Temporary storage during an international move works as follows: your household goods are professionally packed, collected, and stored in a secure storage facility until your new home is ready. This is a commonly used solution when there is a time gap between leaving your old home and the availability of your new address abroad. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about temporary storage during an international move.

When is temporary storage during an international move necessary?

Temporary storage during an international move is necessary when there is a period between the moment you leave your current home and the moment your new home abroad is available or habitable. With international moves, this is more often the rule than the exception, as transfer dates, visa applications, and renovations rarely align perfectly.

In practice, there are a number of situations that make storage necessary:

Your new home abroad is not yet available on the date your current rental agreement or deed of sale expires
You are temporarily staying in a furnished apartment or hotel and do not yet have a permanent address
Customs procedures in the destination country are taking longer than expected
You are moving in phases, for example because your partner or children are following later
Your new home is still being built or renovated

Particularly with moves within Europe to countries such as Spain, we regularly see that the transfer of a property is delayed. The Netherlands-Spain route is one of our busiest corridors, and it is precisely there that this issue arises very concretely. A good moving partner anticipates this and offers storage solutions that seamlessly connect to the moving process.

How does the storage process work with an international moving service?

The storage process with an international moving service follows fixed steps: your household goods are professionally packed, provided with a detailed inventory list, collected, and then stored in a secure, climate-controlled storage facility. Once your new home is ready, everything is delivered directly to your new address.

In concrete terms, the process looks like this:

Inventory and packing: All items are carefully packed and numbered. We draw up a complete inventory list, also in the language of the destination country if necessary.
Transport to the storage facility: Your household goods are taken to a secure storage facility. Our own storage facility in Spijkenisse has an A++++-sustainability classification.
Storage in sealed units: Your belongings are stored in sealed, dry, and well-secured spaces. Your household goods remain traceable via our track & trace system.
Delivery to the new address: Once your new home is available, we schedule the delivery. This can be directly to abroad, or via an intermediate stop depending on the logistical situation.

We carry out the entire process in-house, with our own customs declarants, our own fleet of vehicles, and our own storage facilities. This means no external parties, no communication issues, and full control over your household goods from start to finish.

What does temporary storage during an international move cost?

The costs for temporary storage during an international move depend on the number of cubic metres your household goods occupy, the duration of storage, and any additional services such as packing and unpacking. There is no fixed price that applies to everyone, because every move is custom work.

Factors that influence the price include:

Volume: The more cubic metres your household goods occupy, the higher the storage costs per month
Duration: Shorter storage (a few weeks) is relatively more expensive per day than storage for several months
Additional services: Professional packing, assembly and disassembly of furniture, and unpacking services are calculated separately
Insurance: Adequate contents insurance for the storage period is a cost that should not be underestimated

What we can say: with worldwide moving or moves within Europe, temporary storage is almost always more cost-effective than postponing your move or renting a second home to store your belongings. A detailed quote based on your specific situation gives you the most reliable cost picture.

How long can you temporarily store your household goods?

There is no legal maximum term for temporary storage of your household goods during an international move. In practice, moving companies use storage periods of a few weeks to several months, and sometimes even longer than a year. The duration is entirely dependent on your personal situation and is determined in consultation.

For a short bridging period of two to six weeks, storage is a simple and cost-efficient solution. But longer periods are also easy to arrange. Think of situations where someone first lives in a furnished home for a year to explore the new environment before moving into the permanent home. We regularly see this with expats and retirees moving to Spain.

We always advise you to be realistic about the expected duration when planning. Storage that lasts longer than planned is not a problem, but it is helpful if you communicate this in a timely manner so that we can adjust the planning and any insurance accordingly.

Is your household goods insured during temporary storage?

Your household goods are not automatically fully covered by your standard contents insurance during temporary storage. Many private insurance policies cover belongings in storage only to a limited extent or not at all. It is therefore essential to check what your policy covers before storage begins and to take out additional coverage if necessary.

There are generally two options:

Additional coverage through your own insurer: Some insurers offer the option to temporarily extend your policy for storage. Ask about this explicitly, as it is rarely included as standard.
Transport insurance through the moving company: Professional moving companies generally offer an all-risk transport insurance that also covers the storage period. This is often the simplest and most reliable solution.

We always recommend arranging the insurance before your household goods go into storage, not afterwards. Should something be damaged or go missing, you do not want to be dependent on unclear policy conditions. Our relocation services include guidance on these kinds of practical matters, so you do not have to navigate this yourself.

What do you need to arrange before your household goods go into storage?

Before your household goods go into storage, you need to have arranged a number of practical matters: a complete inventory list, the correct insurance coverage, agreements about the storage duration, and any customs documentation if your household goods are going abroad afterwards. Those who prepare this well avoid surprises and additional costs.

