Moving coast to coast means you’re in for an exciting journey. You can look forward to many things, from a different climate to cultural variations. It’s a fresh start that not many people have the chance to make. However, the amount of work you must do in a cross-country move is daunting. It’s nothing like your effort in moving across town or a different neighborhood.
There are many things to consider, from setting up utilities to transferring your children’s school records. You must plan ahead to make sure that hiccups are minimized. Apart from your belongings, you also have to prepare to transport your car. If you have more than one, working with the best car shipping providers to move multiple vehicles makes the most sense.
After all, attempting a DIY drive will take too many resources. It eats your time and money, leaving your car battered and you stressed out in the end. Though a cross-country move is complex, it doesn’t mean it’s an impossible feat. In fact, many others have successfully done it. Enjoy a fresh start without the hassle by following these cross-country moving tips.
Make a Master Plan
Start planning as soon as you find you have to make a long-distance move. You can never be too early when it comes to uprooting your life. Make a visual list of things you must do, along with the corresponding times to do them. For example, you can break it down as follows:
- Two months before the move
- A month before the move
- A week before the move
- Two days before the move
- The big moving day
Having a master plan and moving checklist ensures you don’t forget anything. Being systematic about your move can make a big difference in your stress levels.
Purge As Much As You Can
Before you start packing up your belongings in boxes, purge as much of them as you can. If you haven’t used anything in the last six months, chances are you don’t need it and won’t use it at all. So, make a pile of stuff to:
- Keep
- Donate
- Sell (more on this later)
- Throw
- Recycle
Bear in mind that everything you move will cost money. The weight of your cargo determines the total amount you pay for shipping. To illustrate: Though you may be tempted to keep your couch, the cost of moving it cross country may be comparable to the price of buying a new one at your new place. Moreover, purging your things of clutter means you have less stuff to unpack and organize in your new home.
Earn Pocket Money by Selling Big Ticket Items
There’s no shame in selling your stuff when you’re moving across the country. You could be selling your home, so letting go of things makes sense. You could consider selling to the new home buyer. Alternatively, you can hit up eBay or Craigslist to earn some extra cash that you can use to buy yourself new things. To ensure you get the most optimal value, make it a point to list your items ahead of time.
Anything that doesn’t get sold for your desired price can be given at a steep discount. No matter how small it is, money from the sale is still cash that could help you settle down in your new home. Selling is a great way to downsize for your big move.
Enlist People’s Help in Packing With a Party
Make a long-distance move more seamless by enlisting the help of your friends. Host a “take my stuff” party so you can see them all before you leave and gift them a memento to remember you by. When you’re packing, you’ll likely see a lot of stuff you don’t want but feel ambivalent about selling or throwing.
Most likely, you’ll have many friends who’ll be happy to take your barely-used items off your hands. Have friends come over for dinner and drinks for a bonding session before your departure. Then encourage them to grab what they want and the things they’ll actually use. At the same time, you can enlist their help in packing the rest. It’s a win-win situation!
Carefully Choose Professionals
The last thing you want is to work with movers with a lousy reputation. You won’t feel at ease having them touch your things. Thus, it’s vital to vet the right professional movers to handle your possessions and the shipment of your car. A reputable mover will have the necessary licenses, accreditation, and insurance. After all, moving is a risky business, and anything can happen on the road. Insurance protection provides peace of mind since your belongings are covered if something untoward happens.
Do your due diligence to ensure you hire a professional you can trust. Find out about the shipping rates up front and read the fine print in the contract. It would also help to do the following:
- Ask for word-of-mouth referrals
- Read online testimonials
- Check overall online ratings
- Find out the mover’s professional affiliations
- Research forums to read objective third-party reviews
Pack Like a Professional
If you have the money, you can choose a full-service move wherein the pros will do all the packing and heavy lifting for you. However, you can save a lot of money by packing yourself. You can handle the small items and leave the delicate ones like the electronics or heirloom dishes to the pros.
It would help to pack the barely used rooms ahead. Write your name in the packing box, number the box, the room, and the contents. At the same time, make a master list with these details. This will help you track how many boxes you have, along with the contents. Later on, you can quickly check if anything is missing.
Pack an Overnight Bag
Finally, pack an overnight bag with all your essentials. Include important documents like IDs, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies, etc. You must also include at least three sets of clothes, medications, chargers, and toiletries. This handy bag gives you access to your essentials while giving you time to tackle your boxes and get settled.
A cross-country move doesn’t have to feel like torture. All it takes is careful preparation so you don’t forget anything thousands of miles away. Most of all, you need a radical mindset shift and think positive. Instead of fretting over how stressful it is to round your things up, imagine how great your new life will be in a brand-new place.
Infographic Provided By True Friends Moving Company
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