The Top Reasons for Engaging Movers Early
When you’re being asked to relocate by your company, you don’t always have a choice about how much notice you get in advance. Certainly, horror stories are told of employees being asked to move across state or national borders with only a few short weeks to prepare, but thankfully such cases are far from the norm. Much more commonly, employees who are required to move will have 6-12 weeks to prepare for it, with complicated long-distance and international relocations usually getting closer to the top end of that range or longer. As experts in employee relocation with a global track record, Allied recommend you use all the time available to you, and look to engage a moving company as soon as you have confirmation of the move – and this is why:
Secure your place in line
The most fundamental reason to not delay in hiring a moving company is of course to secure a commitment for your company and moving day of choice. This becomes more important (and the minimum lead time to leave greater) when you’re hoping to move interstate or internationally, or to move over the summer. Why the summer? The vast majority of moving companies’ business comes over the local summer, when the elements are less punishing on barely-unpacked householders. Make sure you aren’t leaving things until a fortnight before if you hope to get a well-regarded mover.
Get a head start on the paperwork
An unfortunate reality of moving is that it needs to be approved and documented at every step. Complicating the process no end, locking in your choice and methods of moving lets you pin down how and when your belongings will travel and to make arrangements for that with the appropriate officials and services. This is especially applicable to those moving between state or international jurisdictions; remember the adage “the only thing slower than a bureaucracy, is two of them”.
Reduce the burden and impact of “Crunch Time”
One of the biggest issues with relocation is the amount of effort, thought, and attention it demands from you around the moving date. With so much to manage around that point in time, it gives you a clear advantage whenever you can whittle away at some of that work farther in advance, redistributing the effort required. Getting a deal locked in at least a month early with reputable movers like Allied means your final week or two can be spent saying a careful goodbye to your office, friends and city, not trying to find the box to put that last shirt in and arrange for a truck.
To find out more about Allied's moving services, or to book a consultation, visit www.alliedpickfords.com.sg or call +65 6862 4700.
Back to News
How to Enjoy Chinese New Year as an Expat in Singapore
For many native Singaporean residents, the rapidly approaching Lunar New Year represents the single most important date of the year. Also known as Chinese New Year, the spring festival holiday is associated with traditions thousands of years old and is celebrated by communities the world over. Singapore marks the auspicious date with a public extravaganza of light and dance, getting fully into the festival spirit with food, fashion, and public events.
If you’re an expat currently living in Singapore, the advent of such a raucous and colourful holiday might be the perfect cultural experience, but it also could be a bewildering drain on your energy if you aren’t prepared. With that in mind, here’s a short guide to the key facets of Chinese New Year in Singapore.
Paint the town red
One of the most visible cultural foundations of the Spring Festival is the veneration of the colour red, which is simply everywhere in Singapore at this time. Seen to signify luck and prosperity, you will see people buying new clothes, cooking food, and daubing their homes in the colour.
If you plan on celebrating or at least blending in during the festival, it’s a good idea to plan your best “red” look. Buying new clothes – especially ones which are red themselves – is considered good luck at this time of year, so don’t be afraid to splash out a bit in order to look the part.
It’s all about family
Togetherness and family unity are a huge cultural theme of the holiday. One of the central moments of the holiday season is Reunion Dinner, when scattered family members move hell and high water to get home for dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year. If you’re a lonesome single expat far from home on a night like this, it can be very easy to feel cut off from the celebration and sink into a melancholy homesickness.
Take the opportunity to match like with like; Allied Pickfords recommends looking into local expat bars and social media groups to see if anyone else is partying against the grain on reunion night.
It’s not just about the New Year
In Singapore, the Lunar New Year is traditionally marked by a 2-day public holiday, sometimes 3-day, and the revellers will make those days count. But if the holiday itself is too intense or just not your style, the festive season persists for a good month around this crimson crescendo. Featuring a range of mouth-watering seasonal food prepared only around the New Year, colourful public decorations and a cheerful, relaxed atmosphere, this could be the perfect antidote to frantic New Year’s Eve celebrations. Make sure to witness the legendary Chingay Parade, held 8 days after the Lunar New Year and one of Singapore’s most cherished public traditions.
To find out more about Allied Pickfords’ moving services, or to book a consultation, visit www.alliedpickfords.com.sg or call +65 6862 4700.
Back to News