Tag: cross-country moving

10 Useful Hacks to Achieve A Stress-Free Cross Country Move

Posted on by movetheblock

As much as you want to be excited about your upcoming adventure, a cross-country move can come with a lot of pitfalls. However, with the right plan of action, stress can’t rear its ugly head. Here are ten praise-worthy hacks to breeze through this life-changing phase.

1. Research your new neighborhood.

Moving across the country on mere faith is quite dangerous. Before settling in on a spot, conduct thorough research on the city’s crime rate and surrounding areas as well as nearby schools, nightlife, and shopping centers. 

2. Devise a budget plan.

Moving can be expensive, especially if you fail to establish financial limitations. Before splurging on new appliances, come up with a budget plan so that you won’t do a number on your bank account. 

3. Alert others of your big move.

Goodbyes aren’t easy, so it is best to start early. Not only will you need to give your loved ones a heads up, but also remember to provide a two-week notice at your job, alert your children’s school, and fill out a change of address form.

4. Throw things away.

A cross-country move breeds new changes, so steer away from packing useless items. Over the weeks approaching your move-in date, dispose of the worn-out objects of little importance, and donate your possessions that are still in good condition. 

Consider selling or donating the things you won’t need in your new home.

5. Start packing away small stuff.

Whether the move will transpire in six days or six weeks from now, you have to pack odds and ends away immediately. When you take care of the small stuff and the items that typically go unused, your work will quickly dwindle down. 

6. Make vehicle arrangements.

If you are planning to drive the distance in your vehicle, you will want to get it inspected and allow a mechanic to issue an oil change, upgrade the spark plugs, and handle any other necessary repairs. However, to avoid adding excess numbers to your mileage, you can get it shipped instead. Search around for the best shipping rates, and call your insurance company to see if they can cover part of the bill. 

7. Transfer your utilities.

Moving into a new, distant home only to be met with no electricity or water flow is a literal nightmare. Create a list of all your service providers and alert them of your relocation. It is best to conduct these calls two weeks in advance, especially if there is a chance that some of the companies won’t extend their services to your new state. 

8. Mindfully pack belongings.

Packing is stressful even if you are moving two blocks over, but gearing up for a long-distance ride is a whole other ballgame. When tucking away your belongings, do so in preparation for a bumpy ride. Secure all sensitive and glass items with bubble wrap, and make sure that they are a careful distance away from bulky furniture and appliances. 

Start packing early so you have fewer things to pack as the move approaches.

9. Pack a travel kit.

While there will be stores on the way, it is still wise to pack snacks, personal hygiene products, an extra set of clothes, entertainment material for nondrivers, and anything else that may be useful for an extended road trip. Making too many stops can significantly affect your time of arrival, and there is no telling how many traffic issues and adverse weather conditions are awaiting. 

10. Give yourself a deadline to unpack.

While it is everyone’s dream to have everything unpacked within the first hour, we aren’t that lucky. Since a cross-country move demands hours of time and attention, a long, restful nap may be the first order of business. But after you have recharged, it is time to get to work. This process can be quite time-consuming, causing you to block out the world and your other vital obligations. To avoid becoming too overwhelmed, you can work in spurts while setting a strict deadline to complete the task.

Relocating doesn’t always have to be disastrous. As long as you cover all your bases and begin packing early, your cross-country move will be a piece of cake.

Ways to Save On Your Next Cross Country Move

Posted on by movetheblock

Moving across the country can be both an exciting and scary experience. While there may be tons of new adventures waiting for you ahead, you may have fears of the unknown. Furthermore, the moving process can be somewhat costly. If you are moving across the country, you may be expecting to pay a higher amount for your moving costs. However, there are a few ways you can keep the costs of your big move relatively low. To ease your mind on the journey, here are a few tips from Kips Cross Country Movers that will help you save money.

Transporting Your Belongings

One of the most significant aspects of moving is transporting your household belongings. Before you begin the moving process, you may want to devise a foolproof plan to get your items to their new destination. There are a variety of ways to transport your belongings that you may want to consider:

  • use a freight trailer
  • rent a trailer
  • rent a Uhaul
  • ship your belongings
Aside from renting trucks, you can transport your belongings with you instead.

While each of these transportation options has a variety of benefits, you should select the one that best suits your needs. If you don’t have a lot of stuff to transport and are looking for a cost-efficient option, consider renting a portable moving container that you can hitch to your car. On the other hand, if you have a lot of items to transport, it may be more cost and time-efficient to move your things with a freight trailer.

Hiring Some Help

Enlisting the help and support of others can help save a lot of time and money during your moving process. There is a multitude of companies that commits to ensuring a hassle-free moving experience. These companies come fully-equipped with all the necessary tools to make sure all of your belongings safely make it to your new destination. It is recommended that you obtain quotes from three different companies before making a selection.

Get estimates from several moving companies and compare which you think is best for your needs.

While these companies may charge for their assistance, you can also enlist the help of family and friends to further cut down on costs. While you may have to work around other people’s schedules, you can rest assured that the job will still get done.

Another option you can consider is hiring moving labor. This labor-only option allows people to hire a helper on their move. If you are looking for low costing help assist you with packing or unloading your possessions, consider hiring a moving laborer.

