The move distance between the two homes is one of those factors that will definitely play its role in determining not only how you organise the entire relocation, including the packing, but also how much you pay for having your possessions transferred successfully to your new home.
How to make your upcoming cross-country move cheaper and easier? Use the following 28 moving tips as a personal checklist for moving long-distance that will guide you through the entire preparation period.
Things to Consider When Moving Long-Distance
Meticulous planning is vital for a long-distance home move
#1. Move distance
Although the longer distance to your new home will increase the final moving cost in direct proportion, there’s nothing you can do about that move distance as it remains a constant value. As a result, you should invest your efforts in the rest of the long-distance moving factors in order to move house for less money.
You may also like to read: How to Estimate Home Moving Costs. In this guide, we explain all the elements that will make up the final cost of your home move and compare the cost of moving home yourself versus hiring a good removal company.
#2. Easiest way
The easiest way to move long distance for you will be to hire a good long-distance removal company and let them handle all aspects of your relocation.
However, there may be two possible reasons why you choose not to use professional moving services:
1) you can’t afford the price
2) you just don’t know which long-distance removal company is good enough.
#3. Cheapest way
Contrary to popular belief, the cheapest way to move long distance is not, at least in most cases, the option of renting a moving van and summoning up your friends to help you move.
Self-moving attempts are usually cost-effective only when you’re moving a short distance – across town or to a neighbouring city in an adjacent county.
The most affordable way to move long distance is all about using smart house moving techniques to lower the cost of moving before the actual move takes place.
The top 3 ways to do just that are
1) taking only the things you will need in the future
2) packing whatever you can by yourself
3) finding a value for money removal company
You may also like to read: How to the Best Price From Your Removal Company. In this guide, we suggest ways that you may be able to save some money on the quotes you have received for your move.
#5. Planning
Proper organisation is a vital prerequisite for successful residential moving to another part of the country.
In addition to starting your preparations as soon as the household move is confirmed, create a moving checklist to use each hour of each day to your advantage.
To phrase it differently – don’t waste any valuable pre-move time.
You may also like to read: How to Pack a Car When Moving Home. Planning for your long-distance home move will involve deciding what to take in your car. In this guide, we show you how to pack your things, safe loading techniques, and even how to pack a trailer or roof box.
#6. Protection
The cross country move ahead of you means that your prized possessions will spend more time on the road while they’re being transported between the two addresses.
That alone is the major reason why your things have to be protected in a professional way for the unknown and unpredictable forces on the road.
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Will your money be enough to cover the cost of moving long distance?
Set a personal moving budget to find out.
As a bonus, a moving budget will give you more control over your finances in real time and will let you know if a specific job requires more financial help to be completed than you originally allocated to it.
You may also like to read: How to Set a Moving Budget. In this guide, we share some tips on the best way to create a home moving budget.
#9. Change of address
Your home address would change even if you were moving just across the street, let alone to a place hundreds of miles away.
It’s a personal preference whether you send out your new address notifications before you move out, or whether you will wait until you’ve moved.
Either way, you must do it.
You may also like to read: The Ultimate Change of Address Checklist. We have created a change of address checklist for you which you can customise for your own needs.
#10. Utilities
Arriving at your new home to find you have no electricity, gas, or running water would be no fun.
Make sure you’ve contacted the utility companies and arranged their connection approximately 1 week before you are scheduled to move in.
#11. Personal vehicle
In all likelihood, you will be driving your car to your new home and so there are a couple of important things that need to be done in preparation for your long journey:
1)Get your car serviced and ensure it is perfectly road-worthy.
2)Plan an alternative route to your new home in the event there are delays etc on your preferred route.
3)Have a map printed out or better yet, take an atlas or paper map with you just in case you lose the Sat Nav signal.
You may also like to read: Moving Home by Car. In this guide, we share tips on how to pack things for transporting by car, how to prepare and safely load your vehicle, as well as suggest some games to play on the long journey ahead.
Packing Tips for Moving Long-Distance
Decluttering is vital, no matter how far you are moving
#12 Declutter
Before you start any packing, declutter your home.
That means separating out only the things that you absolutely need and love.
The fewer items that you need to have packed and moved the quicker, cheaper, and easier your home move will be.
A good way to help your moving budget is to try to sell all the items that you no longer want to keep.
Organise a moving sale in your front yard, go to a car boot sale nearby to pocket some cash, or sell your things online provided that you really have time for any pre-move sales.
You may also like to read: How to Do a Car Boot Sale. In this guide, we offer you tips on how to prepare for, set up, and make sales at a car boot sale.
#14. Allow plenty of packing time
Preparing to move long distance is, without a doubt, the period that will determine how smoothly your cross country move goes.
And the highest-priority job while you’re getting ready to move out is the job of getting your items ready for safe transportation.
If you are packing your things yourself be sure to start as soon as you can, it will take you far longer than you think.
#15. Self-packing
Packing to move long distance is usually not the best time to try your packing skills because your possessions are expected to be really well protected for the long haul.
