Planning a move to a new state can be stressful. What can be even more stressful is planning a move across the entire country. Long-distance moves take a lot of planning, and there are a many steps to be taken before the move itself.
We have put together some of the most important steps to take when preparing for your long-distance move, so the thought of transporting your belongings to a new place won’t bring undue stress.
Plan Ahead
It is vital that you plan ahead when you’re moving long distance. You should reach out to your moving company at least three months before you move to ensure your move gets booked, and they are capable of moving you.
Planning ahead also ensures you won’t forget any major step in the moving process. It will give you time to make sure all of your rights are covered and everything is ready to go, so you can make your move run smoothly.
Find a Moving Company and Get an In-Home Moving Estimate
Once you’ve found a moving company that you trust, getting an in-home moving estimate should be your next step. This allows your moving company to take a look at all of the items you will be moving long distance, and will help them price the move.
Downsize
The more items you ship when you move, the higher that your move will cost. Planning a long-distance move is the perfect excuse to downsize on your items that you no longer use or need.
Hosting a garage sale or donating your items are both great ways to downsize on your unwanted items. This way, whenever you move, you’ll only have the items that you need and use frequently, and your cost of moving will be lower.
Label Packing Boxes
Color coding and labeling your boxes can be extremely helpful once you move, especially when moving an entire home. Color coding or labeling boxes based on what rooms the items are in, for example, is a great way to keep all your items organized, making unpacking much simpler.
Keep Your Important Items with You
When you’re moving, it can be very easy to lose track of important photos, documents, and family heirlooms among all of the boxes.
Keeping your important items on you during the move can give you the peace of mind of knowing they won’t get lost in the chaos of the move, especially if you need to have a document handy as soon as you get to your destination.
Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
Review the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Rights and Responsibilities before your move. This will outline your responsibilities and your mover’s responsibilities on your long-distance move. Movers are required to compensate for broken or lost items, but the amount of compensation varies. It’s important to ask your mover questions about this and other moving policies before the move, so that you know what to expect.
Fortunately, Firefighting’s Finest Moving & Storage is staffed with movers you can depend on and can accommodate long-distance moves. For more information on booking a long-distance move with us, contact us today.
