# How to document items for customs when moving abroad in 2026

Q: How does Packing Buddy keep the item list with the boxes?

Each box gets a code like K-03 printed on its label. Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on.

Q: Does Packing Buddy work on a phone or laptop for a move abroad?

Packing Buddy runs on phones and in a web browser. The app and its AI box lists are available in 30 languages. On a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. Bluetooth label printers work in the phone app on Pro. After you sign in, AI assistants can search and read your backed-up boxes but cannot change them.

A step by step way to list your belongings for customs when moving abroad, what to gather first, and a tool that keeps the item list with the boxes.

By CleverDings · 2026-10-30

CleverDings is published by the makers of Benefit Buddy, Postal Buddy and Packing Buddy, which are compared here alongside other apps.

Build a list of the belongings you take when you move abroad, with a note on each item. Gather your item list, value notes and photos first, check what the destination country asks for, and keep a copy with each box. A tool such as Packing Buddy can keep the item list attached to the box it went into, but the customs office decides which records it needs.

Option	What it does	Cost
Packing Buddy	You photograph what goes into each box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03 printed on its label. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser. ^[1] You can search the boxes to find which box an item is in. ^[1]	Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1] Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year, with unlimited boxes and Bluetooth printers. ^[1]
Destination country customs site	Not published here; check which item lists and value notes it asks for.	Not published
Professional packers or a moving company	Not published here; ask whether they draft the item records you hand to customs.	Not published
Simple list in a notebook or spreadsheet	Not published here; check how you will keep a copy with each box and keep it backed up.	Not published

What you need before you start

Most of the work is gathering the record of what you own. Having it in one place keeps the list consistent across every form you fill in.

The item itself. Write a plain description of each thing you move, such as furniture, appliances, tools, books or clothes.
Value. A note of what each item is worth, based on a receipt or a fair estimate, so you can answer a customs form without hunting later.
Proof of ownership. A receipt, an invoice or a photograph that shows you bought or already owned the item before you left.
Identification. For electronics and machines, the brand, model and serial number, since customs staff often ask for these.
Old belongings and new. A clear note of which items you owned already and which you are bringing newly bought, because the two are often treated differently.
Packing record. A note of which box or bag each item went into, so the list and the boxes stay in step.
A spare copy. Keep the list somewhere other than the single device you carry, so it survives a lost phone or laptop.

Do not put passport or identity numbers into shared notes. Keep those aside.

Step by step

Write a short inventory summary. A few lines covering the item types, their value and how many boxes or bags you are moving. You will reuse it for every form and call.
Work room by room or box by box. For each item, record a plain description, its value, any serial number and a photo.
Separate what travels with you. Note which items stay in your personal luggage and which go into the shipped boxes, because they are often listed separately.
Note pre-owned and new. Mark each item as owned before the move or bought new for it, and keep any receipt for the new items.
Keep the list with the things. Number each box and make sure every item on the list has a note of the box it went into, so customs can point at a box and you can point at its list.
Check the destination country's forms first. The customs office of the country you move to decides which item records it wants, so look at its own guidance or ask before you finalize the list.
Make a copy for the boxes. Print one list to carry with the shipment and keep another copy somewhere safe, off the phone or laptop.
Keep a record of what you declare. Note the date you submit, what you handed over and any reference number you are given.
Recheck once before you leave. Lists, values and the destination rules can change, so go over everything the week you travel.

Tools that can do it

Several kinds of help fit this job. Pick based on how you want to keep the list and whether you also need the record to travel with the boxes.

The destination country's customs website. It states which item lists and value notes it asks for. Check its guidance before you finalize your records.

Professional packers or a moving company. Ask whether they draft the item records you hand to customs and whether they file any forms on your behalf.

A simple list in a notebook or spreadsheet. Check how you will keep a copy with each box and how you will keep the file backed up.

Packing Buddy. Packing Buddy is made by the team that publishes this site. You photograph what goes into each box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03, printed on its label. ^[1] Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. ^[1] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. ^[1] The app runs on phones and in a web browser, and on a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. ^[1] ^[1] The app and its AI box lists are available in 30 languages. ^[1] Share links let a partner, friends or movers join by typing their name, with no account needed; the movers link comes with your plan. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Starting with the forms. Gather the item descriptions, values and photos first. A half-finished customs inventory wastes time and can lead to questions.
Guessing at values. Write a value for every item now, based on a receipt or a fair estimate, not from memory at the desk.
Forgetting serial numbers. Electronics and machines often need a brand, model and serial number, so record them while the item is in front of you.
Mixing pre-owned and new. Customs often treats belongings you owned before the move differently from things bought new, so keep the two marked clearly.
Losing the link between list and box. If the list cannot tell you which box an item is in, it is hard to answer a customs question. Keep the record with the boxes.
Only one copy. A single list on one phone is lost with the phone. Keep a spare copy somewhere safe.

Frequently asked questions

What do you need to document items for customs when moving abroad?

Start with a plain description of each item you take, its value based on a receipt or a fair estimate, proof of ownership such as a receipt or photo, and a brand, model and serial number for electronics. Mark each item as owned before the move or bought new. Note which box or bag each item went into, and keep a spare copy of the list somewhere safe.

Does Packing Buddy create a customs declaration for a move abroad?

You take photos of what goes into a moving box, and AI lists the items and picks the room. ^[1] Each box gets a code like K-03, printed on its label. ^[1] Whether a customs form is needed is a thing to check; the customs office of the country you move to decides which item records it needs, so check its own guidance and keep that in mind when you finalize the list.

How does Packing Buddy keep the item list with the boxes?

Each box gets a code like K-03 printed on its label. ^[1] Scanning a box's QR code with any phone camera opens that box in the browser, no app needed. ^[1] You can search your boxes to find which box an item is in. ^[1] Labels print from a home printer on store-bought Avery 5163 or compatible sheets, or on plain paper you cut out and tape on. ^[1]

Is Packing Buddy free to use?

Free use allows 3 test boxes per device without an account, and with a free account 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1] Plus costs $12.99 a month or $59 a year for 100 boxes. ^[1] Pro costs $19.99 a month or $99 a year, with unlimited boxes and Bluetooth printers. ^[1] If you cancel, you keep your boxes and can still open, edit, reprint and search them, but you cannot add new ones. ^[1]

Does Packing Buddy work on a phone or laptop for a move abroad?

Packing Buddy runs on phones and in a web browser. ^[1] The app and its AI box lists are available in 30 languages. ^[1] On a computer you can choose photos you already took with nothing to install. ^[1] Bluetooth label printers work in the phone app on Pro. ^[1] After you sign in, AI assistants can search and read your backed-up boxes but cannot change them. ^[1]

Free: 3 test boxes per device without an account; with a free account, 10 boxes, 25 AI reads and up to 4 photos a box. ^[1]

Try Packing Buddy

Sources

Packing Buddy's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)