[ExI] seeking advice with a shipping problem

[Damien Broderick]

Dear Extropes:

I'm selling my Australian house and about to move my personal library 
from Melbourne, Australia, to San Antonio, Texas. A relative has been 
kindly (and exhaustingly) packing up the roughly 5000 books into book 
boxes, plus personal papers, and a few other not terrifically large 
objects. My guess is that it might amount to half a 20' container or 
maybe less.

I'm having trouble getting feedback from the shippers who advertise 
online. I fill in their forms, send them off, and hear nothing back. 
The only one who's been responsive to date is Grace Removals (an 
Aussie company with international connections), and even they are 
slow to reply and don't provide much information.

Anyone have suggestions based on their own transnational shipping 
experience, even if it's not Australia or New Zealand=>USA?

Do such firms typically bring a container to the house and pack away 
one's goodies on the spot? Is Customs, insurance and any other 
paperwork done by the moving company? (If I were in Oz now I'd 
probably do that myself, but alas I'm not.)

Mostly I want all this damned clutter out of the house ASAP, so the 
place can be shown to potential purchasers without looking like a 
madman's midden. How long the process takes after that is less 
important; that is, I don't mind if my stuff is stored for a while 
awaiting shipping, if that's cheaper.

Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks, folks.

Damien Broderick