Having Your Company Pay for Your Move

If you are relocating for a new work position, you may want to inquire about your company’s relocation policy. Many companies have a relocation policy that will either pay for all or a part of your big move. You may want to consider speaking with someone in your human resources department before you begin the moving process. These policies will help you save a lot of money on your move. If your company has a relocation policy, be sure to keep all your receipts for documentation of your expenses.

Tactics Professional Moving Companies Use to Make Moving In Speedier

Posted on by movetheblock

So you’ve packed up your house, and you’re planning to move across the country. Even though you hired movers, you’re worried that it may still take a while to get things settled, and you’re wondering if it’s also worth it to bring along that heirloom Wurlitzer piano your mother-in-law left you. How can you be sure that the moving company will be quick and efficient, making sure that everything gets to the destination quickly and safely? Here are five techniques moving companies use to expedite the moving process.

1. Organization is Key

The first thing that movers try and do is establish an organizational scheme for your move. It is a pretty straightforward system, and they accomplish it by packing away items from each room nearby one another. For instance, if the movers pack up the living room first, the couch, television, and other pieces will all be in the back of the truck, while everything from each bedroom will be together. It’s not always the best strategy for space, but when removing items from the vehicle, entire rooms get moved into position rapidly.

Movers pack things by room to keep everything organized.

2. Furniture Disassembly

This one seems obvious, but it is a lot easier to move disassembled furniture. At the origin and destination, the movers have a team of individuals focused solely on disassembling and assembling furniture, so that the other group can concentrate on packing and unpacking the house as quickly as possible.

3. Packing Clothes Together

Another seemingly obvious one, but it’s more than even just packing them into boxes. Cheap Movers Baltimore, a cross country mover in Baltimore, MD, says movers will take an entire rack of clothes, hangers and all, and wrap them in plastic wrap so that they are immediately able to put them back when they arrive at the destination. They take many precautions with clothing, but they are incredibly efficient when packaging them up, taking up little space, and being able to pack and unpack in very little time.

Clothes are packed together efficiently to make unpacking easy.

4. Packing Seasonally

Skilled professionals will pack away all of your lesser-used items first – seasonal decor, clothing, and similar things. By doing this, they can keep the least essential items packed away longer, and can spend appropriate time on the necessary pieces.

5. Packing Boxes Efficiently

According to the pros at U-Haul, by putting heavier items on the bottoms of boxes and filling them enough to support structural integrity without overfilling them, movers establish a structure that allows for high stacking and tight filling. It helps them to fill the space in the truck as efficiently as possible. It also ensures that boxes aren’t overfilled or too heavy.

If you’re moving, look into finding a qualified professional moving service, because they have much more experience in this area. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for prices and estimated timelines. Moving is a stressful event, and doing it by yourself is even worse. It helps to have experienced workers take care of the heavy lifting, literally, for you. They can also guide you with what things to bring separately and what to leave behind altogether.

Top 8 Budget Tips When Moving Cross Country

Posted on by movetheblock

Moving can be stressful and tiring. However, with the right mindset, you can make moving fun. Choose to see this as the chance to take just what you need in your new space. To relocate frugally, check out the tips below.

1. Start Early

As soon as you know you’re relocating, start sorting through your belongings. Take a box, a white trash bag, and a black trash bag into each space. Box what you want to keep, put items to be discarded into the black trash bag, and things to sell in the white trash bag.

2. What Can You Sell?

Clothes that no longer fit, toys your kids no longer want, and collectibles that no longer appeal are things you can sell. Take books you no longer read to a local reseller and donate or sell what you can. Use Craigslist to sell furniture that no longer works for your family.

3. Tax Breaks for Donating

If you’re taking anything for donation, be sure to get an itemized receipt for tax purposes. You went to the trouble to drop off the item, and you may get a deduction. Don’t do this at the end of the year or the weekend.

You must itemize your tax deductions to claim them.

4. Cheap Ways to Get Rid of Big Items

Once you’ve had your yard or moving sale, don’t be afraid to put items on the curb with a big “FREE” sign. Do this when the weather is pleasant and, most importantly, dry. Also, look for charity groups that are willing to haul away usable items to save yourself the work of transporting.

5. Cheap Packing Tools

Use your suitcases. Before you pack anything else, make sure that every member of the family has a bag designated to them. Inside it, put a couple of changes of clothes, toiletries, one set of bedding, a towel, and, on the last morning, their pillow. When you arrive at your destination, you can all get a bath and be able to go to bed.

6. Use What You Have

You can protect your most precious items and save on packing materials by raiding your linen cabinets as you pack. Tablecloths and towels can protect your dishes and any other breakables. Be sure to thoroughly wrap all items as you pack them and mark the top and sides of the box once you tape it up.

Towels and other large cloths can be used to protect fragile items.

7. Free Packing Supplies

If you work in or near an office, check-in to see if they have any spare cardboard boxes. Many business offices have to pay to get cardboard recycled, so you can save them money and worry by taking these off their hands. Invest in a shipping tape dispenser and reinforce any tears before you start packing.

8. Skip the Truck Rental

Once you established your new address, consider shipping some things to your new place on moving day. Use the low, slow shipping route to make sure you’re there before your stuff arrives. Check the book rate at the U.S. Postal service and UPS rates to get the best deal.

Sorting, selling, and discarding can make your move a chance only to take what you love into your new house. Taking the time to do this before the move will save you the worry and work when you get to your new home.