Moving overseas is a hugely exciting thing , it offers new chances and new opportunities, and can be the best thing you ever do 
But that doesn't mean there are not challenges but been prepped for those challenges can make moving overseas such a rewarding thing to do, 

Tips for moving overseas

• Try to learn the local language (but relax no one expects you to know it all at once or for your grammar or pronunciation to be prefect straight away try leaning a word or two a day  ( we have a handy little guide to about learning a new language )
• Know the local laws
• Know the local traffic laws
• Know if you need to always carry id with you when out and about
• Know the phone or phone numbers for the emergency services (112 in Spain and much of Europe)
• Know where you nearest Embassy or consulate is and how to contact them (We have a list of a few helpful numbers for Spain here )
• Know if you will need health insurance 
• It is also worth making a photocopy of your passport like many of us do before going on holiday 
  

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We have more detailed and specific tips for Spain here 

This is only a short summary of some general tips so please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments we would love to hear them

It is often not until we come to pack up to move home that we realise how much stuff we really have. 
But how much of that stuff do you want ?
Or need ? at your new place 
Well packing is also a great chance to declutter 

• Ask yourself do I need it ?
• Do I want it ? yes then it is not clutter
• Ask yourself also when did Last use it ?
• Also ask yourself will it fit in my new house ?
• And by fit I mean 3 things does it have a place to go in the new house ? Does it fit within the new houses style eg Lightwood in a house with dark wood etc and also does it fit though the doors into the new place (And can it safely be dismantled ? eg many reclining type sofas can be dismantled if it can get in after been dismantled no problem for things like sofas and dining tables,but it is worth noting if wardrobes are dismantled they are often weaker when put back together)  
  And if you decide you do not need a certain piece f furniture many local charities will be glad to have it, just ring them and ask how to donate furniture 
• Clothes are simple to declutter Will I wear that again ? And will I need to wear it again ? and if your moving to warmer climes like Spain yes you will need a few jumpèrs and coats as it gets cold at night in the winter
• Decluttering Books , again can be simple , when did I last read it ? will I Reread it ? has it a special value to me? Is it worth keeping ? (See our blog on packing tips for tips on packing books and loads more packing tips)
• So you have finished decluttering and have sorted the things your moving home with, the things going to charity and have a pile of things to good for the bin? well Why not look to up cycle them for example a table, chest of draws etc you like could be repainted or redecorated etc, this can also be the solution if loved furniture doesn't fit your new places style

But somethings people pack for moving to Spain may surprise you We have over the years had people pack 1/4 full bottles of washing liquid or 1/4 boxes of wash powered , you can get these at your new place so bin them ? well no infact these may not be clutter at all but can come in handy for the first few days while your to busy to pop to the shops to buy more 





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So your thinking of moving aboard/overseas ? That is great but your unsure where to move , well that is understandable the world is a large place with many many fabulous countries 

And yes you can call us biased (As moving people to Spain is what we do ) (But we also live in Spain so )
Have you concerned Spain ?
Well You Should 

Easy to reach 
For one it is only a few hours by plane from the UK with regular flights from many UK airports to many Spanish airports so unlike some further afield destinations it is easy to still visit family back in the UK and for them to visit you. (And this is also true of many other European countries but that is okay while this blog article is about Spain we do also cover places like France and Portugal ) And depending on the route it is just over a days drive as well to Spain. So you're never far in that sense from the UK and Family and friends 
(Plus it is also easy to move to as ourselves and many other movers offer it as a  regular service between  Spain and the UK)

​Oh but I might miss British food (this is more a quick throw away point ) As Spain is home to Many British people all over the place (But which part of Spain is right for me (Read part 1 here of that article  ) Well as Spain is home to many British people you will in many areas find British food shops and even many of the main supermarkets will stock British food 

Lower Property prices 
Well as you can guess in our work we see a wide range of properties as we move people in, and one thing people will say is oh it cost x or Y and well I sold my UK home and brought this and have money left over, so what your say, maybe the home is smaller, well 99% of the time  it is actual larger than what they had preciously and often even has a pool 
And yes while in Spain property prices are higher on the coast than in land, in most cases your money will spread a lot further when buying or renting in Spain 

Lower cost of living/Shopping
And talking of money going further, in Spain the average living cost is a lot lower than the UK, again this is though both personal experience and customer comments and how much more they can buy at the supermarket and how that includes more luxury products than than would have in the UK and even after converting the money they spent less than they would in the UK for more 
And again it is worth noting that this is very true on your fruit and vegetables (Which are often best brought from your towns weekly market) and as we all may know many of the fruit and vegetables you buy in the UK come from Spain so you will likely notice how fresh it is as of course it has not travelled as far and was more recently growing )

Also worth noting is that many people ourselves included find they pay less in Euros for the same sort of internet usage volumes than they would in the UK
 
The great weather 
Well this point is a well known one but many areas of Spain average 320 days or so a year of sunshine, so Spain is ideal for those of us who love the sunshine (And combined with the closeness though air travel to the UK it is a place some people make home all year round for that reason or just to escape the winter in places like the UK or Norway (As We know several people from that region who do that) and as many thou not all Spanish Regions have winters with day time averages of 20 c it is not hard to see why (But wait you say Spain gets Snow and gets cold , well yes in the winter the nights are cold that is true (But in some regions cases it only feels cold due to the day time to night time temperature differences ) any way back to Snow yes Spain gets Snow often just in the higher peaks ere you find the ski resorts and some regions up north ) 

The Culture 
Well it is often said the Spanish know how to party, and that sure is true, Spain has many festivals and parades though out the year.
And theses festivals cover a wide range of themes from Christmas to Easter to Historical events like the Moors and Christian festivals many towns along the med hold (but only in regions where there was battles between the two groups)
And every town has a town festival every year which is about a week long and a mix of a fair and party/carnival 
And while not sure if this should be under the heading Culture or not it is not unusual here in Spain for people to say Hola as you pass them in the Street 

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Thank you for reading 
And if you have moved to Spain and an not see an advantages you would say is one of the plus/advantageous of living in Spain please add a comment 
As I know there are many more of them so plan to expand this peice as a second part soon