From Canada to Portugal

Our relocation journey began with the daunting task of transporting our household goods from Toronto to Lisbon. While numerous companies offer shipping services, selecting the right provider is crucial. After careful consideration, we identified a reputable company to work with, ensuring a smooth and reliable moving process.

While there are many companies that will ship your goods in a 20 or 40 foot container, there are only a handful that we recommend and we work with. This is not a marketing blog so we won’t be naming any companies so as not to give any false advertising. Overall, most moving companies operate in the same manner.

First, you discuss the details of your move with an agent over the phone. Most importantly you’ll discuss the cost and timelines. Typically we found that the cost of a 20 foot container from Toronto to Lisbon can range from $4,000 CAD to $8,000 CAD and a 40 foot container could cost from $6,000 CAD to $15,000 CAD. All depending on the type of service you are looking for. Some may go as far as pack all your items for you and expect to pay a premium for that. Some will want you to load the container in the shipping yard in Brampton and you’ll have to arrange all other logistics. However, the most common service is “door-to-door”. We discuss what this means below and what we wish we knew about it before we chose this service. Typical timeline for delivery of the goods is 4-6 weeks after pick-up date.

Arranging pickup dates necessitated proactive communication with the shipping company, allowing ample time for logistical arrangements. And there are many things to take care of before your pick up date. Typically you should give the shipping company between two weeks to a month of lead time to arrange your transport. In our experience, the only thing that the shipping company told us to do to get ready for the pick-up date is that we needed to prepare a detailed list of items with description. The price mentioned above includes “door-to-door” service. While this service promises convenience, its implementation can present unexpected challenges.

So, we decided to share our experience and provide a glimpse into the door-to-door service and challenges that nobody tells you about.

Door-to-door service that nobody tells you about

Most shipping companies we contacted offer “door-to-door” service. But what does that really mean? Well, simply put it’s just that, from the door of your home in Canada to the door of your home in Portugal. So, if you’re moving from a house to a house then it’s possible that the “door-to-door” service is what you need. The shipping company will drop off a container on your driveway and pick it up when they have arranged your shipment. The shipping will then deliver the container to your house in Portugal. What must be mentioned is that you need to load this container and unload it yourself, or hire a moving company crew that will load the container for you. However, if you’re living in a condo, downtown Toronto, then you will need to coordinate with property management regarding your move out date. What nobody tells you, is that the container that arrives doesn’t look like PODS or BOXIT and it doesn’t lay flat on the ground. It’s a 20 foot steel container that is loaded onto a trailer (see picture for reference). This is not what we expected.

We lived in a 3 bedroom condo, downtown Toronto. Those who lived in a condo, know the pain of moving in or out of one. We booked an elevator well in advance and started to prepare for the 3-hour time slot on our moving day. Luckily we weren’t moving at the beginning or end of the month so we got the time that worked best for us and the shipping company. We also arranged for help with loading the container because we knew that there is no way that with only 2 people we will be able to move our things within the 3-hour window. So in addition to the hassle of moving out from a condo, you also need to coordinate the delivery of the container. If you have a proper loading bay/dock at your condo, then you’re lucky and you may be able to leave the container for a longer period of time. In our experience, we were expected to pay an additional fee because the container will be dropped off and picked up the same day. Our condominium property management did not allow us to leave the container in the loading bay and we had to ensure that our shipping company would be able to move the container as soon as we finished loading it. We were able to load the 20 foot container in less than 2 hours with 3 people and our things were on their way to Portugal. We even placed an AirTag in the container to track its location as it moves.

While we knew our estimated timeline and delivery date, arranging for moving service without a set date and time was a challenge. What we did not expect is how soon after arrival in Lisbon our items would be available for delivery. Our items arrived exactly 5 weeks after they were picked up in Toronto. We received a call on a Wednesday to say that our container will arrive at our address in Portugal on Friday morning. This led to another challenge with arranging help in Portugal to unload the container and move all our stuff into our apartment. Finding a moving company that was available on short-notice was almost impossible. If you are familiar with Portugal’s housing then you can understand that moving into a place in Lisbon is not the same as moving into a place in Toronto. For example, not every apartment building has an elevator, and parking a container in those cobblestone alleys in Lisbon may not be feasible or even impossible. Navigating these challenges in addition to everything else you may need to do when you arrive in Portugal can be stressful to say the least. Fortunately, we were able to “build” a team ourselves that eventually helped us unload the container and place all our belongings directly into specific rooms where we wanted them!

Inspired by our own journey, we have chosen to pay it forward by offering comprehensive moving services to fellow Canadians embarking on their own relocation journeys. Our aim is to provide holistic support, guiding clients through every step of the relocation process, from packing and shipping to settling into their new homes. By sharing our expertise and firsthand insights, we hope to alleviate the stress and uncertainty associated with relocation to Portugal, empowering others to embark on their journeys with confidence.

We offer a free 30-minute virtual consultation to get started!

P.S.

What can you bring with you?

You can load the container with as much stuff as you want, as long as it fits. In our experience, our three bedroom apartment barely filled half of the 20 foot container so we felt that charging a set fee for a container instead of by weight was a bit unfair. Originally we planned to ship our household goods with our car in a 40 foot container but because of our unique circumstances we opted only to ship our goods in the beginning. So this really shows that you can ship all your stuff in one container. Some items are restricted and you should check with your shipping company on how to deal with those items (we’re talking about firearms, propane tanks, etc.) Typically you will be allowed to move all your household goods tax free with a residency visa. All you need is to indicate that you will be moving your household items and/or vehicle with your visa application. The consulate issues a special certificate (Certificado de Bagagem) that will be used by the shipping company and the broker in Portugal. You may still ship your items across without a residency visa but you will have to pay taxes and duties before the goods are released to you. If this is the case for you, then we also offer advice on how to declare your items to reduce the duties and taxes on your goods.

What should you bring with you?

The reason we only filled half of the 20 foot container while moving out from a 3 bedroom condo is that you will not be needing a lot of the stuff you think you’ll need once you move. There are a number of reasons for that and we will post another blog specifically on this subject.

So stay tuned to our blog and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

International relocation is a significant undertaking, one that comes with its fair share of challenges and surprises. Our move from Toronto to Lisbon taught us invaluable lessons about the intricacies of relocating specifically to Portugal. In sharing our experience, we hope to offer guidance and support to others contemplating a similar transition. There are a lot of benefits in moving to Portugal right now, which we will share on our Instagram and Facebook page, but we will also go over some of the challenges in relocation and how you can overcome them, offering insights gleaned from our firsthand experience. Because in the end, the move is worth it!