There are a number of reasons people move cross country. Some might be bored of their surroundings or found their dream job in a different city, while others might be moving to be closer (or further away) to family. Whatever the reason, the new adventure can be very exciting, but there’s a lot to organize beforehand.
If you’re about to move, follow these steps to make the process that little bit easier.
Give yourself plenty of time
The first thing to do is to start planning far in advance. The more time you give yourself, the less stressful it’ll be. Prepping for a cross-country move isn’t simple, and you’ll need plenty of time to prepare everything you want to take with you and get rid of anything you don’t.
To help, you should start researching removal companies and cross-country haul services to gather quotes and get all the information you might need. If you’re transporting a car, you might also want to look into different car shipping companies to make the process simpler.
Give yourself plenty of time to get everything prepared – even before you’ve started packing. That way, the process can be plain sailing from the get-go. We recommend starting at least two months before the move.
Create a to-do list
No job is too big or too small to add to the list. Having a fully detailed list of things that need to be done will help you stay focused on the task at hand. Everything from arranging documents, bills, packing, and gathering quotes should be added to the list, as well as any deadlines you need to meet.
You’ll likely remember things later down the line, so keep a to-do list to hand so you can write down anything else you think of.
Check things off the list before moving onto another task, or assign certain jobs to family members willing to help.
Declutter
As with any move, decluttering is the perfect way to start afresh in your new home, potentially earn a little money, and reduce the amount you need to pack. Throughout the years, we all accumulate stuff we think we need that never end up getting used. Moving is the perfect time to get rid of all that clutter and focus on the essentials.
Before you start packing, segment rooms into different areas and tackle each area head-on. Make piles of things to keep, trash, sell and only pack what you’re keeping. Once you’ve got big enough piles, you can have a yard sale or sell items online before moving onto the next room.
Pack properly
When you’re ready to start packing, it’s important to do it properly. Moving locally usually gives you the freedom to fling things in the car with no fuss. But as you’ll be moving further afield, you need to make sure everything is packed properly and securely so that nothing gets damaged in the move.
If you follow a simple to-do list, you should be able to stay calm and collected throughout the whole process. Then, when you get to your new home, you can sit back and enjoy yourself.
