, delays in transit times are possible. We expect this to continue through early 2021.

UPakWeShip will do everything in its power to maintain your existing quote and transit times and will keep you updated via our automatic tracking system and by our coordinators. Please be patient during these difficult times and know that everyone at EuroUSA and UPakWeShip are doing everything possible to keep your shipment on schedule.

At the time of writing, this is not affecting our U-Crate and pallet services but is affecting some of our self-load 20 and 40-foot shipping container routes.

The post Important Information Regarding Shipping: Covid-19 and Brexit appeared first on UPakWeShip.