Moving Inventory & Tracking Items During an International Move

Have you ever gone to the grocery store without a list, only to come home and realize you’re missing essential ingredients for a new recipe? Moving abroad can be a similar adventure. Creating a moving inventory list helps you remember what you need to pack, paving the way for an easier move and unpacking once you arrive at your destination.

But a well-organized inventory isn’t just about your organizational needs. That list can also help ensure the safe transport of your belongings and assist at customs if anything goes missing.

This guide covers the key steps to creating and managing a household inventory list as you plan your international move.

Preparing Your Items & Inventory Before the Move

Creating a household inventory list for moving is easy if you give yourself plenty of time and know how to collect and arrange the right information. The following tips can help you create an effective inventory, ensuring a smoother move. 

Making a Comprehensive Inventory List

Moving inventory lists aren’t just a single list. They’re more like an outline. Every item or item type should be accounted for and organized. Try to record these details for each entry:

• Room location: Where does the item belong?
• Item description: For some items, such as computers, you should note important specs, such as screen size and processor speed. 
• Quantity: Instead of listing each fork or food storage container, organize by type and quantity.
• Condition: Listing each item’s condition can help when assessing belongings for damage or making an insurance claim.
• Unique identifiers: List serial numbers, model numbers and other identifiers here.

You’re welcome to use pen and paper to create your list. However, using a spreadsheet or inventory app may be faster. Apps and spreadsheets also allow you to search and automatically organize entries as needed.

Labeling and Tracking Your Belongings

As you pack up your belongings, label individual items and outer packaging to make it easier to track items individually and by category. For example, you might label boxes by room or category (“kitchen utensils” or “antiques cabinet,” for example).

Then, match up those boxes with your inventory list by assigning each box a number and/or colored sticker. Red 1 could be those kitchen utensils, with a red sticker next to the first item on your inventory list.

It can also help to take photos of your items, especially if they’re fragile or valuable. This serves as proof of condition and can assist in locating replacements if your items are damaged or lost. Zoom in on key identifying features, such as serial numbers. Put these items on a secondary high-value inventory list with those tracking numbers to highlight items that need special care and attention.

Inventory Management During the Move

Now that you’ve created a comprehensive household inventory list, your movers have a reference for their tasks.

Packing and Loading

Give your movers a copy of your inventory. They can use it to create their own version as they move boxes to packing crates and/or trucks. If your move requires individual boxes to be loaded into larger bins or onto pallets, your movers may label those larger items to reflect the cumulative contents.

For example, Crate 1 may be labeled “Kitchen, Downstairs Bath” or “Red 1, Green 2.”

Transit and Temporary Storage

Before the move, ask your moving company how to track your belongings during transit. Pay special attention to procedures for transferring inventory information if your shipment is split or requires temporary storage. Consider the following questions: 

• How do they determine which items are stored and which are moved to your final destination first?
• Can you weigh in on shipment priority, or should that be designated before the move?
• Do the movers check off items as they're loaded and unloaded from each vehicle?
• Will there be checkpoints where certain boxes may need to be opened and inspected? What are the procedures for checking contents after those inspections are complete and items are repacked?

Delivery and Unpacking After the Move

Your moving inventory list can come in handy once again after everything arrives at your new home. Movers use the list to account for your belongings as they unpack trucks and crates and arrange individual boxes in the appropriate spaces.

You can help by checking off items on your own inventory list as they arrive. If the movers are responsible for unpacking everything, you may want to oversee the process to ensure nothing is missed or checked off by mistake.

Keep Your Belongings Secure With an International Moving Inventory

Full inventory lists are important during the move, but you should also keep a copy for your records even after you’re settled into your new surroundings. Review the inventory regularly as you unpack and organize to ensure everything is accounted for. If you have concerns over damage or wayward belongings, reach out to the moving company as soon as possible.

Atlas International’s experienced team can guide you through the moving inventory process and help ensure a seamless international relocation. Contact Atlas International today for a free quote specific to your move or to learn more about our comprehensive global moving services.