If you own too many specialty items that require professional packing, or if you just can’t find the time to do it on your own, it’s time to call in the pros.
#16. Professional packers
Yes, professional packing services will cost you extra but the price may not be as high as you think – request a price estimate from a reputable removal company to find out.
In most cases, the best way to move long distance is to pack whatever you can by yourself and let professionals pack your fragile and special belongings.
You may also like to read: Are Professional Packers Worth the Cost? In this guide, we look at what professional packers do, how much they cost, and how they will make your home move so much easier.
#17. Packing supplies
One of the better packing tips for moving long distance is to use nothing but quality packing materials in order to guarantee the ultimate protection for your valuable things.
The use of Bubble wrap and packing paper in generous amounts, as well as other padding materials, is highly recommended.
You may also like to read: FAQ About Packing for a Home Move. In this guide, we answer the most common questions that people ask when packing for a home move.
#18. Set, ready, go
It’s vital that you initiate the packing task as soon as you can to avoid one of the most common packing mistakes – underestimation.
Start packing the storage areas in your home and work your way through the loft, garages and sheds, spare rooms, kitchen, living room, children’s room, bedroom, and finally – your bathroom.
You may also like to read: What to Pack First When Moving Home. In this guide, we suggest the order in which to pack your home ready for moving.
#19. Fragility
Fragile items will require a bit more packing attention – plates, glasses, vases, and just about any other items made of glass, crystal, or porcelain will be better off with extra wrapping and padding to survive the cross-country move.
Remember that valuables should stay with you at all times.
If such prized items are too big or heavy for you to transport safely to your new home, then you should definitely consider purchasing additional moving insurance from either an insurance company or through your removal company.
You may also like to read: Home Moving Insurance: Do I Need It? Being underinsured is one of the most common home moving mistakes. In this guide, we explain the different types of insurance that are available when moving home.
#21. Packing inventory
It is a good idea to make an inventory of all your valuable items that you are taking with you in case of loss or damage.
Photograph the condition of them before they are packed and if you are taking antiques for example, then get a professional appraisal of their condition and value.
You may also like to read: How to Create a Packing Inventory. In this guide, we show you how to create an inventory of your valuable items when moving home.
#22. Large furniture
Large furniture pieces can present a number of problems for you, the biggest one being the fact that they are heavy and will cost serious money to have them moved.
Packing large furniture for a long-distance move often comes down to disassembling it for safer packing and transportation which will add to your moving costs.
Consider whether it is really worth the cost and inconvenience to have them moved to your new home.
You may also like to read: Moving Home With No Furniture. You will considerably reduce your home moving costs by not taking your furniture with you. In this guide, we explain why moving furniture to your new home may not be cost-effective and suggest cheap ways of moving if you are just taking boxes to your new home.
#23. Essentials box
Often, a long-distance move takes place over a couple of days.
You will need to pack a box of essential items that you need before the rest of your stuff arrives at your new home.
Ensure that your moving day essentials box remains with you at all times and is not accidentally loaded onto the removal lorry.
You may also like to read: How to Pack a Moving Day Essentials Box. It is important that you carefully consider what to pack into your moving day essentials box, especially when moving long distance. In this guide, we suggest items that you may want to pack in yours.
#24. Finish line
If you did the sensible thing of starting the packing process early enough and sticking to your packing schedule, you should be able to cross the finish line at least one full day before the date of your move.
Don’t leave any packing jobs for moving day, no matter how trivial they may seem.
You may also like to read: What to Do The Day Before You Move Home. Here we have created a tick list of all the important tasks that should be completed by, or done the day before you move home.
How to Find a Good Long-Distance Removal Company
Not all removal companies are equal, so choose wisely
#25. The cost of moving long-distance
How much does it cost to move long distance? There are so many variables to that question.
The final cost will depend upon the distance you are moving, how much stuff you are moving, or whether the move needs to be done over a couple of days.
#26. Moving quotes
The only way you can get a realistic answer to the question of how much your cross-country move will cost you is to get accurate quotes from removal companies.
You will find when searching for a removal company that many will not do long-distance moves, others will not have large enough vehicles for all your stuff, and others will not be available on the dates you want to move.
To save time and frustration use a comparison site to get your initial quotes.
You will then only be contacted by removal firms who have the skills, availability, and the right vehicles to move you to your new home.
It costs nothing to get quotes, so get at least 3 or 4 quotes so that you can compare not only prices but the additional services each company offers.
#27. Choosing a Good Long-Distance Removal Company
Once you have got your quotes, it is time to sort the wheat from the chaff.
It is vitally important that you choose your moving partner carefully and that they can offer the exact services you need.
You may also like to read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. It cannot be over-emphasised how important it is to pick the right removal company, but that is often easier said than done. In this guide, we take you step-by-step through the process of picking the best removal company for your particular home move.
#28. Good luck
Your long-distance moving checklist is now complete. Use the above tips for moving long distance to complete your house move more easily, and most importantly – for less money.
Don’t forget to visit our home moving blog for lots of tips on what to do not only before and during your home move but also after you have moved.
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