There are a huge number of things that need to be considered when you prepare to move house. But when you’re preparing to move long distances, this number can quickly escalate!
It can be doubly daunting when long-distance moving due to the length of travel time involved, but it isn’t something to panic about. Here at Carmack, we’ve detailed this comprehensive guide to long-distance moving so you don’t have to go it alone.
Make sure you follow this simple checklist and preparing for your move will be considerably less stressful!
Long Distance Moving: Keep An Inventory
The first thing you need to remember to do as you start is to keep an inventory of everything that you intend to move with.
You can class this as another checklist, in addition to following this one. On your inventory, you should include all the major items in your homes such as furniture and kitchen appliances.
If there are any items you’re concerned about forgetting, make sure you include them here too. This inventory can then form the basis of your packing before you move.
Keeping this inventory is an essential way of making sure you don’t forget anything when you move home. You’re able to easily tick everything off as its been packed up, meaning you can see where in the process you are at any given time.
This can make the mammoth process of packing more manageable, as you can complete one section each day. After a week of doing this, you can look back and see all of the progress you’ve already made on your move, and how much needs doing in the weeks to come.
Downsize And Prioritize
Packing your home for a long-distance move can be the perfect time to downsize your belongings. This is a way of ensuring that you don’t have to transport as many things to your new home.
It can also be a great way to ensure the clutter you have in your current home doesn’t make it to your new one. Think of it like a major spring clean of your belongings, where you’re starting afresh in a brand new location.
One of the best strategies when it comes to downsizing is prioritizing your belongings. Think about all those things you couldn’t live without. Obviously, they need to come with you, but do you really need that spare television that’s been in your attic for over a year now?
If you sell these items that you don’t need, you can also build up a sizable fund to buy new items for your new home. With a long-distance move, it’s important to think about this as a big transition in your life.
Pack For Long Distance
When packing for long distances you need to pay extra care to how well you are packaging your goods. The longer the distance you’ll be traveling, the more likely it is that something could get damaged during transit.
Make sure you’re using the right size boxes and not cramming too many items into one package. Make sure you’ve also wrapped up any larger items like sofas so they don’t tear during the move.
When hiring the right moving service they’ll be able to assist you with packing the moving van itself, which is vital to ensuring that everything is put in the right place within the moving van. This takes into account heavier items, empty spaces, and other aspects that can mean the difference between a smooth journey and a lot of smashed plates.
Make sure to do what you can to package your belongings safely, and your movers will be able to help with the rest.
Organize For The Future As You Go
A top trick to packing isn’t just to pack for the move but to pack for the unpacking part too.
The first key way in which you can do this is by labeling as you go. If you simply write or stick a label to each box, you will know what its contents are before opening it.
If you combine this with a pack-each-room approach, then you’ll find unpacking everything way easier on the other side. This is particularly important for specific rooms in your home that might have tough items to pack and unpack, like a home gym.
Always remember that you are packing for the journey and packing for the destination. If you keep both in mind, the entire moving-in process can be easier in the long run. It means you can keep organized from the get-go in your new home!
Keep Your Important Documents And Items Safe
Another thing that many people forget to do is take note of all of their important documents and items. This can include any money you have, any particularly expensive jewelry or documents like marriage certificates.
These are the items that you don’t want to leave or lose any part of, as it can create a big loss or a lot of problems. With documents, make sure you collate them all into one folder or box.
That way, you know exactly where all of them are at all times. Check and double-check this box before moving, and try to carry it with you during the move if the documents are particularly important.
The same rules can be applied to jewelry boxes or other high-expense items in your home. With these, you have to be doubly sure to package them properly for the move. Papers aren’t at great risk of damage, but delicate jewelry or statues absolutely are.
Another thing to remember is to have a single “open-first” box packed. This doesn’t include your important items, rather your essential ones like toiletries and bedding. This can be opened first to ensure you can live in your home immediately once you arrive.
Do Your Admin Before Moving
Many movers get so caught up in the motions of packing that they forget the other details that need to be sorted when moving, particularly when moving long distances. For one, you’ll need to make the effort to reroute your letters before you move.
Make sure you change your address on any delivery platforms such as Amazon so that you don’t end up sending packages to your old address in the future.
You also need to let your family and friends know you’re going! This isn’t as essential for some people, but for most of us, it’s important to keep them in the loop with your plans.
If you keep them informed, they might even be able to give you a hand with packing or researching your new city. The more hands and helpers you have, the easier moving long-distance can become.
Book A Reliable Moving Service
Perhaps the most important thing to do is to source and book a reliable moving service.
As we mentioned above, your movers will be the ones helping to pack the moving van itself, so you want them to be experienced and reliable. Make sure you book with a company that’s experienced in residential moves so that you know they’ve done jobs like yours many times before.
Ideally, you’ll want to book with a moving service that’s award-winning, or has plenty of quality reviews online. You should also bear in mind licensing and insurance; if your movers don’t have these, you should go with somebody else!
With the right moving service, you’ll be able to quickly and easily request a transparent quote on the cost of the move. Your movers should also be experienced in moving your belongings safely, as well as ideally in storage so that they know every aspect of the transportation and care of goods.
Most importantly for you, you need to go with movers who are experienced in long-distance moving. That means they’ll know what else to consider when moving long-distance and will have the infrastructure you need to ensure a safe journey to your new home.
Where Can I Find A Reliable Long-Distance Moving Service?
There you have it, now you know the key tips and tricks to long-distance moving. If you check off the above list as you go, you’ll be all set to move to the new state of your dreams.
But you need to find the right moving service to make it a reality. Luckily for you, with Carmack, you’re already in the perfect place.
We’re experienced long-distance movers and have dedicated residential movers across the U.S. Not only that, but we offer a free quote request service directly on our website. To get your own custom quotation on your move, make sure to fill in our simple online form today.
After this, one of our experienced movers will get in touch and let you know everything you need to be prepared to move with Carmack.
