When it comes to planning a cross-country move, you may feel like there are endless tasks and responsibilities to handle before moving day. And unfortunately, the moving day usually feels like it’s approaching faster than you can even imagine. With so much to do and what feels like exponentially less time than you need, how can you pull off this relocation without endless amounts of stress? What’s the best way to tackle this situation without feeling completely overwhelmed? Although it may feel impossible, the truth is that you can feasibly plan your cross-country move without endless headaches and anxiety.
Interested in figuring out the best ways to plan a long-distance move? Keep reading for our top tips!
One of our simplest but most effective tips is to always take your time when you’re preparing for a move. If you know the tasks will inevitably be time-consuming, what makes more sense than allowing ample time to complete them? Of course, you may not have the luxury of time, but even simply spreading the tasks out as much as you can allows you to feel less stressed and ultimately do each job in a more organized fashion. Plus, rather than cramming as much work as you can into a short amount of time, handling your to-do list in more easily digestible chunks can go a long way in making your life a lot easier.
Along with taking your time, planning how you spend your time is incredibly effective during the preparation for a cross-country move. Even just having a to-do list can make a big difference in the stress levels you experience as you get ready for moving day. Creating a to-do list in chronological order of when things need to get done is a great way to ensure everything is accomplished in a timely fashion. Going a step further, making a calendar of any deadlines you need to meet and any plans you have scheduled to accomplish certain tasks is an effective approach to segmenting what needs to be completed. Another aspect of your long-distance move that you should plan is your budget. Having your finances in order can prevent any unwelcome surprises in moving costs as you go through the moving process.
Decluttering is an effective use of time because it will ultimately save time. What is a declutter? Basically, when you declutter, you are sorting through your items to see what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. The best way to approach it is to sort your belongings into categories: donate, sell, trash, and keep. By eliminating items that you no longer want or need from your house, you prevent yourself from spending an unnecessary amount of time packing and unpacking. You will eliminate belongings that you have been keeping without any real use. An added bonus? You have a fresh start in a clutter-free home.
One of the biggest parts of any move is packing. Especially for a long-distance move, packing has added importance, as you need to make sure your belongings are properly padded during transit. Gathering a sufficient amount of high-quality packing supplies enables you to pack in the most effective manner possible to improve your relocation process. What will you need? It’s ideal to get sturdy cardboard boxes, packing tape, permanent markers, resealable plastic bags, bubble wrap, packing paper, and moving blankets. These items will help you protect your belongings and keep everything organized neatly throughout your move.
As you pack your items, your top priority should be to keep everything organized. A simple way to accomplish this is to move from room to room methodically, rather than jumping around haphazardly. You shouldn’t move on to the next room until the first one is finished. Additionally, your boxes should only contain items from one room, rather than containing a mix of items from different rooms. If you randomly combine boxes, you will find unpacking to be a lot more difficult. Another aspect of organized packing is packing in a consolidated fashion. This means you’ll want to pack as much as you can into a box (without making it too heavy) so things don’t move around in transit. Keeping your belongings packed in this way prevents any jostling and ensures your items stay in good condition.
One part of moving to a new home that certainly cannot be forgotten is the utilities. When you relocate, handling the cancellation of your old utilities and the activation of your new utilities is a task that needs to be completed in a timely manner in order to prevent any issues. The last thing anyone wants is to arrive at their new home and find that the electricity isn’t on. You also run the risk of incurring additional charges if you don’t cancel your old utilities in the right time frame. Be sure to take care of this responsibility ahead of time and double-check with your providers to ascertain that everything is in order for your move.
Finally, one of the best ways to be sure that your move is completed successfully with minimal stress is to rely on others for help. Enlisting the assistance of others, especially professionals, can make all the difference in the world throughout your long-distance relocation. A reliable moving company can provide packing, moving, and storage service options, offering multifaceted support that can give you the solutions you need as you move. These can be incredibly valuable, as it alleviates some of the responsibilities you would’ve otherwise needed to handle.
With all these tips in mind, all that’s left is finding a moving company that suits your needs. When you’re seeking a Chicago-based moving company to handle your cross-country move, count on Hollander Storage & Moving Co. We have over 130 years of history to vouch for the quality of our services. Plus, as a top-rated United agent, we hold ourselves to the highest standards. Curious about what we can do for you? Request a free quote today, and discover how we can transform your move!
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Great experience with Hollander’s crew: Dominic R, Alex P, and Chris C. They were contracted (military move) to deliver some of our things that had been packed up and stored for a year, in a different location. They were professional and worked without complaints in the heat, placing our items carefully where I requested. They maneuvered a large, deep freezer down a tight staircase easily. They were thorough in helping me check to make sure all our things were accounted for, since it had changed locations/companies a few times before making it here. They were so helpful and courteous – I am very happy with my experience and would definitely recommend them!
-Timm.
The driver was the head of the crew, and he was on top of everything. He made the experience working with Hollander Moving a pleasure. We have used others before but it was our first time using Hollander. Everything turned out great.
-Eric Y..
Every employee I worked with was courteous, professional, and exceedingly competent. I was nervous about the packing and long distance move (from Illinois to New Mexico, October 2009) and Hollander helped make the move as smooth as possible. Not a thing was damaged or broken
-Kay S..
I would recommend Hollander to any company thinking about switching vendors, and any family making a move. A Hollander rep even stopped by my new place when they were unloading just to check on things.
Wonderful service – first class!
-Julia C..
Everything Hollander has done was over the top. It was courteous people, polite, caring. Their friendliness was over the top. There was one member of the crew who’d been a friend for 30 years, and the rest was family. I couldn’t say enough about them.
-Jerry M..
I recently moved from Chicago to Tampa and expected a few road bumps along the way but was pleasantly surprised when everything from loading to delivery was flawless. Everyone I came in contact with was very professional and knowledgable. I highly recommend Hollander Moving and Storage as they are a class act.
-Sandy C..
This move envolved packing and delivery to four different destinations. Attention to detail and coordination were vital and effectively executed by Tony R driver and his crew. Ardene did a great job coordinating everything. The entire group were both extremely pleasant and efficient.
-Gary T..
1801 Pratt Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
