Relocating can be complicated and stressful, especially if it’s cross-country moving. There is a lot of work involved and not enough time for a person to do it all and remain sane. If you don’t know where to get started and you need some guidance and help, you’re in the right place. We have prepared our best long-distance moving tips.
Transferring everything you own across the country is a big job, and it requires a lot of time, energy, and planning. If you want to move efficiently, you need to stay on top of things by planning. This is not a situation where you should just go with the flow.
Organize your move by making a to-do list and sticking to it. Create a relocation budget. That way, you will have your finances organized and won’t spend money on unnecessary costs. Relocation is a big project, and without some kind of checklist to help you keep your things in order, it can quickly turn into a disaster.
If you want to make relocating easier, hire professionals. It will make relocation stress go down to a minimum. But how do you choose a moving company you can trust? In order to find a reliable crew, you need to do some research, not just click on the first one that pops up. Check their credentials. Any reputable company will have a license.
One of the most important long-distance move tips to remember is to always have at least three options. Get estimates and look at reviews from at least three different companies and compare them. Another way you can find good companies and avoid relocation scams is through recommendations and referrals.
Don’t get overconfident thinking you don’t need insurance when relocating. Things can break, go missing, or get damaged in the process. A smart thing to do is to invest in relocation insurance and make sure you and your belongings are protected. You might think it’s an unnecessary step, but it’s always better to have a plan B and be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Talk to your movers and set up a protection plan that suits your needs.
Long-distance moving services are expensive. Depending on where you’re going, the cost can range anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000. That is a lot of money, and luckily for you, there are certain relocation hacks that can help you save a few bucks. It might sound strange, but did you know that the best time of year to move is during the winter?
Relocating in winter is always cheaper than relocating during the summer. Another trick you should know since we’re talking about the cheapest time of year to move is to avoid weekends and holidays. Everyone wants to move during the weekend, so it’s more expensive. The best would be to move during the winter and on weekdays.
Best advice for cheaper moving: pack lightly. This is a great chance to get rid of all the things you don’t use anymore. Organize everything into three categories – toss, keep, and sell. A great trick to figure out what to keep when relocating is to ask yourself if you’ve used that item in the last year. If the answer is no, it shouldn’t come to the new home with you.
The more things you get rid of, the cheaper the move will be. Also, take into consideration that there are items movers won’t move or pack, so get rid of them as well. If you want to declutter and earn some money while you’re at it, you can organize a garage sale. Sell items you have no more space for, and remember to donate old clothes for the homeless.
Hiring movers is the biggest expense you will face when it comes to relocating. So why not eliminate the middleman and do it yourself for less money? If you decide to take on this kind of responsibility, you should know it’s a very labor-intensive job. Sure, it will save you a lot of money, but it’s very tiring and time-consuming work. However, one of the benefits of moving by yourself is that all you have to pay for are the cost of fuel and renting a truck.
In case you’re relocating for a job, you won’t have to drain out your savings since your employer should be paying for your move, or at the very least, a significant part of it. If the company hasn’t offered you a relocation package on its own, feel free to ask for one. It’s perfectly normal, and you shouldn’t feel embarrassed to ask your employer to set a budget that will cover your move expenses.
You have two options when it comes to packing. You can pay a little extra and get packing services, or you can figure out a way to pack efficiently on your own. Packing on your own is a great option if you’re looking to save some money since it isn’t as complicated as transferring your belongings all by yourself. All you will need to get if you’re doing it by yourself are packing supplies, which include:
One of the best tips for a long-distance move we can give you is that you don’t have to pay for new boxes. Even the best-sized boxes can be found for free. There are always people who are trying to get rid of them. Look online, Craigslist is a great place to start. Ask your friends and neighbors, or get them from your workplace if you can.
If you’re packing on your own, it’s obvious you won’t do it as neatly as professionals would. After all, they have years of experience. So it’s okay if you make a few mistakes or break a few things. Just be sure not to forget to label everything clearly and neatly so that movers are aware of the contents of the boxes. Make it clear if a box contains fragile or heavy items.
The truck won’t move only your belongings. Your boxes will be placed next to others that belong to other people and families. That’s why you have to label every box with your name. Put it in bright, bold letters on the top of each box. That way, your boxes won’t get mixed up with other people’s items and end up delivered to the wrong address. If you skip this step and some of your items get broken or go missing, it will be your fault. If you’re having trouble packing by yourself but are determined to succeed, watch this video to learn how to pack a box.
Since you’re relocating cross-country, you will probably fly by plane on the day of the move. So, what do you do with your car? See if the company you hired offers auto transport services. Most of them do since car shipping has become very popular over the years. If your company, for whatever reason, doesn’t offer car shipping services, you can always find another one or simply hire a driver to transport your car.
One of the most common relocation mistakes people make is they forget to transfer utilities in time. In that case, one of the two following things might happen. Either you arrive at your new home and sit in the dark with no water or heat, or you end up paying double utility bills. To prevent that from happening, figure out your relocation date and call your service providers. Have them transfer your utilities like electricity, gas, water, cable, Internet, and so on. It will come at a minor fee, but it beats having to pay for utilities for two households.
When you change your address, a lot of other things that are tied to it have to change too. People constantly forget that they have to update personal documents such as ID, driver’s license, passport, health insurance, and any other documents that require an address change. You even have to register to vote in your new state. Another important thing to do is to forward your mail as well as your subscriptions. Don’t forget to cancel your memberships.
Relocation tips also cover your relocation day preparation. Be sure to double-check if everything is packed and ready to go. Go through your to-do list once more and see if everything is in order. Have your documents and plane tickets ready to go. Pack a bag with travel essentials such as food, drinks, diapers if you’re traveling with children, and so on. Prepare everything the night before. That way, you won’t forget anything important when rushing in the morning. All that you should have left to do in the morning is to do one final sweep of the house.
A smart thing to do on the day of the move is to check up on movers. Sometimes things go wrong. Make sure they didn’t forget about you and contact them to find out their whereabouts. We would even recommend calling them a couple of days before. If you don’t, you will be sitting on the plane worrying about whether or not your stuff will arrive on time, or will you be asking yourself, are long-distance movers near me?
After all the stress has subsided, and all the responsibilities tied up by the move have been completed, you can sit back, relax and prepare for the movers. Once your move has been all planned out, all that’s left for you to do is to say goodbye to friends and family and wait for the relocation day. Think of it as a reward for all the hard work you’ve done. Gather your closest ones and have a day of fun before you go. It could be anything you want. You could all go out in the town, you could throw a party at home, have a simple, tasteful dinner, or whatever you feel like. Send out the invitations and start counting down the days left till your move.
