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Cross Country Moving Guide

Moving across the country is a complicated and overwhelming process that takes a lot of time, effort, and resources. Planning and organizing your long-distance cross country move is key to making your moving experience the best possible. However, there are many variables to keep in mind while you will be moving across the country, such as planning, organizing, preparing a budget, picking the best time to move, and much more! At Vanity Van Lines, we believe every customer should have the best moving experience possible, and we have created this guide to help you plan your long-distance or cross country move experience to help you move well. 

The long-distance moving guide will focus on a combination of essential factors to streamline your thought process before making your cross country move. We understand every move is different, our cross country moving guide will give you tips, advice, and help prepare you for your move at an overview scale. We will help provide information to plan your move, arrange your move, and budget. This information will just touch on essential components to ensure you are thinking ahead for your cross country move. 

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Budget: Cross Country Moving Cost 

The average cost for moving across the country ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 or more; however, price varies depending on the number of items, size of the job, trucks, etc. The best way to obtain the actual moving cost is to get a free cross country moving quote from a moving company. As we have stated below, there are many moving cross country tips to lower the cost, such as pack your boxes, prep, rid of unwanted items or furniture, and disassemble furniture before the movers arriving. Thus, having everything ready for the moving company to come into your home and move things and furniture on the truck allowing your move to be fast and efficient. 

• Save Money by DIY 

To save as much money as possible on your cross country move, especially if you’re in between jobs, you might want to try doing a lot your self. If that’s the case, the best cross country moving tip for you is to try to do-it-yourself, including; packing, cleaning, and organizing with only the help of your friends or getting rid of as much as possible to save money on your moving company. This way will take more time and effort but will help you save money on your cross country move at the end of the day. 

• Move Out of Season 

The majority of people choose to move during the summer because it is a perfect time to move, and as a result, this is probably the most expensive time of year to hire a cross country moving company. If you can, choose to move out of season, and this could save you hundreds of dollars and make your entire move a lot easier. If that’s not an option, moving on a weekday or in the middle of the month can also help save a few dollars.

Cross Country Moving Guide

Planning and Organizing Your Move

When it comes to moving, planning and organizing are two of the most critical factors to ensure your move experience will smooth. Whether you are the type to go with the flow or organize everything into spreadsheets, you should at least write down and plan the significant tasks. We understand this can be very stressful, and that is why we have created our cross country moving checklist to help you out. (Click Here) (Email to download it)

• Select Dates For Your Move

The first step in planning your move is to pick when you are looking to move. Choosing the date you are looking to move will allow you to start putting together a timeline of tasks that you need to complete, but be sure to select a date far enough to give you the time necessary to stay organized. The best time to move is outside of the summer months to save some money. When selecting the move date, be sure you have coordinated your living situation at your new designation, whether renting, buying, or staying in a hotel.

• Finalize New Designation or Residence

After your move date is selected, make sure your new designation is in mind and ready to ensure you have a place setting when the movers arrive or before they get there. Once you have a good understanding of where your new home will be, whether temporarily renting a place, or staying a hotel or have your new home purchased, it is always best to be there a couple of days before the movers arrive to unload. To understand when the movers will be there to unpack, get a free quote to obtain more information on when expected delivery. 

• Obtain a Free Moving Quote(s) and Book Moving Company

The earlier you can obtain a quote and book the moving company to complete the job, the better. Choose a reputable moving cross country company. We recommend booking the move about four to six weeks to ensure you have enough time to plan and organize everything, but the earlier, the better. The best way to ensure your moving quote is accurate is to provide as much detail of the items you are looking to move, and be sure to account for the number of boxes once everything is packed. The best way to account for all of your belongings is to make an inventory list of your own to ensure everything is in your possession. 

• Make Inventory List

Creating an inventory list for your cross country move is essential because it will help you keep organized, obtain a more detailed quote, and keep track of your items when you are at your new place. Your cross country inventory list will ensure everything is on your list that arrives at your new home, as you will be able to check your list. 

• Set a Budget 

Another critical factor is to set a budget for your cross country move to ensure you are placing your resources in the correct places. The most significant expense in moving across the country is the moving van and labor. There are many ways to save money on a cross country move, and with some of our cross country, moving tips below will allow for a cheaper cost: 

• Rid of Unwanted Items

 One of the best tips for cross country moving is to downsize the inventory you have getting rid of clothes you haven’t worn in a long time, freeing of furniture that is not essential, throwing away unwanted items, etc. If you do not love it or use it, we recommend throwing it away, donating it or selling it. The cost of moving will significantly go down, plus you will pack and unpack much faster. 

• Pack Yourself 

 Another great tip to save money for moving across the country is to pack up your belongings yourself. Having movers pack your household items is one of the most significant expenses with moving. If you can spend the time to pack up your items, especially smaller items, pictures, etc., this will save you a ton of money, but also be more natural to unpack at the new place.  

• Disassemble Furniture 

 If you have the time to disassemble furniture such as beds, entertainment centers, or other items, this will save a ton of money because the movers do not have to complete this task. Disassembling your furniture will also ensure all parts stay together. 

• Coordinate transportation to the new home

One of the most critical components before moving across the country is to make sure you coordinate your transportation to your new home, whether you are flying or driving. You want to ensure your travel accommodations are set, so you can arrive before the moving company showing up to unpack your stuff into your new home. 

