Helpful Tips That Can Help You Plan Your Next Long Distance Move
Many moving companies suggest that you plan ahead before you make a long distance move to a new home. This is good advice to follow because if can help you avoid many of the hassles and nightmares that may accompany a cross-country move.
Here are some moving tips that can help you plan your long distance move.
1) Be sure to make a list of your belongings before you hire a moving company.
It’s important to make an accurate list of your belongings in advance because it can help you resolve logistics problems that might occur during a long distance move. This is the case because moving companies use these lists to help them determine the number of movers and vehicles needed to complete your project.
2) Be sure to locate specially designed containers for your breakable items.
There’s nothing more frustrating than finding your prized china in thousands of pieces after you’ve moved to a new home. An easy way to solve this problem is to use specially designed containers that can protect your breakable items. Most local moving companies sell these containers at an affordable price. As a result, be sure to ask your local moving company for more information about these containers if you’re planning on transporting breakable items.
3) Be sure to make a plan for your automobile for its long distance move.
Many long distance moving companies report that some people forget to prepare their vehicles for a long distance move. This lack of preparation can be disastrous because you could seriously damage your vehicle during the moving process without some sort of preparation.
How to Plan a Long-distance Move
Planning a Long Distance Move
If you haven’t cleaned your closets in a decade, don’t panic. Perspective is everything. Think of those stacked and crammed artifacts as archaeological finds that will help reveal, and sometimes exorcise, your past. It probably isn’t the labor that’s making you apprehensive anyway, it’s the time crunch. Start laying the groundwork today to make the actual moving part of your relocation go smoothly. These tips will help:
- Know where you’re going – If you’re moving to a loft in the city, that extra bedroom set will just get in your way, and you can probably lose the cross-country skis, too. Taking your new digs into account will give you important information about what’s sensible to take with you and what isn’t. The available space, your new lifestyle and the weather will give you clues, too. If you have pets, you’ll want to find out about state and city ordinances regarding inoculations, leash laws, and limits on the number or types of pets you can keep. Start gathering important details about schools, vehicle laws, the vagaries of insurance and even the bylaws for your housing complex.
- Develop a system – You’ll likely have items you want to keep, items you want to sell, stuff you want to give away and junk you want to trash. As you go through your belongings, organize them into these four categories. If you’re packing your belongings yourself, you should also consider taking a hint from the professionals who pack for a living. They pack items a room at a time. That way, the unpacking will go easier on the other end. If you’re looking for a frying pan when you get to your destination, at least you’ll know it’s in one of the kitchen boxes.
- Apply the one-year rule – If you haven’t used an item in a year, consider donating it to someone who will use it. Carting around those skinny jeans and the apple corer your aunt gave you last Christmas might seem like a good idea, but the truth is that you may never revisit either of those items, and paying to transport and store them is just wasteful.
- Get help – You might have to mount a big move on your own, but getting professional help is the best way to go by far. Professional movers know how to pack and transport a houseful of belongings with a minimum of breakage and fuss. Make sure you understand the details, though. Knowing when your new residence will be available and getting your belongings there at the right time is important. Misjudging the delivery date could be an expensive mistake if you have to ask a mover to hold your items for a few days. Insist on written agreements with your new landlord and your mover; ask lots of questions, and read the fine print. Moving is full of small details, and getting them right will make your life easier.
- Have a schedule – Time can get away from you when you’re in the middle of a move, so put together a moving calendar or organizer to make sure you stay on target. Where moving is concerned, some chores are time sensitive and others, like packing the Christmas ornaments, can be done well in advance. Decide which is which, and make yourself a handy cheat sheet.
Label all your moving boxes
Some tips for planning a long distance move may not seem that important to you, but trust us – they are. A classic example is the act of labeling your moving boxes after you’ve filled them up.
- DO NOT underestimate the importance of labeling your boxes. If you do, you will lose precious time locating and identifying all unmarked boxes after the move.
- LABEL each box on at least two of its sides as soon as you’re done packing it. Write down its contents, destination room, and special handling instructions, if any.
- DESIGNATE a different color for each destination room, either through the use of color markers or multicolor labels
MOVING DAY
Have Water Bottles On-Hand
Moving is a strenuous and exhausting process. The last thing you want is for anyone to become dehydrated on moving day. To prevent this from happening, be sure to have plenty of water bottles on-hand for your friends and movers.
Take Inventory
Take inventory of all belongings. This way you can keep track of what you have and what the movers are transporting. Check your driver’s inventory sheet as well. If anything is missing or damaged make a note of this beforehand. It may also be a good idea to take photos of fragile items such as appliances or lamps for liability coverage and insurance purposes.
Do a Final Sweep of the House
To avoid leaving anything behind, be sure to do one final sweep of your home before you move out. Don’t forget to look in your bathtubs, washers, dryers, kitchen cabinets and any other easy-to-miss spots.
Hand Over the Keys
Unless you’re planning to come back after the move to tie up loose ends, go ahead and hand over the keys to your landlord or new owners.
Save money where you can
If you’re in between jobs, you might be trying to save as much money as possible during your long-distance move. If that’s the case, the best long distance moving tip for you is to try to do-it-yourself as much as you can. Whether it’s packing, cleaning, and organizing with only the help of your friends, or getting rid of as much as possible in order to save money on your moving company, you can get creative in this process. The downside is that this method takes more time. However, if you ask your friends for help, you might actually enjoy DIY-ing parts of your move.
