Moving Help: 8 Tips for a Happier Cross Country Move



We all know about turning on the utilities at the new place and filling out the change-of-address form for the postal service, however when you make a long-distance relocation, some other things enter into play that can make obtaining from here to there a bit more difficult. Here are 9 pointers pulled from my recent experience of moving from the East Coast to the West Coast-- from packing the moving van to managing the inescapable disasters.

1. Maximize area in the moving van. Moving cross-country is not low-cost (I can just picture the cost of moving overseas), so I did a lot of reading and asking around for tips prior to we evacuated our home, to make sure we made the most of the space in our truck. Now that we've made it to the other side, I can say with confidence that these are the leading 3 packing steps I would do again in a heartbeat:

Declutter before you load. There's no sense in bringing it with you-- that space in the truck is money if you don't love it or need it!
Leave cabinet drawers filled. For the very first time ever, instead of emptying the dresser drawers, I simply left the linens and clothing folded inside and wrapped up the furnishings. Does this make them heavier? Yes. As long as the drawers are filled with lightweight items (absolutely not books), it ought to be fine. And if not, you (or your assistants) can bring the drawers out separately. The advantage is twofold: You require fewer boxes, and it will be simpler to find things when you move in.
Load soft items in black trash bags. Attractive? Not in the least. This has to be the smartest packaging concept we tried. Fill sturdy black garbage bags with soft items (duvets, pillows, packed animals), then use the bags as area fillers and cushioning inside the truck. To keep products secured and clean, we doubled the bags and connected, then taped, them shut. Use an irreversible marker on sticky labels used to the outside to keep in mind the contents.

2. Paint prior to you move in. If you prepare to provide your new space a fresh coat of paint, it makes a lot of sense to do this prior to moving all of your stuff in.

Aside from the obvious (it's much easier to paint an empty home than one filled with furniture), you'll feel an excellent sense of accomplishment having "paint" ticked off your order of business before the first box is even unpacked.

While you're at it, if there are other untidy, disruptive items on your list (anything to do with the floors absolutely qualifies), getting to as many of them as possible prior to moving day will be a big assistance.

3. Ask around before signing up for services. Depending upon where you're moving, there may be many or few options of service companies for things like phone and cable. If you have some alternatives, make the effort to ask around before devoting to one-- you might find that the company that served you so this review here well back at your old location doesn't have much infrastructure in the new location. Or you might discover, as we did, that (thanks to lousy cellular phone reception) a landline is a requirement at the new location, although utilizing only cellphones worked fine at the old home.

One of the unexpectedly sad minutes of our move was when I recognized we couldn't bring our houseplants along. We provided away all of our plants however ended up keeping some of our favorite pots-- something that has made selecting plants for the new space much simpler (and more affordable).

Once you remain in your brand-new place, you might be lured to postpone buying new houseplants, however I urge you to make it a concern. Why? Houseplants clean up the air (especially essential if you have actually utilized paint or flooring that has unpredictable organic compounds, or VOCs), however most important, they will make your house seem like house.

Offer yourself time to get utilized to a new climate, time zone and culture. After moving from New England back to the San Francisco Bay Location, I have actually been amazed at how long it's taken to feel "settled"-- even though I've moved back to find more info my home town!

6. Anticipate some meltdowns-- from children and adults. Moving is hard, there's just no other way around it, but moving long-distance is especially difficult.

It suggests leaving behind friends, schools, jobs and possibly household and getting in a great unknown, new location.

Even if the brand-new location sounds great (and is fantastic!) meltdowns and emotional moments are a totally natural reaction to such a big shakeup in life.

When the minute comes (and it will) that somebody (or more than one somebody) in the house needs a good cry, hiring long distance movers roll with it. Then get yourselves up and find something enjoyable to do or explore in your new town.

7. Expect to shed some more things after you move. No matter how much decluttering you do before moving, it seems to be a law of nature that there will be items that just don't fit in the new space.

Even if everything fit, there's bound to be something that simply does not work like you believed it would. Attempt not to hang on to these things simply from disappointment.

Offer them, present them to a dear friend or (if you truly love the items) keep them-- but only if you have the storage space.

8. Also anticipate to purchase some things after you move. We simply offered so much things away! It's not reasonable! I understand. Each home has its quirks, and those quirks demand new stuff. For instance, perhaps your old kitchen had a huge island with plenty of space for cooking prep and for stools to pull up for breakfast, but the new cooking area has a huge empty area right in the middle of the room that needs a portable island or a cooking area table and chairs. Allocating a little bit of cash for these kinds of things can help you set and stick to a spending plan.

Moving cross-country is not cheap (I can just envision the expense of moving overseas), so I did a lot of reading and asking around for suggestions prior to we packed up our house, to make sure we made the many of the area in our truck. If you plan to give your new space a fresh coat of paint, it makes a lot of sense to do this before moving all of your things in.

After moving from New England back to the San Francisco Bay Location, I have actually been impressed at how long it's taken to feel "settled"-- even though I've moved back to my hometown! Moving is hard, there's simply no method around it, but moving long-distance is especially hard.

No matter how much decluttering you do prior to moving, it appears to be a law of nature that there will be items that simply don't fit in the brand-new area.

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