*Updated 21/01/2021
Please be advised that as of the 1st January 2021 due to new rules regarding customs , to ensure the smooth administration of your move, we will need a much more detailed Inventory than we currently do (did if reading in 2021) 
This is as we will need the information to firstly submit to our customs clearance agent 
And for a few customs related tasks we are also required to do 

(see our advice on how to write an inventory here ) 

*Please be advised what is declared on your inventory is what will be submitted to the customs broker and what will be cleared so it most be accurate as what is declared is what can be transported and it is very possible that , it will be checked at some point by some relevant customs or legal authority 

Furniture 
Sofas/Seatte 
How many seater is it ? eg 2 , 3 or 4 etc (is it a corner sofa (colour and material  is it assembled or disassembled (if dissembled how many pieces ) (eg 3 seater leather (disassembled ) 
And with sofa suites how many chairs 
And also list if the chairs or sofa is a recliner if a recliner please listed if electric or manual 

Beds and mattresses 
Please indicate the bed style eg Devan, frame , bunk and the likes (and as applicable if a child's/toddlers bed )   
Bed size eg King or queen etc and the same for the mattress (please thou list the mattress separately )
Also indicate if it comes apart and if it will be assembled or dissembled (if disassembled how many parts it will be )(label all parts as to which bed they belong to (this is as much for ease of reassembly )
(Eg king size Devan (disassembled in 3 parts (no need in this case to list the head board sepaertely ) plus king size mattress 

Boxes 
We will need : 
Number of boxes (so for example 5 large 4 small ) plus the size in cm or mm as well 
Contents of the boxes so for example boxes 1 - 5 kitchen contents consisting of pans , plates cutlery (and likes ) (please ensure you label the boxes with your Full name )(and for yours and our ease as well as numbering write the room on it ) 
Also please indicate if cardboard boxes or plastic tub boxes 
(and until advised otherwise we can not transport any food or drink of any sort during your house move ) 

Bikes 
Please indicate if it is an adults or child's bike and if a road bike or mountain bike and of course the numbers 

Additional information 
We have been advised that the inventory will also need the following information
Apx Weight of overall goods (estimate )
And an estimated Value 
(Please note that the value of your goods for customs purposes is A based on their current Second hand value and not the price it would cost to replace them
And B therefor will be different to the insurance value )
*Also please include the UK address and Spanish address on the spread sheet 
*And where possible please use Excel (thou not to crucial as if need I can transfer to a spread sheet)

For entry into the UK for your belongings*
you will need a Tor (Transfer of Residence (legal term )(and required if you where a resident in Spain/France etc )(lived outside the UK for more than 12 months as well)
(you can either do the Tor your self and send us the code when approved (or we can do it for you with a letter of authority from you to act as an agent in regards the Tor)
(if we do the Tor on your behalf we will require all the relevant documents which we will advise you on if you request us to do it on your behalf ) 
*The Tor is for people who are legal residents in the country they are relocating from (or lived in the country your relocating from for at least 12 months ) 
(If your moving from a holiday home a different form may be required) (more advice/info to follow on this) 
(Tor 1 guidance can be got from Hmrc by ringing 0300 322 9434 option 4)(and we would strongly Recommend you have a chat with them yourselves) (as there may be tax relief schemes and the likes that apply to you and they are in the best position to advise )
Please also read the HMRC/ UK government website on this here is the Link 
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Documents need for Spanish customs 
We are also advised that for Spain we require a photocopy of your Padron (from the Town hall of  the area / town you live in ) (into Spain only)
*Nie Number / Certificate (for both into and out of Spain )
copy of Picture page of your passport (for both into and out of Spain )
If you do have Spanish Resdencia (Please send a copy of the resdencia /tie Card)
We also require various other documents to enable us to submit the required documents which we can advise you of (as well as the above list Documents ) 

(we will act as the middle person in regards arranging your customs clearance and laisse and work with the agents you just need to send us the required documents 
And a signed Customs Authorisation form is required a copy can be downloaded here 
(need by the Spanish agent for both into and out of Spain)

