A long distance move can seem like a challenge, but there are a few ways to make it easier. By planning ahead, you can feel good about your move and know exactly what is going on. You can be as active as you like in your moving process.
Give Away or Throw Away Items You Don’t Need
Instead of moving items that you won’t use anymore a long distance, go ahead and get rid of them. Donate items that can still be used. You may not want to lug your sofa thousands of miles but someone else might want a gently used piece of furniture for their new apartment or growing family. Throw away items that are no longer of any use. For example, clothes with holes, stains, and patches can be used as rags but they probably won’t be wanted by resale shops for others to use.
Be Organized
You want to stay as organized as possible so that you can easily find items when you are ready to unpack. As you pack up your boxes, label them and create a detailed list for each box’s contents. This will allow you to easily find and spot the boxes and belongings you might want to get back into during your trip or right after arriving at your destination.
Use Quality Packing Materials
Since a long distance move is going to take longer than a short move across town, it is important to use quality packing materials so that nothing gets broken. Never over pack boxes. This could cause injury to yourself, movers, or your belongings. Use packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or other soft materials to help keep your items safe. If you hire movers, be sure they use high quality packing materials and moving blankets and pads to protect your furniture.
Keep Your Valuable Items with You
When you are moving over a long distance, be sure to keep your valuable items like important paperwork, jewelry, heirlooms, and the like nearby. You do not want them to get lost during the moving process. However, be aware you probably can’t take everything with you unless you move yourself. If you want to hire movers but can’t bring all your valuable items with you, be sure to hire a company with a flawless reputation, insurance, and great reviews.
Decide If You Want to Hire Movers or Do the Moving Yourself
The first step in your moving process is to decide if you are going to hire movers to help you or do all of the moving yourself. Think about your needs and budget to see which option will work best for you. If you are going to be hiring movers, make sure that you do so as far in advance as possible to make sure that they will be available during your move dates and that you have plenty of time to find the best deal. The summer months are the busiest when it comes to moving, so you can save money if you look for movers in the off-season.
If you decide to move yourself, be sure to give yourself plenty of time. No one wants to go through, pack up, and move their entire lives in an afternoon. You may also want to consider asking friends or family members to assist you. If you’re moving a room or two worth of possessions, you might want to consider a car trailer. This will allow you to move yourself and set your own pace for departure and arrival.
Even long distance moves can be easy as long as you take your time with the moving process. Make sure that everything is packed securely before you move and be sure to have a plan.
