7 Tips to Preparing for Long-Distance Moves
Moving to another state or on the other side of yours requires more preparation than shorter moves. Here are tips for preparing for long-distance moves.
Keyword(s): long-distance moves
The average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime. Although some of these moves might be a twenty-minute drive away, some can be more stressful.
Some are long-distance moves, which are a whole other experience.
Long-distance moves might be from one end of the state to another, or to the other end of the country. If you’re planning a move that’s more than just a few more miles, maybe even crossing more than just a few states, it’s important to be prepared.
These tips will help you prepare for your move and make the day a lot less stressful than it could have ended up.
1. Make a Plan and Stick to It
Move preparation responsibilities can be daunting, but the more basic, universal tip is to make a plan and ensure you stick to it.
Decide what you need to take, how much packing material you’ll need, how many boxes.
Make a checklist for the move of everything that needs to be done before you go, and check off the items as you go.
Long-distance moving can’t be done at the last minute. Schedule your time around work and your other responsibilities, and make sure you aren’t running around at the last minute scrambling to get everything done.
2. Have a Major Clear-Out
It’s important not to overload yourself. For people who are prone to hoarding, it can be tempting to pack up every single item you own and take it with you.
When moving a long distance, this isn’t advisable.
Be honest with yourself. Look at every single item critically and decide what you really need, and what might end up just being shoved into storage forever when you arrive.
If you’ve been meaning to clear out your possessions and haven’t had the heart, now might be the time.
3. Get Estimates for In-Home Long-Distance Moves
Of the total cost of moving, 69.6% of the money goes directly to moving costs rather than packing, storage, etc. It’s a huge chunk, so it’s important to make sure you pick the best moving options for you, balancing a good service with affordability.
In-home moving is much better than doing it yourself. Moving is stressful as it is, so you don’t want to shoulder all of the responsibility on your own.
It’s also very stressful to move a huge amount of items into a new home on your own. Even for those moving with families, it can be far too much.
Check out reputable long-distance moving services and ensure you get multiple estimates. That way you can compare them, as well as reviews online, and pick the company you trust most.
4. Get Help With Your Packing
If you have the budget, getting some professional help with packing could be a huge asset. People who do this for a living know the best and safest way to pack everything up, and it’ll be a weight off your shoulders.
If you don’t want to get professional help or your budget doesn’t allow for it, you can get unprofessional help with packing.
Flag down your most organized friends and family members who have experience with packing for moves and ask if they’re willing to dive in. Offer pizza and drinks as an incentive — it’s a nice gesture and still cheaper than hiring the professionals!
5. Prepare for Your Moving Day With an Essentials Kit
Moving day means you won’t have access to many of your possessions and if anything gets delayed, you might be without them for a while. Make sure you’ve packed the essentials in a bag you keep with you.
The essentials include:
- Phone and charger
- Entertainment, such as a Kindle or handheld console, and any chargers
- A change of clothes, especially fresh underwear
- Any medication necessary
- Anything you use day-to-day such as skincare, make-up, etc.
If you have all these items within easy access, you won’t need to stress about any delays or about being on the road while your possessions are with a moving company.
It’s especially important to make sure there’s something to entertain the kids if you have them!
6. Obtain All Necessary Documents
Before you go, make sure you have all the necessary documents — especially when moving from one state to another.
Medical records might be necessary when you’re registering with a new doctor.
If you have children, you might want to grab their school records to make the transition easier.
All in all, it’s important to do your research and check what your individual situation demands.
7. Make Things Easy on You and the Movers
Make things easy for the movers when they arrive. It’s nice to give them refreshments as they move all of your stuff, and they’ll appreciate being shown where everything is, notified if anything is fragile and needs extra care.
It’s also wise to check if they have any questions about the instructions you’ve provided.
As well as this, make sure you’ve made things easy for yourself on the other end! Pack everything in a reasonable order, tempting as it is to throw chaos into the boxes and worry about it later, and most importantly, label them!
You’ll thank yourself when you arrive at your new home and begin to unpack.
Cover All Your Bases and You’ll Be Ready to Go!
Long-distance moves are not always easy and often stressful, but you can help yourself out a huge deal by being prepared and informed.
Make a plan, stick to it, and hire help that’s both affordable and reputable.
For a free quote for your move, contact us today!