Cross Country Moving Guide

Preparing Your Cross Country Move

Once your plan is put in place and organized for your cross country move, it is now time to prepare. Moving across the country presents many challenges, but if you plan and prepare everything before, you will be in a better situation to move well. 

• Stay On Schedule 

Now that you have a plan for moving across the country, it is now time to stick to it and prepare your move. Be sure to coordinate anything outside of move itself, such as; registering for utilities, cable, power, a school for the children, etc. As we mentioned before, there are many components to take care of when moving across the country. We recommend writing everything down to ensure you are on top of it. 

• Update Information and Documents 

Your cross country move means you are moving into a new state, which means you will have a new address quickly. You will need to update your address, but you will also need a new driver’s license, registration, and other essential documents that will need to be updated. Ensure that you plan and understand what needs to be changed to make your cross country move official. This cross country moving tip should not be overlooked.  

• New Home Arrangements 

Be sure your new home is ready to move into, with your expected delivery window from the moving company. Make sure to have a great understanding of where your furniture will go in your new home. Plus, have a high awareness of where you want specific furniture along with where to place boxes. Utilizing this cross country moving tip will ensure the unload will be fast. 

• Necessary Items

You need to prioritize as you begin to pack, make sure you select items you need to keep with you and prioritize what you need to keep with you. For this cross country moving tip, we recommend packing a couple of boxes that include items you will need during your first weeks, such as towels, bedding, and a few pots and pans and dishes. Do not forget to pack your suitcase with toiletries, favorite clothing items, and personal necessities. If you pack these things with you, and you will be way more comfortable while you are traveling and waiting for your moving truck to arrive at your new home.

• Packing for distance 

 Packing for distance is often forgotten when it comes to cross country moving tips. Though our best packing tips still apply, a cross country moving distance move requires some additional packing effort. For example, you should take care of fragile items by wrapping them in bubble wrap, paper, or towels. Packing fragile items together will help keep them organized and safe, writing on the box or placing fragile tape to ensure that the moving company knows to take extra care with these boxes.

• Organize Items when Packing 

It will make it a lot easier to unpack if you don’t throw everything you own into boxes at random. Instead, it would help if you packed your belongings and items by room and placed certain items from an area in the same box. For example, if you have a dresser in a bedroom, you could put everything from the dresser in one box or a couple of boxes. You should also give each box a number and a piece of tape that is color-coordinated with your cross country inventory list, which will be very useful when the boxes are delivered to your new place for a faster unload to save you time and money. 

• Labeling Boxes 

When moving across the country, your boxes that are packed will most likely be placed on a moving truck, which will include other boxes and furniture that belong to other move jobs (this is relatively common). The best way to keep your items together is by using tape that is color-coordinated and label every box with your name. For special boxes you’re very concerned about, we recommend taking them with you, and you should consider placing your phone number and contact information as well. 

• Let Professionals Handle It 

While moving tips can help you save time and money, packing up your entire house could easily take a couple of weeks. If you’re moving fairly quickly, work long hours, or just don’t feel or have the time to pack up your home, consider hiring professional packers or a full-service cross country moving company. When it comes to moving across the country, having a professional moving company pack with bubble wrap and tape up your items and belongings might just be an invaluable cost to you. To save time in other areas, having a cleaning service helps clean your house before and after your move across the country. Keep in mind that this cross country moving tip can be expensive, so be sure it fits your budget before allowing the cross country moving company pack for you. 

• Plan Your Delivery Window 

Depending on the cross country moving company you choose, the delivery window for your items and belongings could be a couple of weeks after you arrive at your new residence. Scoping the new residence is a crucial component as it will affect how you time your travel arrangements. Decreasing the stress of waiting for your items and belongings to arrive, keep your luggage and boxes you packed with your necessities. 

• New Residence 

You need to be prepared when the moving truck arrives. Research your new neighborhood parking regulations. Then, make sure there is room for the moving truck to park and access for your new place; however, you should confirm with your cross country moving company to ensure there is not an additional fee for the long walk to deliver your items and belongings. Please check with your cross country moving company about all potential additional fees pre-move. If you’re moving into an apartment or condo, check on any move-in day requirements, like if you need to reserve a freight elevator.

• Check Items After Unloaded 

To be sure to check all items on your inventory list to ensure all of your items, furniture, and belongings are delivered. Hopefully, you created an inventory list of all your belongings while packing. Having a cross country inventory list will make sure everything has been delivered. This inventory list should be checked multiple times to ensure you have all of your stuff. This way, you can be sure to file a claim for missing items or bring it up to the moving company so they can search the truck. 

• Tip Your Movers

Tipping your movers is a practical and great way to thank them for their hard work, mainly if they did an exceptional job. Tip a specific dollar amount per hour of the move, or offer the crew snacks and a cooler full of drinks upon arrival. To ensure you follow this cross country moving tip appropriately, you should call your cross country moving company to see the typical cost for a tip. Tipping your movers will also help them do a better job for you because they see you care and are taking care of them. Just make sure that a tip was not already figured into your moving estimate.

If you still need help with your cross country move, our team at Vanity Van Lines is here to help provide a great quote for your move and ensure you have a great experience moving throughout the process. We hope our cross country moving guide with tips helped give some insight to promote your upcoming move. Please, feel free to reach out to our cross country moving specialists to guarantee you move well. Contact us at info@vanityvanlines.com or click here for a free quote.

Vanity Van Lines #1 Best Cross Country Moving Company

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