Prepping For A Long Distance Move
The beginning of a year is often when big changes or decisions to make big changes occur. One of the biggest changes that can affect your entire family is making a long-distance move. And as this is something we ourselves are gearing up for soon, we thought we’d share some of our best tips make a long-distance move go as smoothly as possible both for you and for the entire family.
A big move is often ranked as one of the most stressful events one can go through. Add distance or state lines to that decision and it becomes a huge moment in one’s life. Here’s how we’re dialing down the stress ourselves.
Prepare and pack as soon as possible
Moving within the same city often means you can take your move trip by trip. But a long distance move requires much more of a big event. To be ready for the big day, start packing as soon as you get the opportunity to start. Not sure where to start? One thing we like to do is to lighten up as we get our heads around things. A big move is the perfect time to finally toss anything you really don’t feel like lugging with you - and your resolve to purge might even be stronger. Locating a donation center ahead of time also helps with making firm decisions, knowing the items are going for good. Try lightening up for a few weeks ahead of packing with the goal to get rid items every day.
From there, start with the items that you’re definitely not going to need up until the moving day. Organize a moving calendar that can help you lay out all the tasks you have to do, so you can tackle them bit by bit, feeling that progress as you get closer to moving day
Get the movers organized early
As soon as you know what date you plan on moving, you should make sure that you’re looking at movers and try to get the right ones ASAP. The closer you get to the day, the more you are likely to pay - and that’s if they’re not already all booked up. When cross country moving, ensure that you’re choosing movers that are fully equipped for your needs and make sure to ask the following questions. Do they provide packing materials or will you need to? Do they have the equipment to move heavier items in the house? Make sure you’re thorough in working out your needs and the movers that are best suited to meet them.
Make it an opportunity for a fresh start
Making a big move isn’t just about physically moving to a new place, it’s also the next arc of your life. Many things are going to change, some of them drastically, so this could be the perfect opportunity to take the fresh start that you might have been looking for. Living with better habits such as exercise, eating right, and spending more time in the outdoors can be a little easier if you take the mental approach that you’re living a new lifestyle to match your new area.
Get your family excited about a fresh start as well. While kids will definitely feel sad about leaving behind friends and apprehensive about making new ones, talking to them ahead of time about things they can look forward to will be an enormous help. Upon arrival, setting up some little rituals and new and old traditions to bring normalcy to your next chapter can make a huge difference.
Think about the switches you have to make
A new environment always brings tweaks to our lifestyles. From new health insurance providers to changes in taxes and the costs of living, a big move definitely means a re-budget, even if you income hasn’t changed. What advantages does your new home offer financially and where might it set you back? Planning ahead financially (and having a contingency fund for the first few months) can take a significant weight off the stress load of a big move.
