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The savvy approach to office moves

Having the right office is crucial if your firm is to succeed and so you might have decided that it’s time to up sticks and head to new premises. Perhaps your current working space is too costly, or maybe it’s the wrong size. Alternatively, maybe you want to relocate to be in a more convenient location or to be closer to your customers.

Whatever the reason for your transition, it’s important that you approach it in a sensible way. If mishandled, office moves can have disastrous consequences.

Shifting your stuff

Running a company isn’t easy at the best of times and when you have to cope with the added stress and inconvenience of relocating, you might really find you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Rather than trying to arrange the movement of your furniture and other items yourself, it may therefore pay off to bring in the professionals. Here at European Removal Experts, we are experts when it comes to office removal and may be perfectly placed to assist you.

Leaving this task to specialists like us means you can get on with the other important jobs facing you. In contrast, if you were to attempt to transfer your possessions unaided, you might find you’re distracted from crucial issues facing your business.

Minimising damage

Also, because we have plenty of experience when it comes to removal packing services, we’re better able to minimise the risk of damage to your possessions. This could save you stress and hassle. Also, by taking advantage of our insurance policies, you can rest assured you won’t be left out of pocket.

Planning ahead

As well as booking the relevant removals companies in Woodford Green or wherever you’re based, there are other things to plan.

For example, ahead of your move, you’ll need to inform your customers and any organisations you have dealings with about what is happening and provide them with your new contact details. If you don’t, you risk missing out on trade, compromising customer care and getting into bureaucratic difficulties.

Minimising downtime

Another issue to bear in mind is how long it will take you to get set up in your new working environment. Ideally, you want to keep downtime to an absolute minimum. To help ensure this is the case, it’s worthwhile making sure you’ll be able to get your phones and computers operating swiftly once you arrive in your new office.

What your office says about you

Meanwhile, before you sign any contracts concerning office leases, it’s a good idea to consider what the premises say about your firm. Attractive and modern working spaces give the impression that your organisation is professional and optimistic about the future.

In contrast, poky and unattractive offices can really put potential customers, investors and workers off and consequently have a negative impact on your long-term prospects. Thankfully, there are plenty of options for you to choose from these days, so you shouldn’t struggle to find premises that tick each and every one of your boxes.

How to Feel At Home After a Move to France

Choosing to make a move to France can feel like a huge step. The new, foreign surroundings can feel incredibly overwhelming, particularly if you don’t know your new area very well. When relocating to France, it’s important to allow yourself time to settle in and relax in your new surroundings. Here are some tips to help you do that.

• Have accommodation prepared before you move
Not having some accommodation ready when you arrive in France will only add to your stress. Book some temporary accommodation for when you arrive and look for something permanent once you’re settled in the area.

• Bring your furniture
Once you’ve found somewhere permanent, you can make it feel more like home by bringing over all your furniture. A company that provides furniture removals to France can have it with you in just a few days, and that familiarity should help curb any homesickness you may be experiencing.

• Act like a tourist
If you don’t have to work when you first arrive, take the time to get to know your new area as best you can. Imagine you are a tourist and try to take in all the major areas in just a few days. This will help you to find your way around and you may even discover some hidden gems.

• Meet the locals and other expats
After moving to France, aim to talk to someone new every day. Meeting the locals will help you fell more at home in your new area and meeting other expats will help you to see how other people have settled in.

Moving to France? You’ll Need a Professional Removals Service

Moving to France may seem like a pretty easy transition. It’s easy to get to, has similar weather to the UK and the majority of the country will be able to speak English. But the usual logistics will still come into play, so don’t even think about doing everything on your own – particularly moving your possessions.

It’s essential you consult a reputable removals service even when moving to France. You could well think that getting your possessions there won’t be too much of an issue, but in reality it could be a nightmare.

Not having the proper vans or storage space could easily result in several trips and even damage to your valuables, and who wants that? Then you have to consider the cost and legal implications of customs and getting everything on the ferry, so it’s always best to consult the professionals.

If you stick with the experts and come to us here at European Removal Experts, you’ll have nothing to worry about. We’re a professional, reliable removals service that specialises in getting your personal effects to the continent, so whether you’re moving to France or anywhere else we’ll be able to help.

As you can see, you really should use a professional removals service, such as us here at European Removal Experts, to get your possessions to the continent safely and efficiently. It can make moving to France a much less stressful experience, so make sure to get in touch and get ready to start your new life in the easiest way possible.

Luxembourg Ranks Third for Quality of Life

So what are you waiting for? It was recently hailed as a top financial emerging market by Geneva-based Middle Eastern business, Pictet’s, and Luxembourg also enjoyed the accolade of coming 3rd in 2012 quality of life study carried out by ECA International. The study ranked cities around the world in terms of their quality of life for ex pats. The capital city of Luxembourg – Luxembourg – rose one place from 2011-2012, only falling behind joint 1st place-ranked Copenhagen and Berne.

