12 Long-distance Moving Tips That are Dangerous to Ignore While Moving
Published by Chris Townsend
Almost 55% of Americans don’t move farther than 50 miles from their current locations. Only 26% of these people moving are crossing the 50-mile mark.
This means that if you are moving long-distance, you are in rare company. Americans are staying in comfort zones, and moving long-distance usually involves leaving where you are used to.
Although many people are moving short-distance, they are still going through the stress and complications of moving. Still, local moves of less than 50 miles are way less complicated than long-distance moves.
Once a person crosses the 100-mile mark, they realize while preparing that they are dealing with a different beast.
There is less room for error. For example, they cannot just easily return to their former homes and pick up stuff they forgot.
This is why people relocating to far locations need help and the farther they have to travel, the more help they will need. Relocating interstate puts the long in long-distance. State laws are enough to complicate a move.
Moving tips can make a huge difference in a person’s relocation and for long-distance moves, they might be too dangerous to ignore.
Below are 12 moving tips that a person engaging in a long-distance move shouldn’t ignore.
12 Long-distance Tips That You Shouldn’t Ignore
- Make A Plan
You will need to plan for your move. Moving is considered by Americans the 3rd most stressful thing they will ever do in their lives. This means that you will need a plan for your move.
For long-distance moves, this plan has to begin as early as possible. Once you make up your mind to move, you should get paper and begin planning. You might need almost 2 months to finalize your plans before moving day.
Make the plan detailed, starting with organizing what you own and ending with things you will need for the first few days of moving.
- Hire A Company You Can Trust
Giving a company your items to transport to another part of the country without your supervision will require trust. That is why you will need to investigate the company you want to hire.
Find out if the company has a license from the United States Department of Transportation. The department is the issuer of interstate moving licenses.
Do not hire a company that doesn’t have a license and a USDOT number you can visit the website of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to verify a mover’s license.
- Get Multiple Moving Quotes
Another vital moving tip is that you should get moving quotes from various companies before settling for one. It is advisable to get quotes from at least 3 movers.
Don’t settle for the cheapest moving quotes you can find. The deal might be too good to be true. Select a moving company that gives you the best moving quality at a good deal.
Most moving quotes are free for the first quotes so ask for a free quote. If the company doesn’t offer free quotes don’t panic. Other companies, like Three Movers, offer free quotes.
- Update Your Documents
While packing and sorting out your things, get your documents sorted as well. You should plan on moving them yourself as it wouldn’t be a good idea to submit them to the moving crew.
Documents like your licenses should be updated and if you are moving to another state, find out if your licenses are valid in those states.
This will save you the need to make another trip to your origin state to sort out licenses and other documents.
Also, make multiple copies of your documents in the event of loss or damage while moving.
- Make A Detailed Inventory List
You will need to have a list of all you own. It might seem like a lot of work but it is necessary.
You can also hire a mover to take inventory for you if you don’t have the time to go through all you have. After all, the average American owns about 300,000 items.
In the process of making this list, you should know what you will keep and what you will get rid of. You should also figure out what you can pack right away and what you have to pack later.
- Downsize as Aggressively as Possible
After making your detailed inventory list, downsize. Keep at the back of your mind that you don’t need everything you currently one.
The advantage of this is that it reduces cost. The volume of stuff you want the movers to transport will directly affect the cost of shipping.
So, if you reduce what you are shipping, you will be reducing the cost of moving. Downsizing also allows you to make some money from selling what you own.
You can also donate what you can’t sell, further reducing what you have to move with.
- Pack With Precision
Packing your items to relocate down the block and packing to move cross-country are two distinct types of packing. For short-distance moves, a person can pack with speed in mind, knowing that they will be unpacking in a few hours.
Long-distance moves require precision. You need to pack the items securely, keeping in mind that there is a long journey ahead.
Fragile items need to be secured in things like bubble wrap before being placed in moving boxes. The moving boxes need to be strong as well.
In general, a moving box has 3 moves in it before it begins falling apart. Keep that in mind when getting moving supplies.
- Name Your Moving Boxes
It might seem unnecessary and overkill, but naming your moving boxes can save you from having a nightmare while relocating.
Name the boxes by the room the items in them are from. For instance, items from the master bedroom should be named ‘master bedroom’ or ‘MB’. This will make unpacking a simpler affair.
Also, write your initials on all the moving boxes you are giving to the moving crew. This is a long-distance move and your items might be kept in the same container as another customer’s things.
Naming might prevent a mixup of items.
- Save Money
The cost of long-distance moves generally ranges from almost $3000 to $6000. This isn’t a cheap range for most people. So, saving money any way they can is helpful.
One of the first places to save money is to move with as few items as possible. The smaller the total of your items is, the cheaper the move will be for you.
Another way to save money is in packing supplies. You can improvise as much as possible. You can use clothing to cushion some fragile items.
Keep in mind that these cost-saving techniques have to be done in moderation as some aspects can’t be cheapened.
- Send Items Not in use to Storage
As you form your inventory and pack your items, you will realize that there are items you won’t need till you arrive at your new home or apartment. You can pack and move these items with the others.
Or, a better thing to do would be to send them into storage in the city you are moving to. That way, when you are moving, you will have fewer things to move with.
It will be a great idea to hire a moving company that has storage services. This way, you pay a bundle price which would be less than individual payments for moving and storage.
- Pick a Moving Date That is Off-season
A cost-cutting tip is to pick the off-season to make your long-distance move.
80% of Americans that will move in any given year, move between May and September. This period is known as the peak moving season. Moving rates are highest at this time.
The least popular moving period is winter. If you are moving to a place with manageable winter seasons, consider moving at this time to reduce costs.
Also, pick the middle of the month, that is also another unpopular moving time as is the middle of the week.
- Don’t Overlook The Advantage of Hiring Professionals
It might look like a money-saving technique to carry out your long-distance move yourself but the reality is far more complicated.
Long-distance DIY moves can cost as high as $5000 for people moving a lot of things. This isn’t taking into account the chances of damage or loss of property due to inexperience.
A long-distance move gives you insurance, an expected cost, and convenience. You might get great deals that make hiring professionals a cheap venture.
The Right Long-distance Mover For You
While these tips can save you from distress and reduce the cost of your move, they are still just tips and might not reflect the unique nature of your move.
However, they make it clear that getting professional help is the best path to having a successful move.
And providing a successful move is where Three Movers shines. We offer long-distance moves to any part of the country. We also give one of the best moving deals in the industry.
So, call us ((888) 202-0036) and we will get you started with a free moving quote.
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