Moving Across Country Tips – Moving across country is a huge step. You are completely upending life as you know it, leaving a home you’ve become accustomed to and friendships you’ve formed. Maybe you are moving to follow a dream or a special someone. Maybe the circumstances that prompted your need to move is not something positive. Regardless, starting over in a new place is an adventure in itself. But the nitty-gritty of moving across the country can be such a headache. The planning, the packing and unpacking, the logistics, the loading and unloading, the moving costs, it’s enough to stress anyone out. The move is hard enough, you will need all the help you can get every step of the way. Keep reading for important long distance moving tips and moving cross country tips, including ones that might not occur automatically to you.
1. Moving across country tips
We all have unwanted items we mean to get rid of but we somehow never get around to doing any serious decluttering. One of the most obvious and important tips for moving out of state is to lessen your belongings. It’s cumbersome to transport multiple bags, boxes, and large furniture and appliances so bring only what you must. The rest you should give away, throw away, sell in a garage sale or online. You will save money and earn money at the same time. You will be going through everything you own when you pack anyway. Take it as an opportunity to get rid of clothes, shoes, papers, books, furniture, appliances, or anything else that will not have a place in your new home.
2. Rent a storage space
Sometimes you will not be able to or you do not want to get rid of some of your stuff, but you still don’t want to take them with you, or maybe just not right away. The solution is to rent a storage space. Whether it’s for long time storage or short term storage, the important thing is, you got the stuff out of the way and you can move on to address other more pressing concerns. You can decide what to do with your stuff at a later date. There are many secure and reasonably priced storage facilities to choose from. You will easily find something that’s the right size and price for you. Pack your possessions neatly and label the boxes when you store them. The rules of packing should still apply to storage facilities.
3. Pack smartly and efficiently
Speaking of rules of packing, you need to be organized and efficient. It might not come naturally to you, in fact, your instinct might be to stuff everything in the moving boxes willy-nilly. But doing it right is worth the effort. It will be easier to unpack, and you can make sure that all your valuable items are safe and all you fragile items protected. Have a check-list or a to-do list before you start. Prioritize what needs to be packed first to last. Logic would dictate that the least used stuff gets packed away first. Always pack per room and pack things per classification. For instance, books stay together in one box, household items in another. As much as possible, don’t mix it up. You don’t want your shoes in the same box as your baking tools. After sealing the boxes, label them accordingly. Fold what needs to be folded and wrap what needs to be wrapped. Make sure you have the complete packing supplies like moving boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, packaging tapes, and ropes. The heaviest things should stay in the bottom. The cross country road trip will be long and bumpy, make sure your stuff will survive getting jostled and tossed. Reinforce the boxes with tape for extra protection.
4. Hire professional movers
If you plan to bring only a few bags and boxes, you can get away with just renting a trailer or even just using your own car. But if you have a lot, you will need to hire a professional cross country moving companies. Also, if you know you won’t be able to pack properly, you might as well hire professional movers rather than doing it yourself haphazardly. Some professional moving companies are full-service movers, which means that they offer packing as part of their services. The best ones will take care of all your needs, from packing to transporting. Some are really reliable for moving cross country. Regardless, you still need to do your own inventory of your things to make sure they don’t misplace anything important.
5. Research about your new neighborhood
For sure you did your due diligence in choosing your new house or apartment. You’ve paid the down payment, homeowners insurance, and everything else that needs to be paid. Maybe you’ve already done some reconnaissance and visited the place in advance. One good strategy for making this transition smooth for you, and for your family is to do as much advance research as you can before the move. Know where all the important places are in relation to your new home. This could include schools, hospitals, vets, pharmacies, and the like. But this should also include fun stuff like the malls, sports stadiums, all the great restaurants. You can ask for recommendations from residents or read reviews online. It will go a long way in making your new place feel like home.
6. Network
Networking is not a dirty word. In fact, you will find it quite useful if you are planning a long distance move. It simply means looking up old friends, family, or acquaintances who are living in the place you relocating to and letting them know you will be arriving. Most people are friendly and hospitable and they will probably offer to take you around, introduce you to people, or include you in social activities without any prompting from you. The older one gets, the harder it is to form friendships. Be intentional about meeting people. Let them know you are interested and available. Forming bonds and connections with people from your new place will go a long in making your new place feel like home.
7. Order new furniture ahead of time
Maybe you decided it’s easier and simpler to just buy new furniture and appliances for your new home instead of paying to transport your old furniture. If so, you might want to do some advance shopping so you can make sure that your new furniture will arrive on the same day you will. You don’t have to buy ALL your furniture ahead of time. Surely the couch and the dining set can wait, but you will certainly feel better if you have the essentials set up the same day as your big move. For instance, after a day of traveling, unloading, and unpacking, you deserve to retire to your soft, brand new bed, right before enjoying a cold and refreshing beverage from your new fridge. And when you wake up in the morning, your first morning in your new home, maybe you’ll want a cup of freshly brewed coffee from your brand new coffee maker.
8. Unpack as soon as possible
You will most likely feel emotionally and physically drained after moving day, and it’s not over yet. Even if you were happy to move and excited for your new life, homesickness can still hit hard. It will also take a while for you to get used to your new home and to establish a routine. The long trip and major transition will take its toll on you in many ways. The urge to take it easy for the next few days or even weeks after moving into your new residence will be strong, but try to resist. The longer you keep putting off unpacking, the harder it will be to actually do it. The next thing you know, many months have passed and you still have unopened boxes. Your new place will never feel like home until you are fully unpacked.
Packing up your entire life and relocating is a daunting task and it’s fraught with many emotions. It’s easy to spiral into a negative mindset because of the stress, pressure, and exhaustion that comes with a long distance move. It’s harder said than done but do try to focus on doing what needs to be done and the endless possibilities that your move opens up. So get your affairs in order, pay what needs to be paid, and ride off into the sunset to your new life.
Not everyone gets a chance for a fresh start, and that’s what moving such a great distance can be if you have the right mindset. You can make new friends, reinvent yourself, and start over with a clean slate. The move itself may be tiring, expensive, and emotionally taxing but once you finally get there, make the most out of this new adventure. Good luck and keep these long distance moving tips in mind to make things easier for yourself.
