Planning a long-distance move and having peace of mind sound like two things that can hardly be accomplished simultaneously. Indeed, a state-to-state move can be quite stressful, especially if you are not moving alone and you have lots of belongings you need transported.
Still, there are many ways one can approach and plan a state-to-state move, and some are certainly more conducive to bringing you peace of mind in the process than others. To that end, here are a few key tips for how to go through such an endeavor the right way.
1. Start planning early
This is true for most things in life, and a long-distance move to another state or country is no exception. Moving is rarely just a matter of putting a few things in a suitcase and driving away, after all. Instead, even if you don’t have too many belongings or a large family to bring with you, there are various administrative tasks that need to be addressed, and picking the right time and professional help can be surprisingly difficult and consequential decisions.
There are lots of auxiliary things that often need to be done, such as activating the utilities at your new place, doing certain renovations before you move in, and so on. All of these can be quite stressful and time-consuming if they are not pre-planned carefully and ahead of time. What’s more, such activities can often necessitate lots of additional trips back and forth, which can be especially annoying over a long distance. So, planning everything ahead of time often allows you to combine multiple tasks in a single trip, saving a lot of time, money, and stress.
2. Pick the right time to move
A key part of the planning stage of every move that is worth a separate mention is choosing the date. Most people pick a date based on external circumstances, such as when the school year starts, when they need to be at their new job, and so on. Indeed, it is often difficult to escape such external circumstances, but it is always worth it to give this as much additional consideration as you can.
The reason is simple, and it is that moving is a seasonal business like many others. In particular, the late spring to early autumn months tend to be the busy season for moving companies, as most people choose to move there and avoid moving in the winter. Similarly, most people move during weekends, which is understandable, but it also makes moving companies much busier during the weekends, especially in the summer.
This can make it much trickier to find a reputable company to work with, especially if you don’t book them early on. What’s more, this also means that most companies have higher rates during their busier periods. In other words, if you can time your move during a weekday and/or during the off-season, you can save a lot of money.
This is especially crucial for long-distance state-to-state moves, as companies tend to charge per mile and their rates can vary quite a lot, depending on when you require their services. The difference between $0.70 per mile and $1.10 per mile can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars over a long enough distance.
3. Hire the right moving company
Not every move requires professional help, of course. If you only have a couple of suitcases of personal belongings and a backpack, you can just do everything yourself. If you have to move a whole truck’s worth of stuff, however, hiring help becomes almost a must. What’s more, hiring the right professional help is crucial, as there are many moving companies out there that aren’t fully licensed, that work with uninsured haulers and drivers, and that offer subpar services at overpriced rates per mile.
Instead, hiring the Three Movers state to state moving service or another reputable company will save you not only time and effort, but a lot of unnecessary stress. A good moving company is easy to work with, has excellent customer service and communication, is upfront about any additional fees and services, offers fair rates, and is always fully insured.
Finding the right company can be tricky, however, especially if you are moving during the busy season and you haven’t started looking ahead of time, which is why it’s so important to start planning your move as early as possible.
4. Declutter before you move
Lots of people make the mistake of first moving all their belongings and furniture to their new place first, and then deciding what to keep, what to sell or give away, and then replacing with new stuff. This makes sense from a certain point of view, as you wouldn’t want to get rid of something before you move, only to realize that you still need it once you’ve moved.
However, for a long-distance move, in particular, moving furniture and multiple boxes of belongings across state lines (and paying for it) only to sell or throw them away afterwards is just a waste of effort and money. Instead, it’s much better to plan ahead of time what you want to take with you and what you won’t need, and declutter before you move.
In fact, a good strategy is to make a full floor plan of your new home ahead of time and plan exactly what you are going to need to take with you and where it’s supposed to go. Not only will this save you lots of time and money during the move, but it will also make the unpacking and setting up of your new home much easier.