*Please be advised that Custom clearance is needed for into or out of the UK and Spain * 
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*Please be advised that there is also a chance of your items been handled additional times during various stages of the customs process *

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of the additional information need on your inventory , but if you need more advise please feel free to ask and we will advise you as applicable 


The UK Vat rate is 20%
Spanish Iva Rate 21% (Iva is the Spanish name for _vat) 

Some information on the customs process 
(And also please note that the customs broker fee/s are also separate to the vat import bill (if vat import bill is applicable)(the custom broker fees are the custom broker charges to provide their legally required services in relation to the customs process (this applies to both the British and Spanish agent ) 
(Please not the process is as follows Items are exported from country A (the country goods leave ) and imported into country B (the country the goods arrive to/go to ) (Transit countries for these purposes don't count as import/export ) 

Hopefully this gives you a good idea of the additional information need on your inventory , but if you need more advise please feel free to ask and we will advise you as applicable

Please note that Duty/Tariffs are not the Same as Vat/IVA, Vat/Iva are separate entries 

*will be updated as needed *

*All information is subject to change and correct at time of publication *
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Not sure if we have caught Nelson pretending to be practicing his wrapping skills or about to wrap old boy shaggy up
But either way here are a few #moving tips / #Packing tips
* Be sure to read the movers #Feedback
*I would always suggest labelling your boxes that way it is quicker to unpack also don't over fill boxes (But how is it quicker ? see tip 21 below )
Well why is it quicker to unpack if the boxes are labelled well A: they will be in the rooms they go in B: you will be able to say right I need bedroom 2 box 5 next and find it in that room easier
And while boxes been labelled is very important you don't need to be 100% descriptive for example box 6 bedroom 2 Underwear could be 6 Bedroom 2 clothing or just bedroom 2 box 6
https://www.europeanrelocationservices.co.uk/tips.html+996

Important moving tip always be sure to check the movers Feedback 

It is also a good idea to check the movers Terms and conditions 

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 

 (Moving is among the most stressful things do in our lives , and of course this is also true for your children. Who depending on their age may be leaving the on home they have ever known, but even if they have moved before they are leaving a place they know well for some where new, And of course depending on how far they are moving they may be leaving friends behind, going to a new school etc . And these are among the factors that can make moving stressful for children of all ages 

When it comes to leaving friends behind there is a simple trick here firstly they can easily chat to them on Facebook , Skype and the likes so can stay in contact with friends that they wish to. 

It is also a new opportunity for them to meet and make new friends as well (Which can be a thing children are worried about what if I can't make new friends or fit in etc) (I mean we all know what the first day in a new job can be like but multiply this in many ways for a kid in a new school,  if in a new area or even a new country ) 

I would suggest where ever possible and practical to let your children see the new house before hand (If your for example moving to Spain do your viewing trip during School Holidays so you can bring the children with you ) and again where possible let them explore the area a bit while there. And listen to their comments and suggestions let them feel like they have a say don't exclude them

And talking of letting them explore the area a bit when your viewing new houses, I suggest letting them also get online and look the area up as well so they can be like oh cool it has x y z and I love those things. 

And if your moving to a place like Spain don't be scared to let your children play with the local children, it in fact will not only help them feel more comfortable with the area as a rule it will also help them learn the local language
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And talking of learning the local language your children depending on their age will most likely pick it up before you but learn together and have fun learning it as a family  

Have you found a home you like ? Great let the children see it let them be like oh can this be my room? let them think oh where can I put x picture etc again keep them involved 

One tip I read from an other source which was discussing this topic in regards army children was unpack the children's room first as this will help them feel at home quicker as they can make their new room their old room sort of unless they want to of course go in a different direction as everyone is different 

The same source also suggested that you put things like your pictures up as soon as possible for the same reason (The mentioned Source https://childmind.org/article/advice-for-moving-with-children/ )

Also talking of getting your children involved where possible get them involved in the packing,let them pack there own toys and games when ever possible and with younger children, don't pack the toys until the last moment. 

