Making a long distance move doesn’t have to be a stressful experience when you hire the best company of movers and brush up on tips to prepare for a long distance move, as well as for comparing moving company quotes. Know your options when it comes to the safety of your belongings, help with packing up your home efficiently, and movers who will get your items from one place to the next on time. Make the moving process smooth with a moving company that can provide the best service for you and take the time to prepare for your next step.

Tips to prepare for a long distance move  | Bellhop Bellhop Blog

Prepare for the Process

Even with quality movers on your side, there are many ways you can prepare yourself for the extra time and transition period that comes with a cross-country move. 

Keep the Essentials Accessible 

While packing an entire home into boxes can turn into a tunnel vision mission, it’s important to be ready for the actual moving time period. There will be travel time in between your old home and the new one, time in your old home when your personal items have been proactively packed, and a period of unpacking boxes of belongings in your new location. Make sure to plan ahead by keeping out a bag with the essentials of clothes, toiletries, and anything else you’ll need during the time your household things will be boxed and unavailable. 

Trim Down Your Belongings 

No matter the size of your home, everyone accumulates more items than they need. Peace of mind in the moving process can come with a thorough purge of home inventory you no longer use, need, or could live without. Packing is an overwhelming process when personal items stack up and space is limited. Getting rid of outdated or unused decor items, furniture, and household items can streamline the packing and moving process. 

Do Your Research

The safety of your personal belongings isn’t something to entrust to just any company. From packing to heavy lifting, your moving company needs to take special care with your items and furniture. Each company provides its own range of services, guarantees, and insurance for its customers. Make sure you hire experienced movers, with dedicated customer service values to ensure a stress-free process. 

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Moving Insurance 

Even with professional long-distance movers, accidents can happen. Just like anything else in life, insurance can be a smart investment. For your cross-country move, check out moving insurance providers to protect your breakable items and any damage that arises during the transport or loading. 

Budget Your Move

Budgeting for a move can seem like aiming for a moving target with some companies. Pricing can be variable based on distance, number of trucks and movers, type of home you’re moving to or from, and surprise fees that you won’t see coming. 

Find a moving company that offers a guaranteed quote upfront and sticks to their projected number until the end. This fixed pricing will allow you the ability to create a workable budget for your move, without having to worry about sudden changes or surprise charges. 

Make a Schedule

Everything in life runs smoother with a set schedule, especially something with as many moving parts as an interstate move. While nothing is perfect, having a plan can help alleviate chaos on moving day, reduce stress in the process, and help your moving company, family, and anyone else involved feel cohesive and prepared. Then once your schedule is made, add in some extra wiggle time for mishaps, wrong turns, and extra bathroom breaks. 

Move Coordinator 

If the idea of a moving schedule seems daunting, make sure you find a moving company that can help with every aspect of your move. In addition to packing services and heavy lifting, many full-service moving company options can provide a dedicated move coordinator. This can take the pressure off you to streamline your moving day and just relax, knowing your move will be handled with special care. 

The Better Way to Move

Delivery Windows

How does someone make a precise moving schedule when the truck’s arrival can happen at any time during a large window? Short answer; they can’t. While most moving companies can only offer that your belongings will be delivered within a certain time frame, many customers need a more dependable plan than that. Take the guesswork out of delivery with a company that can offer precise pickup and delivery times that fit your schedule. 

Know Your Needs

With many long distance movers, your move will be partnered with someone else moving to your new city, or one that’s on the way. This means a complex process with shared trucks, shared moving teams, and shared focus. While this may work fine for some, others need the peace of mind that comes with an independent moving team. 

Find a moving company who provides the option to choose a dedicated truck, moving team, and moving day experience. 

Pack Smarter

Once you’ve purged those unneeded items, start the packing process off right with some much needed preparations. 

Make a List

You won’t lose an item if you know what you’ve got and where it’s stored. Begin by making a detailed inventory checklist of your belongings and label which boxes they will be packed into. 

Labels

To go with your rough inventory, make use of labels on everything you can. When you finish filling a box, label the room it goes in, so your movers can unload your boxes of belongings right where they’ll need to be. 

Get the Packing Materials

Packing will go smoother if you’ve got the supplies you’ll need. Invest in a variety of box sizes, packing paper and bubble wrap, and a strong tape to seal your item tight.

Trust the Professionals

Need some help? Many moving companies can provide helpful services before your move even starts. Find a company that offers packing services, a packing schedule, or even a coordinator packing for you while you prepare the rest of your move. 

Find the Best Company

All these smaller aspects needed for a seamless transition from one home to another require you to trust and enjoy working with the moving company you choose. Beyond the basic services, find a moving company that makes the entire process easy. From online booking options to upfront pricing, the right company can make all the difference in your cross-country move. 

Now that you’re well prepared for your move, here a few popular cities that Bellhop works in:

 

Other Long-Distance Moving Guides

Long-distance moves are undeniably tricky. We’ve put together a few guides to help you manage some of the thornier points of a long-distance move. And of course, if you need help with your long-distance move, just give us a call. 

 
Harrison Stevens