Overseas household goods
International moves out of Marin County
Overseas, Hawaii and Canada moves with customs paperwork handled and secure shipping arranged, run by a San Rafael family firm and Mayflower Transit.
Where a move abroad usually comes apart
A move across a border fails on paperwork long before it fails on the truck. A shipment sits at the port because the customs forms do not match the inventory. A household packed for a drive down Highway 101 meets a ship, a crane and a second truck at the far end, and nobody can say which box holds the kettle you need on the first night.
Hawaii and Canada bring their own versions of the same trouble. The water crossing to the islands means your goods change hands more times than on a road move. A move to Canada, whether you are arriving for the first time or coming home as an expatriate, comes with customs and immigration procedures that are unfamiliar to most people packing their first overseas household.
The common thread is a hand-off to strangers. When one company packs, a different one ships and a third clears the freight, nobody owns the whole consignment, and you end up as the person making the phone calls.
Mayflower box truck aboard a California State Parks vessel on the water
How the Farnsworth crew runs a shipment abroad
The family has moved Marin households since 1971, and as the San Rafael agent for Mayflower Transit it handles international work through Mayflower and trusted global networks. The packing, loading and transport start with a crew you can reach at (415) 459-6683, and the shipment stays under one plan from your front door to the destination.
That plan covers customs clearance, secure shipping and timely delivery for destinations worldwide, including Hawaii and Canada. For Canada, Farnsworth and Mayflower Transit handle packing and loading, transportation and customs clearance, for people arriving as immigrants and for expatriates returning home.
Ask about valuation before the truck is loaded. Following Mayflower, you can choose Released Rate Liability at 60 cents per pound per article at no charge, or Full-Value Coverage at an extra charge, and it is worth choosing deliberately when your goods will travel a long way.
After the freight leaves San Rafael
Household goods moves at Farnsworth include unloading and unpacking, so the same plan that started on your street finishes in your new rooms. If your destination is not ready when the freight is, the Farnsworth warehouse at 2111 Francisco Blvd E can hold your belongings in the meantime.
Keep the inventory and the valuation paperwork together until everything has arrived and been checked off. If something is missing or damaged on delivery, call the office at (415) 459-6683 with the box numbers in hand and we will walk through the valuation you chose.
“I’ve moved house at least 15 times in my life, including 4 times internationally” is how Liz Y., a Farnsworth customer, opens her review.
Connecting freight
Pieces of an overseas move that start closer to home
Many overseas shipments begin with a drive. The Mayflower side of that leg is laid out on the long-distance moves page, and goods that must wait for a visa, a lease or a sailing date can sit in mover-managed storage with the same crew. When you are ready to put dates on it, tell us about the move.