The study was compiled using independent surveys and ratings submitted by ex pats in relation to European standards and adjustments, e.g. where can a European feel most at home? Ranking was decided based on scores from categories like social life, leisure, infrastructure, political tension, climate, healthcare services, accommodation, utilities, transport, location, personal safety and culture.

But how do you rank a city for it’s liveability in terms of foreigners residing there in a broader sense? For us, the proof is in the figures. Removals to Luxembourg are exceptionally popular in the current market, especially in terms of relocation for professional reasons. The ECA study also cited Luxembourg as a top business destination. It scored very high in terms of HR considerations like ex pat comfort, familiar resources and all-round ease settling into the new environment. It also took into account things like the origin of the ex pat and their ease settling into the candidate city. This information was then used to score cities on their overall appeal and quality of life.

Want a few more high ranking cities to add to the list? Removals to Germany and surrounding areas are pretty popular; the top ranking cities following Luxembourg are, in order, Stuttgart, Antwerp, Geneva, Brussels and Dusseldorf.

Something we see a lot in our removals packing services business is people taking a chance. It could be a move to Luxembourg for work, it could be a year studying in Florence or an early retirement on the Riviera. The bottom line is that the world is a large and splendid place. And with us behind you, you could see a little more of it with your own stuff comfortably around you.

And if you need a little push to head out to Luxembourg to enjoy it’s high ranking quality of life, here are a few facts we found to sugar coat the move!

^Several parts of the city of Luxembourg are labelled as UNSECO World Heritage Sites.
^Luxembourgish is the native language and not just a dialect of German.
^Luxembourg has been noted as one of the safest countries in the world on numerous occasions.
^Luxembourgers love to finish a meal with a very strong plum-based drink, eau-de-vie.
^Luxembourg Euros are amongst the rarest in circulation, so keep hold of any you come across and pass them on to a coin collector.
^Most Luxembourgers are fluent in French, German and English.

5 Tips for Dealing with Homesickness When Moving Abroad

Some folks get homesick when they spend a night away in a hotel, but if you’re taking advantage of our European removals service, it’s likely you’re going to have to deal with more than a few weeks away from your native soil! Homesickness can break even the most hardened of folks, but there are usually enough similarities in each case to make some of the following five tips effective measures against the worst of it.

1. Be aware of the normal cycle of culture shock and homesickness
Most folks find they experience homesickness as a W-curve. Once we’ve tidied up the last of the removal packing materials and you’re free to explore, the honeymoon period begins! This period can last anything from a day to a month or so and it finished off by a gradual slide into melancholy when you begin to miss things like your family and friends, favourite takeaway shop or familiar TV adverts. Gradually this feeling will lift as you adapt to your new home. The next dip usually occurs when you relocate back home and gradually acclimatise again. Be aware of what’s normal for you, especially if you’ve suffered from depression or anxiety in the past.

2. Get involved
Playing an active role in your new home can be daunting, especially if you’ve relocated on your own. But having a friend or two to spend time with can be an exceptionally effective way to deal with homesickness and culture shock. Use personal interests like sports and hobbies to find like-minded people.

3. Talk about it
Sometimes a chat over a nice brew can help the weight of homesickness lift significantly. Don’t call home at every opportunity to complain, you need a support network in the place you’re physically living in. If you’re on a placement, talk to your host family or project organiser. If you’re a professional working abroad for the first time, there are likely protocols within your company for handling culture shock and home sickness. There’s no shame in getting it off your chest!

4. Give yourself time
The rule of thumb is that it takes around five months to really figure out whether you want to be somewhere. It doesn’t matter whether we’re handling removals to Brussels or you’re heading out to the Far East alone; give it five months and then reassess your feelings. Five months isn’t much in the scale of life, and you’ll kick yourself if you go home early and then think “Well it doesn’t seem so bad now I know home is still here!”

5. Stay healthy
Throwing yourself into an ambitious marathon training schedule may not be for everyone, but definitely give yourself a little TLC in the health department. Improving your physical fitness and all-round health (yes, that includes saunas and a bit of pampering!) will give you a real sense of achievement and a positive outlook on your new situation.

Things You Should Know Before Moving to France

France is one of the world’s most beautiful countries, with stunning scenery, thriving cities and friendly village communities. If you’ve made the decision to make the move to France then you’re at the beginning of an exciting journey. But, even though it’s extremely exciting, moving to a foreign country takes a lot of preparation. Here’s what you should know before moving to France.

• Before moving to France, you should spend some time in the area you wish to live in. Take some time to explore the local area, look into local amenities, and investigate the public transport routes. This will make settling in much easier when you do move.

