Making Cross-Country Moves Easy: A Guide

Moving from one side of the country to the other is no small feat, being a far more challenging task than simply trying to move across your city or somewhere else in your state.

From packing up everything in your life to securing a place across the country when you can’t readily check it out, and all the ridiculous logistical hurdles that come with getting yourself and your stuff where you’re trying to go—you’ve got a pretty big challenge ahead of you.

These challenges can seem completely impossible when trying to figure out all of them at once. However, with a little bit of guidance and the right tips behind you, they go from challenges you face to tasks you can readily accomplish. Thankfully for you, that’s just what this guide is here to help you do.

Whether you’re just moving for school, work, family, or any other reason, we’re here to help you with your cross-country move. From working out transportation logistics to finding reliable furniture shipping services for peace of mind, this guide’s got you covered.

Planning Ahead

Ever heard of the saying, “proper planning prevents poor performance”? That’s definitely true when it comes to executing a move across the country. The more you plan and set things up for your moving day well ahead of time, the better off you’re going to be in the long run.

With all the different moving parts in play and everything you have at stake with a cross-country move, there’s nothing you really want to be trying to take care of at the last minute. Start by developing a comprehensive moving checklist filled with key things you need to take care of throughout this process. There are plenty of resources available online that can help you with this, and they can even be tailored toward unique moving hurdles like moving with children or pets.

You may want to consider downsizing a bit before packing up your stuff. If you’re going with a moving company to haul your stuff across the country for you, the cost of an interstate move is going to be based on the overall weight of the load. In essence, the more stuff you have, the more you’re going to pay.

Even if you decide to forgo hiring a moving company and opt to rent a truck and move your own stuff instead, having too much unnecessary stuff is just going to make your move more complicated and take longer. On top of this, you may get stuck with a bigger truck than you need and waste more gas on the heavier haul in the process.

If you decide to go with a moving company, make sure to carefully research all of your options ahead of time. Make sure you carefully read reviews and go out of your way to look for any low ratings or potential claims of bad business practices. When trying to book a moving date, make sure you do so as far ahead of time as you can so that you have the greatest chance of getting the window you want at the best rate possible.

Closer to moving day, begin to take care of the little odds and ends you’re going to want to be handled before you actually head out. This includes things like setting up mail forwarding to your new address, canceling or transferring any accounts as needed, setting up your utilities, and more.

Packing Tips

Packing can be one of the most annoying and time-consuming parts of the entire moving process, but thankfully, it doesn’t have to be.

You’ll want to start by getting all the moving supplies you’ll need as early as you can. Begin by gathering up anything you may already have on hand, like tape or storage totes, and then you can begin mapping out what else you need. Make sure you have protective items like bubble wrap and other packing materials.

Starting packing things you may not readily use early, so it’s something you don’t have to worry about later. Consider going room by room in the weeks leading up to your move, carefully packing each box or storage tote to maximize space usage and minimize the risk of damage. Closer to moving day, you should only have to worry about dealing with packing the essentials you have left.

If you’re using a moving company, make sure you document the condition of your items before the movers take custody. This will help you file a claim for compensation in the event that any of your items are lost or damaged in transit.

Moving Tips

If you’re using a moving company to help get your stuff across the country, then all you need to worry about is your transportation.

Booking a flight will be the most straightforward and least time-consuming way to reach your destination, but this may not always be an option for everyone. If you’re moving your stuff on your own, you’re going to want to plan out your trip well ahead of time.

Make sure you have proper rest stops planned along the way. Even if you’re traveling with someone else who you can trade off driving responsibilities with, you’re not going to be able to pull off the entire trip in a single stop. Give yourself plenty of flexibility in your scheduling, as any number of things can happen along the way that could end up delaying you finally arriving at your destination.

If you used a moving company to help get your stuff across the county, inspect your stuff as soon as possible. If anything’s damaged, file a claim as soon as possible to ensure you’re properly compensated.

Making Cross-Country Moving Seamless

Moving across the country can be a very challenging and stressful endeavor to undertake—but it doesn’t have to be.

By keeping the tips above in mind and following them to the best of your ability, you’ll be well-equipped to ensure that your cross-country moving experience is seamless and stress-free.