Tips for Long Distance Move

Following these tips will make your long distance move stress-free.

Moving to a new home should be filled with fun and excitement! But the act of moving can be stressful and overwhelming. Talk about long distance moving, it may put you over the edge!  Keep reading and the tips following will help ease your anxiety and help you have a stress-free long distance move:

• Plan your moving date:  Making a timeline will help with scheduling your pre-move duties and define your own deadlines. If possible, consider moving in the low season- mid April and mid October are a very good times to relocate. If you are on more of a time crunch-plan hitting the road during the middle of the month. Plan ahead- for instance, contact your new utility companies (gas, electric, water, cable, phone, etc for connection. Update every billing source you have and notify them you have a new address. Don’t forget about your banking- select a new bank or locate a branch of your current bank near your new address for new checks.
• Have a packing plan: Now is a great time to declutter your life. Go through all your things and decide which items you want to keep and which items you can part with.  This will help lessen your moving expenses, time and significantly reduce your stress. Have a yard sale- give items to your friends or family, and donate. This guide will help define what items you should take with you. Packing plan- make one and stick to it!

Saving money is part of making long distance relocation easier

• Research ahead of time and set up a budget: The amount of moving options can be overwhelming. The first step is to filter them properly according to your needs. Moving companies usually offer 3 options: full service, self-service and specialized. Choose the plan that is right for you. In a nutshell, full service is the most comfortable option since the company packs at the origin and unpacks at the destination. On the other hand, self service allows you to do everything yourself. If you have items that require extra care such as a piano, fragile antiques, etc; the specialized plan may be the right option for you. The option you choose will determine the expense. Bottomline, the more you do yourself, the less the cost should be. Ask about different plans the company offers and determine which tier is best for your family. Remember the movers tip!
  

  Picking only the essentials is a significant step.

• Choose the right insurance:  Your most valuable possessions will of course stay with you. We are talking about family jewelry, photos, personal documents, basically anything you want to safegaurd- have it in YOUR possession.  Do not put it on the truck. Now- choose proper insurance that you cover any possible damage to your other belongings. By law, all moving companies must provide 2 coverage options for out-of-state moves: Full Value Protection and Released Value Protection. Full Value Protection requires movers to replace items damaged during moving or reimburse the current value. Released Value Protection only requires reimbursement at $0.60 per pound. You can ask the moving companies to provide quotes of what expanded coverage they may offer, or, if your items are particularly valuable, you may want to consider adding your own third-party moving insurance policy as well in a customized way.

Credits to: realtor.com and moving.com