August 22, 2022 Posted in How-to
Gemma Collins

Gemma is an NJ local that has explored all the US states, making her the perfect person to write about moving.

How to Make Moving Easier When Relocating Cross Country

If you are facing the challenge of moving cross country for the first time, the whole process might seem intimidating at first, and indeed, relocations are exacting. Hence, it is natural to wonder how to make moving easier and less stressful. Fortunately, many people before you have gone through the same experience and left an abundance of useful information on this issue.

kids and parents packing overlay
Relocation can be an enjoyable experience for the entire family if everything is properly planned

The solution to the problem of how to make moving easy lies in decisiveness, self-responsibility, and organization, traits that should be demonstrated from the very beginning. Relocation consists of many segments, and a clear plan on how to deal with each one is required. Most importantly, a decision will have to be made on whether you will relocate with or without the help of a cross-country moving company.

How to Make Moving Easier? Checklist Is a Must if You Want to Avoid a Bad Episode

Relocating-to-another-state checklist is the first thing you should create after deciding to move to a new state. The checklist is basically a bullet list of tasks that you will follow, and by doing so, you will establish order and organize your move much more easily. It is best to have a checklist at least two months before relocation, but last-minute relocations are also frequent occurrences, and a plan is needed for them as well.

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Don’t Start Packing Boxes Until You Have Determined What Items Are Truly Necessary

How do you make moving less difficult? One of the best relocation tips you can get is to downsize for the move. That means you will sit down and decide what to get rid of before doing anything. As a result, the packing will be more efficient and cost-effective. Unnecessary home possessions could be converted into an additional income if it is possible to organize a garage sale, but a donation is always an option. Finally, if you are asking yourself – “How do you pack a house in a hurry?“, downsizing is the answer, as preparing an unneeded cabinet for transportation can take a lot of time.

Adequate Tools Are Needed in Order to Move House Furniture, Kitchen Appliances, and Other Heavy Objects

What items make moving easier? If you are relocating for the first time, know that furniture transportation is a serious thing that carries many risks. You won’t see any reputable long-distance movers carrying heavy objects without professional tools. Hence, if you have decided to tackle this task without the use of professional help, here is what is needed:

  • Utility dollies,
  • Lifting straps,
  • Furniture sliders,
  • Ramps.

All these tools facilitate heavy lifting or replace it with pushing or pulling. Not only will you feel exhausted, but also you will expose yourself to the danger of severely hurting your back.

Learn the Appropriate Packing Methods for All Kinds of Home Possessions

How do you pack and move fast? That is done by knowing exactly what to do when you start preparing and placing your home possessions in boxes. First of all, protective materials for relocation have to be acquired. You will have to wrap each item up and place it in a box in order to ensure safe transportation. Getting these materials is not that hard, as every home supplies store has them, and they won’t affect your relocation budget drastically.

However, the real issue is how to properly wrap everything and place it into a box. Fragile items are packed in one way, while electronics are in another. And the same stands for all the rest of the household possessions. Luckily, for each and every type of object, there is either a blog or a Youtube video, and possessing such knowledge will facilitate the process of relocation a lot.

A couple preparing objects for relocation together overlay
Preparing objects for transportation can be a fun activity when you know what to do

Before You Decide to Pack Anything Heavy, Consider Booking a Long-Distance Moving Company

How can I make moving less stressful? By hiring the help of professional cross-country moving services. Of course, you will have to determine whether your budget can support this. However, we must assert that cross-country movers help immensely when relocating, and here is why:

Packing services

All that we have mentioned above can be bypassed by purchasing professional packing services. This means that a relocation crew will bring all the needed materials and boxes and wrap everything up adequately for safe transportation.

Storage services

Storage services are often needed when relocating since you most likely won’t move all house possessions at once. Knowing that a storage facility is in good condition means a lot.

Auto transport services

This is one of the biggest dilemmas when relocating, whether to drive or purchase auto transport services. We have to say that almost always purchasing transportation services is the right choice. Driving can be extremely tiring and cost-ineffective due to gas prices.

Custom crating

Relocating a prized possession can render a relocation unbearably stressful. If you have to move a piano or some other unique valuable item, don’t do it if you are not sure how. It is better to purchase the custom crating service, which is specifically designed for the transportation of valuables.

Insurance

Accidents tend to happen when handling and transporting home possessions, and nothing will bring more calmness than knowing that your possessions are insured against damages after purchasing relocating insurance.