In concrete terms, these are the steps you go through:

Inventory: Make sure there is a detailed list of everything going into storage. This is not only useful for yourself, but also necessary for insurance and any customs handling.
Insurance: Check your current contents insurance and take out additional coverage if necessary. See also the section above.
Customs documentation: If your household goods are going directly abroad from storage, you will need the correct documents. Think of a detailed inventory list in the language of the destination country and any import documents. We arrange this completely for you.
Access agreements: Determine whether you want access to your belongings during the storage period and record this with your moving company.
Importing a vehicle: Are you also moving a car or motorcycle abroad? Then additional steps are required. Read more about importing a car and the associated exemptions.

With more than 100 years of experience and our own customs declarants in-house, we as a fourth-generation family business take this paperwork and administrative work completely off your hands. This allows you to focus on the other major step you are taking: the beginning of a new chapter abroad.

Veelgestelde vragen

Kan ik tijdens de opslagperiode nog bij mijn spullen?

In de meeste gevallen is toegang tot je opgeslagen inboedel mogelijk, maar dit hangt af van de afspraken die je vooraf maakt met je verhuisbedrijf. Bij professionele opslagfaciliteiten kun je doorgaans op afspraak toegang krijgen tot je unit. Het is verstandig om dit vooraf vast te leggen, zodat je niet voor een gesloten deur staat als je toch iets nodig hebt.

Wat gebeurt er als mijn nieuwe woning in het buitenland langer op zich laat wachten dan gepland?

Een verlenging van de opslagperiode is vrijwel altijd mogelijk en hoeft geen probleem te zijn, zolang je dit tijdig communiceert met je verhuisbedrijf. De opslagkosten worden dan doorberekend op basis van de extra periode. Houd er ook rekening mee dat je verzekeringsdekking mogelijk aangepast moet worden bij een langere opslagtermijn, dus check dit direct bij je verzekeraar of verhuisbedrijf.

Kan ik ook een deel van mijn inboedel opslaan en de rest meenemen?

Ja, het is zeker mogelijk om je inboedel te splitsen: een deel gaat direct mee naar je nieuwe adres in het buitenland, terwijl de rest tijdelijk wordt opgeslagen. Dit is zelfs een veelgekozen oplossing, bijvoorbeeld wanneer je eerst in een gemeubileerd appartement verblijft en alleen je persoonlijke essentials meeneemt. Bespreek dit tijdens de inventarisatie met je verhuisbedrijf, zodat alles goed gelabeld en gescheiden wordt ingepakt.

Hoe zorg ik ervoor dat kwetsbare of waardevolle spullen veilig de opslagperiode doorkomen?

Kwetsbare spullen zoals kunst, antiek, elektronica en breekbare items verdienen extra aandacht bij het inpakken. Een professioneel verhuisbedrijf gebruikt hiervoor speciaal verpakkingsmateriaal zoals houten kratten, schuimvulling en klimaatbestendige verpakkingen. Zorg er daarnaast voor dat waardevolle items apart vermeld staan op de inventarisatielijst en dat de verzekeringsdekking de volledige waarde hiervan omvat.

Wat is het verschil tussen opslag via een verhuisbedrijf en het huren van een zelfstorageunit?

Bij opslag via een verhuisbedrijf wordt je inboedel professioneel ingepakt, getransporteerd en opgeslagen in een beveiligde faciliteit, inclusief een inventarisatielijst en vaak ook verzekering en douanebegeleiding. Bij een zelfstorageunit regel je het transport en de opslag volledig zelf, wat meer werk met zich meebrengt en bij internationale verhuizingen al snel ingewikkelder wordt. Voor wie vanuit Nederland naar het buitenland verhuist, biedt geïntegreerde opslag via het verhuisbedrijf doorgaans meer gemak, betere bescherming en een soepelere overgang naar de uiteindelijke levering.

Zijn er spullen die ik niet in tijdelijke opslag mag plaatsen?

Ja, er zijn categorieën goederen die niet in een standaard opslagunit mogen worden geplaatst. Denk aan gevaarlijke stoffen, explosieve materialen, bederfelijke waren, levende planten of dieren, en illegale goederen. Ook bepaalde vloeistoffen en gasflessen zijn vaak niet toegestaan. Je verhuisbedrijf informeert je hierover tijdens de inventarisatie, zodat je weet wat je wel en niet kunt meegeven aan de opslag.

Hoe ver van tevoren moet ik tijdelijke opslag regelen bij een internationale verhuizing?

Het is verstandig om tijdelijke opslag zo vroeg mogelijk te bespreken met je verhuisbedrijf, bij voorkeur op het moment dat je de verhuizing zelf al plant. Zeker bij internationale verhuizingen in de drukke periodes (zomer en jaarwisseling) is er beperkte capaciteit beschikbaar. Door tijdig te reserveren voorkom je dat je op het laatste moment geen geschikte opslagruimte kunt vinden en heb je ook meer tijd om verzekering en douanedocumentatie goed te regelen.

How does temporary storage work during an international move?