And let your kids decorate their boxes after they packed them so they can spot them easier when unpacking,plus they will spot them on the removals vehicle and know they have arrived,plus t is fun for the younger kids as well 

And Talking of packing let your children also help pack other things than just their toys if you fell they are old enough to help in that way let them, as they will like to feel involved and not excluded, plus it will help you spread the workload  

Maybe have a list of tasks for the children to do that they helped write again this will depend on your children and if you fell this will help them, but if they are helping pack make sure they know what they are meant to be doing and not doing 

And with younger children maybe keep a toy or two about that they can play with on the moving day as this can distract them form their boredom which is bound to develop 

 But as we all know Children are adaptable and love as a rule of thumb an adventure and moving can be that for them if handled correctly, so make sure they know whats going on.  

This is only a few hints and tips and there is lot and lots more so feel free to drop a comment with things you found helpful 
And I have kept it quite general as of course some tips are going to be more applicable to a certain age group 
But Don't be scared to move overseas with your children many many people have over the years and not looked back 

It is an often quoted fact that moving home is among the most stress full things we do in our lives, so who must it be for your dog or cat or pets ? Well it can and is often stressful for them as to them it seems like something amiss is going on something they don't understand. (So be patient with them before during and after the move,and I mean more so them normal as it is normal and natural for them to be put out of sorts and act strange )
But that does not mean there are not things you can do to make it less stressful for them.

1. We all know our pets well so know what they like and dislike, so for example while you can in your moving to Spain you can get many good pet foods it doesn't harm to take a few days to a week or twos worth of the pet food they where use to in the UK and gradually swap them to the Spanish/French versions (ETC) this will help maintain at least some aspects of what your dogs know as normal and safe (of course if your dog or cat / pet is not a fussy eater and eats anything this one might not be important to them)
2. As dogs are big on scent and smells make sure when they travel, they have some blankest r jumpers or the likes that not only smell of them but you and of course it will smell of many over scents they know as well so will again help seem more normal and help them relax more when travelling to their new home and when at it until they and yourself are all settled 
3. Also make sure you don't pack your dogs/cats favourite toy so that they can travel with it.Plus  I would also suggest putting in your pets cage just before you start the journey their favourite /2nd favourite toy (I would say ideally one they either can chew quietly  or cuddle up to not one that gets them barmy )(so yes properly don't pack at least two toys) 
4. And Don't let your dog see you packing their toys that you need to pack as they will think your getting rid of them and I would also suggest not packing them all at once maybe the odd toy here the odd toy there over a few weeks 
5. There are a few ideas on this as to whether your pets should be there on the moving day or at kennels or the likes and on this I am making no comment as all ideas and thoughts ha ve there ups and down 
   
6. but if your pets are there on the moving day or even if not and just while packing (check your cats have not hidden in your boxes if you have cats as they love boxes)make sure you maintain some where in the house that your pet can go to get away from the chaos of the packing and/or the move as after all if there on the moving day the removal team may be to your pet scary but at the very least strangers. And that is why when we are doing a move where pets are about we will make a point of taking time to talk to the pet and let them see we are not a threat( as after all we don't want want part of your family stressed we want the move to be a fun relaxing as possible event for you and your kids and pets ) 
7. If you have time before setting of from your old house it will not harm in my opinion to take your dogs on one last walk of their favourite route,
8. if your pet is travelling in a cage whether with you or a pet transporter  if your dog or cat is not use to a cage buy one several weeks in advance so they can get use to it. That way it will be a familiar space come moving day. Let them go in on their own timetable , don't force them but a few ways to help with it can include feeding the in the cage (with door open )(used that one with ours before we moved to Spain)or as suggest by someone throwing a toy like a tennis ball in and playing fetch. There are other ways to of course but as long as they feel it is a safe space that is what matters 

See more general moving and packing tips and some additional tips on pets during moves on the main tips page 
https://www.europeanrelocationservices.co.uk/tips.html
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