Clean Everything Before You Start Filling up the Boxes

Whether you have hired long-distance moving services or not doesn’t matter – all house possessions before they are packed in boxes should be cleaned thoroughly. To begin with, there are items movers won’t move, and the majority of them are the ones that are in poor or inadequate condition (filled refrigerators, dusty sofas, and such). Secondly, you will be able to unpack after the move with ease, knowing that everything is clean.

After Everything Is Packed, Clean Your House or Apartment as Well

One of the more frequent relocation mistakes is not performing the move-out cleaning. This often results in unnecessary problems and stress. If you have rented the place, getting the deposit back will be a great new addition to your relocation budget. However, landlords will never return the deposit if the place is left in poor condition. Hence, tidy up everything and take pictures of each room in order to have proof that everything is sorted out.

Follow the Weather Forecast for the Relocation Day

It is not the same whether you are relocating on a nice sunny day or in the rainy season. Of course, the best weather for relocation is dry. However, you have to be prepared for precipitation. The most important thing is to be adequately dressed. However, additional safety measures for your belongings will be required as well. Therefore, be sure to learn what needs to be done during snowy or rainy weather in order to avoid any accidents or delays.

This is extremely important when relocating in winter with a car. You have to constantly follow the weather forecast and check road conditions. Drivers can easily get stuck in blizzards when being negligent, and that has the potential to delay all things significantly, but more importantly, it could be even life-threatening. All in all, only drive if you are absolutely certain that you are able to do so and that the road conditions are acceptable.

Don’t Neglect Your Well-Being When Relocating

How do you make moving enjoyable? As you can see, relocations are complex procedures, and people often forget about themselves when relocating, which makes it much more difficult to deal with relocation stress. Yes, you won’t have much free space to engage in leisure activities, but whenever you feel the infamous relocation anxiety, take a breather. Read a page or two from a book or listen to some relaxing music. In other words, do something that will take your mind off relocation. It will mean a lot.

Don’t Forget About Your Loved Ones as Well

If you are relocating with kids or with your furry friends, know that they both experience much more acute relocation anxiety than adults. However, if you don’t do something about it, their stress could easily transfer to you and aggravate your existing stress. Here is some useful advice on how to mitigate the stress.

Separate both kids and pets from relocation

The relocation day can be quite chaotic, with all the possessions getting carried away, movers circling around the house, and constant thumping and thudding. Both kids and pets find this experience stressful, and it is best to either find someone to take care of them on the relocation day (the best thing to do) or find a room that will be separated from the relocation process.

Spend as much time as you can with them

This again applies to both children and pets. Moreover, it will also have a soothing effect on you as well. Simply put, whenever there is space, use it to spend time together with your children and pets. Play games, go for a walk, or pack stuff together with your children. Such moments are more than comforting during these stressful times.

Load their possessions last

By doing so, they will be unpacked first, and this is important for your toddlers and pets. It is recommended to furnish the rooms of your loved ones first once you have arrived at the new destination. That will help them adjust to a different environment more quickly.

Say a Proper Farewell to All Your Friends Before Relocating to a New State

Another thing that can induce unnecessary anxiety and stress when relocating is not saying goodbye to your friends. This is, indeed, one of the hardest things to reconcile with, but knowing that you have spent quality moments with your best friends before relocating. Therefore, throw a farewell party, or if you have decided not to hire movers, ask your friends for assistance. In that way, you will be together for at least an entire day.

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Saying goodbye to your friends means a lot when relocating to a different state

How Do I Make a Moving Day Easier? By Preparing a Bag of Relocating Essentials

Relocating essentials are important when changing addresses, as your home possessions will be unavailable until unpacking begins, and that can sometimes last even for a few days. Therefore, a suitcase or a duffel bag should be taken, and it should include the following possessions:

  • All important documents,
  • Valuables like credit cards, money, and jewelry,
  • Kitchenware for a few days,
  • Toiletry for a few days,
  • Bedding,
  • Chargers for portable electronic devices,
  • Snacks for the journey.

Of course, if you are relocating with your family, each family member should have a bag of essentials packed. Here is a nice video that can give you further ideas on what to include in your bag of essentials. And in any case, if you forget something, specialized websites like Numbeo can help you learn all about necessities’ prices at your destination.

Relocations Can Be Enjoyable Experiences When Everything Is Planned

Relocations seem overwhelming to people who are plunging headlong into this new experience without any prior research. There is no need to rush anything. Use the internet as much as you can and learn about everything that interests you. This will render the relocation process much more enjoyable, and most importantly, it will eliminate any unnecessary stress.

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