Are you excited to fly to the Netherlands in the upcoming month? Have you started packing the bags yet? If the answer is yes, then you must be already going through the list of things to pack. In this post, we will cover everything which you should pack before moving to a new country or specifically, the Netherlands. Not only that, but we also have very interesting information about a unique device that you can rent here in your initial days to take care of your wifi problems.
Imagine your initial days here, without any local sim card, you won't have a constant internet connection with you. Of course, you can use public wifis but that would mean giving them access to your device and that means making yourself vulnerable to bad people out there. With Pocket WiFi Amsterdam you can rent a device that acts as pocket wifi that gives you unlimited data 4G coverage everywhere. You can order it in advance and it will be delivered to you anywhere in the Netherlands or you can pick it up from the Schipol airport as soon as you land here. Thus, it is the easiest way to get yourself a constant and reliable internet connection in your initial days here. You can return the device once you have your own stable connection. To check out their prices, follow the link, and to get a 15% discount use the code SPARKLETOGETHER during checkout.
Packing your bags can be tedious, and the packing process for relocation can be stressful. Don't worry! We have been there, and we understand the struggle. Many of the items you will need will be available here. But some of them may be challenging to find, or very costly to buy. We are here to help you through the daunting task of packing. We have created a printable checklist for you so that you pack all the necessary things and don't forget anything. You can find this right here!
Documents
Before packing anything else, make sure you have your travel documents ready. Keep soft copies of all the travel documents on your phone or Google drive so that you can access them easily. Additionally, keep 4-5 hard copies of all the documents with you. You will need these copies once you land here in the Netherlands. You could need these copies when you are registering at the municipality, or your landlord may ask you a copy of your passport when you are moving into the apartment. Thus, it is good to have hard copies handy for such situations. Otherwise, you will have to take an unnecessary trip around the city merely to take a print out.
Along with your travel documents, make sure you have passport size photographs. Again, you never know when you will need them hence pack a few copies.
Medicines
Before we go ahead, keep in mind that we have listed all the items in the checklist we have created. We may not talk about every individual item in the post, but it will be present in the checklist. It is always a good idea to play safe when it comes to medicines. Moving to a new country is not a good time to test your health.
If you are on a specific medication, make sure that you pack as large a quantity as possible but please also pack the doctor's prescription along with the medicines and keep a copy with you. Your medicines might get discarded by the airport authorities if the medicine is not common or over the counter or if the medicine is not attached to a prescription. Even we packed a lot of medicines with us but they were discarded because we did not have a prescription for those.
Along with this, it is always a good idea to keep a basic first aid kit with you. You can find most of the OTC medicines here in the supermarkets too.
Food and Utensils
People must have told you to pack utensils like a pressure cooker, and pans but please don't do that. If you are moving to a furnished apartment, then check the inventory they are providing. Because in most cases, you will get almost everything you need to start cooking. But you won't get utensil like a pressure cooker which you can easily buy from Amazon. Don't waste your valuable baggage limit on such items.
The same goes for food. We have seen so many people who carry lentils and rice from India, which is unnecessary. All of these essential food items are readily available in supermarkets. But items which are local to your countries like some spices or other stuff can easily be located in specific stores. You can easily google a Chinatown near you or a Thai shop, Indian Shop, etc. We would recommend you to bring only spices and few ready to eat packets which would be helpful in the first few weeks. Use your baggage space for things that are difficult to find here like a tea strainer. Yes, it is easy to forget such small items, hence please use the checklist we have created so that you don't forget anything behind.
Electronics
We don't need to tell you much in this category. You are probably very much accustomed to carrying your electronic gadgets with you. Make sure you are bringing a universal adapter and chargers of all your devices. For men out there, if you want to save on your haircuts, don't forget to bring a trimmer or hair clipper with you. For ladies, an epilator is always a good option if you want to save your parlour expenses. In our previous posts, we have talked about these expenses at length.
Clothes
Again check out the previous posts where we explain to you why it is a bad idea to bring your winter wear from your native country. You can carry some jumpers or thermals but bringing a huge jacket is equal to wasting the precious baggage space.
Shoes
Girls, a piece of very sad news, you will have to give up on your dreams of wearing heels here. Because you have to walk all day every day, a good pair of comfortable shoes or flats are recommended. You can wear heels but make sure to have a pair of flats with you in case you have to walk a lot and your feet decide to kill you. Men, hmm, enjoy your shoes, you don't have to change a thing!
Toiletries and Skin Care
As mentioned in our previous posts, you can shop for items like soaps, shampoos, lotions, and skincare from shops like Action, Kruidvat, etc because they offer huge discounts. But for your initial days, you should bring travel-sized packs of everything that you need. Again, scroll up for the complete checklist.
Now, don't forget to order that Pocket Wifi for a secure, reliable, and high-speed internet before landing here. We hope that this post will turn you into a precise ninja packer and will help you keep your worries at bay. Don't forget to share this post to help your friends and subscribe to our channel!