Moving abroad is the perfect time to reassess what you actually need. When planning an international move to France, packing everything you own isn’t always the smartest or most cost-effective option. Space, timing, and transport all play a role, and decisions made early can save money, reduce stress, and make the move far smoother.
From our experience supporting UK to France removals, the most successful relocations are the ones where people plan deliberately rather than rushing decisions at the last minute. Coming up are some of our best tips for moving internationally, based on 30+ years of helping clients do the same.
When deciding what to move, focus first on items that genuinely make sense to take with you.
This usually includes:
Essential furniture and household items you know will fit and suit your new home
Items with sentimental value or pieces you wouldn’t want to replace
High-quality or specialist items that may be expensive or difficult to source in France
It’s also worth keeping volume in mind. The more you take, the more space you need, and removal costs are often influenced by volume rather than just distance. Being selective can make a noticeable difference to costs, logistics and your stress levels!
Storage is often an overlooked part of international moving, but it can be incredibly useful, especially when timelines aren’t fixed.
Many people choose to store:
Furniture that may not fit the new property
Items they may want later but don’t need immediately
Belongings kept while plans remain flexible
For those relocating abroad, storage provides breathing space. It allows you to separate packing and storage from transport, rather than forcing everything into one delivery date. This is particularly helpful when property access in France is delayed or uncertain.
We offer furniture storage across the UK, which can help ease the mental load of your international move.
International moves are often the right moment to simplify. Transporting bulky, low-value items rarely makes sense once costs and logistics are considered.
Items many people choose to sell or donate include:
Flat-pack or lower-quality furniture
Appliances that may not be compatible abroad
Items that are cheaper or easier to replace in France
Reducing your load doesn’t just cut costs; it also simplifies packing, loading, and delivery. From our experience, smaller, more intentional moves are often less stressful and easier to manage.
Choosing the right transport option is just as important as deciding what to take.
For UK to France moves, the main options are:
Full removals, ideal for complete household moves
Part load delivery to France, suitable if you’re moving fewer items or want a more cost-effective option
Part loads allow your belongings to share vehicle space with other consignments, which can significantly reduce costs without compromising on professional handling.
Regardless of transport type, professional moving packing solutions are worth considering for fragile or high-value items. International moves involve longer journeys and multiple handling stages, so proper packing plays a big role in preventing damage.
Timing and coordination also matter. Allowing flexibility around collection and delivery dates often makes the process smoother.
While packing and transport get most of the attention, money planning is another area where early decisions can significantly reduce risk during an international move.
Moving to France rarely involves a single payment. Deposits, removal costs, storage, notary fees, and living expenses often fall at different stages, sometimes weeks or months apart. If transfers are left until the last minute, delays or poor exchange rates can quickly add pressure at an already busy time.
Exchange rate volatility is another factor many people underestimate. Rates can move between agreed-upon costs and actually making payments, which can affect budgets more than expected when larger sums are involved. Planning allows you to spread transfers over time, rather than moving everything at once under pressure.
Many people relocating abroad choose to plan staged transfers, aligning payments with key milestones in their move. This approach can help manage timing risks, reduce exposure to sudden rate changes, and make cash flow easier to control as costs arise.
The goal isn’t to overcomplicate things; it’s simply to avoid last-minute decisions. Having a clear plan for how and when money will be transferred allows the rest of your move to progress with fewer surprises
Having a plan for sending money internationally helps you stay in control and avoid last-minute stress.
Packing, storage, transport, and money all overlap during an international move, and decisions in one area often affect the others.
At Anglo French Removals, we’ve been supporting UK to France moves for over 30 years. We have dedicated vehicles, secure storage facilities, and bilingual teams experienced in both part-load and full removals.
If you’re preparing for a move to France and want guidance on removals, storage, or transport options, get in touch with our team.
Dear Mark
I am writing to say thank you so much for the smooth moving process. From beginning to end you could not have done better. I'd like to put in a complimentary word for the three guys who you sent to load and unload. Service without servility is always the perfect combination. They were all extremely convivial whilst getting on at the same time, meticulously careful with the items being transported and cheery without being "goonish".
Your original quote was handled most efficiently by Jasmine from initlal enquiry through to date setting, payment etc and the quote itself was highly competitive. Your own communication skills were faultless and I felt like I knew exactly what was going on at any one time.
I, quite frankly, cannot fault the service provided, you could not have done better and I am very happy with the price too.
Well done to all the team!
Best wishes for all your future projects.
Di Miller, Kent
Dear Jasmine
Margaret Morrison, Sussex
Dear Anglo French Team,
Many thanks to all of you form me and my family which thanks to Nuno and Co are nicely settling in France and despite the stress related to moving a household with young kids, an office and a mother of a lathe it was all made that little bit easier due to you. Many thanks again!
I wish you and the people around you a joyous and lovely Christmas break and all the best for the year ahead of us!
Nikolay, London