There’s almost no feeling more freeing than the one you get after deciding to move across the country. Who knows what new life awaits on the other end of your journey? However, along with feelings of freedom and opportunity, you’ll probably also experience some anxiety and maybe even dread. Those emotions are entirely natural—this is a massive undertaking! Read on to learn our eight top tips for moving across the country to make the whole process a lot less scary. Choose Your Moving Date StrategicallyIf you have the flexibility to do so, selecting a strategic move date is in your best interest. Summertime is notoriously expensive for moving (since so many people head to their new homes in this season), so consider holding off until the fall for your big day. Since you may need a moving truck for several days, you may end up saving serious cash by waiting until moving companies discount their rates. If summer is your only option, try planning to move on a weekday and avoid any big holiday weekends. Shipping Your CarFiguring out your transportation during and after the move is a significant dilemma. Is it better to drive your car to your new destination and ship your stuff in a moving container? Or should you drive your stuff in a moving truck and ship your car? Or is it best to fly and ship your stuff and your car? In the end, it all comes down to what’s most important to you. You’ll probably save the most money by shipping your stuff and driving your car, but that can put over a thousand miles on your odometer, leading to car repairs down the road. The benefit of driving, however, can’t be underestimated. Driving is a no-brainer if you’ve always wanted to see the country as it provides the perfect opportunity. Don’t Forget Your CareerSome people might be looking at us like we have two heads but forgetting about your career in the excitement of a big move is a real thing! If California has your dream climate but offers no way to work at your dream job, you should probably reconsider your move. Research the booming and growing industries in your prospective new town, and contact companies about your employment before packing up. Lining up a gig so you experience as little downtime as possible is ideal, so try to find a job before you arrive. Balance Your FinancesJust about any move requires a credit check at some point. Whether you’re purchasing a home or renting an apartment, someone will want to see your credit score. Before setting your mind to a move, take some time to get your finances in order. Pay off any credit card debt, get your credit score to a good place, and build a budget for your new home. Many people assume that their expenses will remain constant from place to place, but moving from a small town to a big city can involve a shock to your wallet. Research your new home and learn the price of groceries, gas, and utilities to set up a thoughtful budget. Donate Anything You Don’t NeedPacking is stressful enough without bringing along items you do not need. We all accumulate things that we don’t throw away, despite the items holding no functional or sentimental purpose. Prior to breaking out the packing tape, fill up some boxes and donate or sell any belongings that don’t need to come with you. The more you give away, the less you’ll need to worry about packing into boxes and fitting into a truck or container—every donated item makes your packing (and unpacking) a little easier! Start Sooner Than You Think You Need ToThinking you have more time is an extremely common pitfall for first-time movers. In truth, almost every aspect of the moving process takes longer than you think it should, from selling your old place to packing up all your belongings. Thankfully, a long selling process isn’t set in stone. Contact us, and we can help you sell your house as-is, and fast, in Elgin. That said, we can’t make as big of an impact on your packing schedule. Our best advice is to dedicate an average of two days to each room (perhaps allocating an extra day for bedrooms and one less day for a bathroom). That way, you should have a little more time than you need for each room, which should reduce any mounting feelings of stress. Before the packing truly begins, take a day to organize all your supplies. You’ll want to take a trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s and pick up moving boxes, packing tape, and anything else you think you’ll need. Thoughtfully Pack ClothingWhile you may end up filling a few boxes with nothing but clothing, try to pack clothes along with other items to maximize the space in your boxes. We recommend stuffing any gaps in your boxes with clothing and using your clothes (instead of bubble wrap or newspaper) to protect fragile items. For example, wrapping a delicate trinket in t-shirts and socks has the same effect as bubble wrap, but one option fills your boxes with materials you’ll throw away when you reach your final destination! Finally, you should consider learning how to roll your clothing—you won’t believe how small t-shirts can get once you learn proper rolling techniques. This saves space and allows your clothes to arrive wrinkle-free. Label Your BoxesDon’t let a single box enter the moving truck without a label. Depending on your fastidiousness, you can get extremely intricate with your labeling system—creating a spreadsheet that denotes what boxes contain which items, for example. Even if this seems like overkill to you, you should still add some labels. Mark any boxes with delicate items as “fragile” so you know how to pack the moving truck when the time comes. Additionally, consider adding a room tag to each box, so unpacking becomes simple. You’ll know to set down all the “kitchen” boxes in the kitchen, and you’ll avoid bringing any bedroom items down to the basement and creating more work than is necessary. Now that you know these eight top tips for moving across the country, start packing and get ready to kick off your new life with a bang!
1 Comment
3/29/2022 11:26:51 pm
I always wait for your articles as they are so informative and effective. Thank you for always sharing the correct information. Keep posting.
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AuthorEric Strung and Direct Property Buyer Team Archives
January 2024
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