Are you relocating for a job, love interest, or a change of pace? Whatever your reasons are, moving can be a very exciting change to make. However, it does not come without a decent amount of stress (as all moving does), so check out these 6 Tips to Minimize the Stress of Moving Long Distance and lessen your stress during your big move!
This post may contain affiliate links which means we receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
6 Tips to Minimize the Stress of Moving Long Distance
When you really wrap your head around it, packing up everything you own and moving it all the way across the country requires a lot more time and preparation than simply moving across town.
While you can eliminate all of the little annoyances there are some things you can do to make the move a lot smoother.
1. Plan Well in Advance
Time is precious when it comes to planning a cross country move. When you are pressed for time, you are much more liable to forget a lot of important aspects to moving.
I have heard stories of people leaving extremely important things behind during their move, forgetting to turn on or off certain subscription services and a host of other things that end up costing them a lot of time and money to replace once they realize it.
It is ideal to give yourself at least two months to properly prepare for your big move.
This 2 month time span is long enough that it gives you enough time to get everything in order, but also leaves some wiggle room in case you run into problems along the way. Procrastination and moving are never a good combination and they are often the core cause of your stress.
2. Determine How You will Move in Advance
The very first thing to decide on is what your moving method is going to be? Are you going to pack everything in your own vehicle and drive across the country, or are you going to rent a moving truck, packing it all up yourself and drive it to your new destination all by yourself, or are you going to leave it to the professionals and hire movers with full service options?
If you are choosing the latter two choices (i.e. renting a truck or hiring a moving company), you are going to want to start your search for the right company very early on. Begin your search by searching for companies in the area and getting estimates to determine which one will work best for you.
Do not forget to check reviews and ask for recommendations as well, because when it comes to your personal possessions, you do not want to take any chances.
Once you have found the right company, you will want to quickly lock in your moving dates to ensure that the movers or the moving truck of your choice will be available on those dates. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the moving company you have decided on will not be available when you need them.
3. Invest in Durable Moving Materials
Throwing your personal belongings in a garbage bag might suffice if you do not have many possessions are simply moving a few minutes away, but not necessarily when you are moving miles away. Your personal belongings have a long road ahead of them and you’ll want to make sure that they’re protected every step of the way. Many moving companies offer their customers quality moving materials including bubble wrap, packing tape, and moving boxes.
4. De-Clutter Before Packing
Before you begin putting your items into boxes and containers you should really think about purging and keeping only what is needed.
Sorting through your belongings and weeding out the things you do not need will not only save you the frustration when it comes time to unpack, but will also save you a few extra bucks (less stuff, smaller moving truck and moving supplies needed).
Be honest during your purge and get rid of anything that you no longer use. If it is still in pretty good shape you can either donate it or sell it to earn a few extra bucks.
If you have a garden where you are currently living, don't forget to gather your gardening tools if you are moving to a new home where you will also have a garden, especially your weeding tools!
5. Gather Important Paperwork
Imagine getting all the way across town and realizing that you have left or ca not find your social security card or birth certificate? It can be a pain in the neck trying to retrieve those things from across the country.
That is why it is important to gather those things right away. Important paperwork might include things such as your birth certificate, social security cards, passports, and insurance policies.
Once you have gathered everything, be sure to store them in a safe place that you can easily access once you arrive at your new place. Simply jamming them in boxes can cause them to get damaged.
One the most important of these 6 Tips to Minimize the Stress of Moving Long Distance
6. Inventory and Labeling
This step is particularly important to those who have hired movers or are having their belongings shipped across the country. As you are packing, be sure to clearly label what is inside of each box.
As you label the boxes, be sure that you have written them down for inventory. This way, when you arrive at your new home you can check to ensure that everything made it there safely.
Not to mention, labeling all of your boxes makes unpacking everything once you have arrived at your new location a lot easier, as opposed to playing the guessing game with each box.
You can simply take each box to the room or area where it belongs and unpack your new home room by room, without having a huge pile of boxes sitting in the living room and having to go back and forth as you begin unpacking.
No move is without a little stress, but these six tips can certainly help to make the process much easier to manage. Once you have arrived at your new place you will have an easier time settling in.
After unpacking everything, you can begin thinking of creative ways to decorate your living space – which is often the most enjoyable part of moving to begin with.
RG Quality Moving & Storage LLC
Wow! These are useful long distance moving tips. I think every person must follow these tips if they really want to minimize the stress during moving.