• Relocating to France requires a lot of paperwork, and you will need to show a lot of official documents. These may include your birth certificate, passport, drivers licence, bank details and payroll slips. The more documents you have, the smoother your move will be.

• Plan to have your possessions moved to France as early as possible. Choose a company that has a lot of experience in performing furniture removals to France and who are up to date on the laws and regulations to do with moving furniture internationally.

• When you move to France, every item you take with you has to go through customs and be declared. You will need an inventory of all your possessions in both French and English, a document verifying that your items are for personal use and receipts for all your more expensive items.

Immerse Yourself in French Culture to Make Moving There Simple

The idea of moving to France could well be filling you with excitement. It could be something you’ve always dreamed of so it’s essential you do it right, and one of the best ways to ensure that is by immersing yourself in French culture.

At first glance, French culture may not seem all that different to ours here in the UK. Many people will speak the same language as us and they share many of the same customs that we do, but if you dig a little deeper you might find some differences and remembering them will make moving to France a much easier transition.

This is especially true if you’re going to be living away from the hustle and bustle of city life. You’ll often find that it’s a lot less fast-paced and is a much simpler way of living, and that could be just what you’re looking for. You’ll also tend to find that the language barrier is more pronounced, and you could well find different customs, holidays and traditions.

So, to make relocating to France as simple as possible, make sureyou’re prepared. Read up on the particular area that you’re going to be living in so you know what to expect, and if you come across any specific customs make sure to remember them to show willing.

And always learn the language – English people can often seem quite intolerant when they don’t even try to speak the language of the country that they’re in, so don’t make the same mistake. If you can do all that, moving to France will be a breeze!

Prepare, Plan and Organise

Moving to France can be a great decision, but it can also come with a whole host of issues. However, there are ways that you can make moving to France as easy as possible, and here are just a few of them.

First up, make sure that you’re prepared for every eventuality. You need to start planning as soon as you decide that you’re moving to France, and always have back-up plans in place to make sure that you’re covered should things not go as you expected.

You need to sort your home out as soon as possible, both your new one and your home in the UK, to make sure that everything’s tied-up before you begin your new life abroad. You’ll need to consult solicitors to help you with this, so never leave it until the last minute if you want everything to run smoothly.

You’ll also need to make sure than any residency issues are sorted before you leave, as you don’t want to run into issues later down the line.

It’s also essential that you get the move itself organised, and for this you’ll need to consult a professional removals company. Why not come to us here at European Removal Experts? We can make sure that your belongings are shipped over with the minimum of hassle.

All of our removals vehicles are fully insured, with a large cubic capactity of 15 metres and 30 metres, and house removals are even covered with goods-in-transit insurance of up to £10,000.

There are ways that you can make moving to France as easy as possible, and as long as you plan ahead and consult the relevant professionals, you can enjoy your new life with the least amount of stress.

Finding a French Property

If you are planning on moving to France then the biggest challenge will be to find a property; unfortunately France is a very “document heavy” society and therefore there can be a lot of leg-work before you close the deal; this however, is a little ahead of ourselves! And before you buy a property, quite obviously your going to need to find a property.

The first question your going to need to ask yourself is “why are you moving to France in the first place?” The answer to which will determine the kind of property that will be most suitable to your needs; for example, do you plan on living in France for a certain number of months of the year or are looking for a permanent residence?

Of course, your perfect property will be a matter of personal taste, however as a general rule a pied-à-terre (literally meaning foot on the ground) – which is a small place – will be perfectly suited as a temporary or “short-term” residence.

Also, if you are moving to France on a temporary rather than permanent basis, then it is likely that you will be in France for the warmer months, and therefore issues like insulation and heating costs may not be as permanent than if you were moving to France permanently.

Remember, France is a lot bigger than the UK, so moving to France will be markedly different depending on exactly where you plan on moving, for example a move to Paris will have its own challenges, in terms, for example, parking.

A stress-free move to France

Many people decide on moving to France later in life, as a second home or somewhere to retire to if the weather is warmer, such as the South of France. However, most people at this stage in their lives don’t want to acquire all the furniture, belongings and household items in duplicate all over again for their new home – they’d rather move some of what they’ve already amassed over the years across the continent.

Insurance can become a worry – removal firms have a reputation even when moving furniture from street to street in the same town, so it’s understandable that if you’re dreaming of moving to France, you’ll be worried about who takes care of your belongings as it crosses not only streets, but continents. Not to mention that this means you’ll also end up dealing with extra hassle in customs as you prove that you’re living in the country rather than importing goods.

Not to worry though, there are specialist companies – like us – that can help when you’re relocating to France or any other European country. If you need peace of mind by someone who understands the logistics of the international removals market, then it would be wise to choose a specialist over a regular moving company.

If you want to say Allo Allo to your new home without waving au revoir to some of your valuable belongings, then a specialist removals company will give you the safest and most secure way of moving to France.