From Belgium to Denmark

A Big Move for a Better Life

We moved to Denmark in order to live closer to nature and have better schools for our children.
It was an incredibly stressful move though — one that took years off our life because of how chaotic everything was during those final days.

We asked the movers to increase the amount of space in the truck days before because we didn’t think there would be enough space, and they kept assuring us it would be fine.
Guess what? It wasn’t. So lots of things went wrong, and the move took 6 hours longer than it was supposed to…

Research and Choosing the Mover

I did a lot of research online and contacted about 8 movers who would provide service between Belgium and Denmark.
Some never contacted me back, and others gave quotes that would take several months and cost around €20,000.

We narrowed it down to a couple of companies that could do it within the timeframe we needed and had reasonable prices.
From there, we looked for reviews online to see other people’s experiences — but apparently not all reviews are accurate, because our experience was much different.

Moving Day: Late, Unprepared, and Unprofessional

The moving company showed up late, and instead of a proper truck, they had two small vans…
This was after they had already tried to change the agreed-upon date and time several times in the lead-up.

I knew it was going to be an issue, but I was too busy managing children to do much about it.
They put all of our things on the street in 35°C weather for hours and hours, and eventually told us there wasn’t enough space, so 1/3 would be sent to storage and arrive 3 weeks later.

I went through several times to tell them what to put in storage — which was apparently ignored, because crucial things were sent to storage, while Christmas decorations were packed for arrival day…

After waiting around for hours and being “scolded” by the movers for not disassembling every item we owned (which was neither possible nor agreed upon), we finally had things done.

Damaged Furniture, Missing Parts, and Zero Accountability

When our things arrived, there was severe damage to several items — including a piece of wood torn off our dining room table.

When we asked about it, they claimed we had informed them too late (not true, and not in the contract) and even accused us of damaging our own furniture on purpose.
Why would I rip a corner off my table and smash the leg on my new wardrobe? For a €50 discount?

They also took several things apart more than the furniture could handle without damage, and lost small parts like screws, so we had to replace them before we could reassemble anything.
It took a week to sleep in a proper bed because of this.

To top it off, there was a chemical spill that soaked into the wood of other items and stained the flooring of our new home

What I Wish I Knew: Tips for Future Movers

• Always confirm the exact days and times well in advance.
  Some companies say they can do it, then later assume you’re fine with the move taking months.
  
• Take photos of all your large items before the move.
  The metadata (date/time) can help prove the condition of your furniture if damage occurs and you need to make a claim.
  

If a company insists that you disassemble everything you own, just run — it’s a major red flag.