The Moving Planner Blog

Moving long distance doesn’t have to be a pain. There I said it. I know you are shaking your head and maybe you even think I have lost my mind, but it honestly doesn’t have to cause you too much trouble. If you do it right that is!

A few months ago my husband and I, along with our four children, embarked on a 3500 mile move across the country. Being internet savvy, I searched high and low for moving tips and ideas to make sure everything went smoothly. It didn’t, of course, but it was not as bad as it could have been had I not prepared myself and the rest of the family beforehand.

DE-CLUTTER
The first thing you should do when you are moving long distance is to cut down on your belongings. If you are moving by moving truck, you are most likely paying per pound. Let me tell you from experience, 3200 pounds looks a lot smaller packed up then it really is. Make sure you only take what you need. Have a yard sale or donate the items you aren’t taking to a homeless shelter. It not only cuts down on your moving cost, it helps you to figure out what you have been keeping for years that you can really do without.

ADDRESSES
Get all the addresses you can. I grabbed a cheap day planner from the dollar store and started adding every address and number I figured I would need. Doctors, schools, previous employers and of course our friends. Then I duplicated it all into my regular address book so I would have two copies in case one was lost in the move. It’s easier to have too many contacts then to have to search for the one you need later and not be able to find it.

AT YOUR JOB
Make sure you tie up any lose ends at your job and give them your forwarding address for tax purposes. Take your closest co-workers out for a lunch before you go and have a few laughs. Let them know your new address and email address so they keep in touch. Get references and anything you need to take to your new job before your last day of work. You may very well be thrown a good bye party and important papers may get lost in the shuffle.

DRIVERS LICENSE AND INSURANCE
Check with your state or province as to how long you have before you need to change your drivers license. Some places allow you between 3 and 6 months, other places want you to change immediately if it’s a permanent move. Also you may need a drivers abstract from your last insurance company to give to the new company if there are any discounts for safe driving.

FRIENDS
A neat way to make sure your friends keep in touch is to take a picture of you and your family and go to your local printing company to get cards made up with your picture and new address on them. Put a photo card in an envelope along with a long distance calling card and give them out to your friends. This way they have no excuse when they don’t keep in touch!

UTILITIES
Make sure you notify the utility companies of your expected move date. Clear up any bills before you move as well. You may be able to use your good standing with your old utility company to avoid paying deposits at your new place. Some companies, like the telephone for instance, may require a security deposit of a couple hundred dollars when you are a new customer. Try not to have any outstanding bills in case they run a credit check.

MOVERS
If you are using movers or renting space in a moving truck, make sure you contact the company a few weeks before the move date. Just to make sure they are on schedule and everything is still planned for your move. We had a company change their quote by over $1000 and try to scam us 2 weeks before the move date. We ended up having to cancel with them and scramble to find a new company which thankfully squeezed our things onto their truck. Make sure you give them at least 2 contact numbers at your new city. Movers are usually on a schedule and they may only have a short time frame to deliver your things to your new place. If you give them a call, you will be sure of no surprises at your destination.

FLIGHTS
If you are flying, make sure you have your tickets and your flight information somewhere safe. Also you should arrive early to the airport since there are often long lines and there may be changes that you should be aware of well before your flight takes off. If you have a delay, try not to get frustrated, you’ll be on your way to your new place soon enough!

READY FOR THE ROAD
If you are driving it is a good idea to have your car serviced by a licensed mechanic 2 weeks before your date of departure. Take care of any problems, no matter how small they are, before you get on the road. It is also advised to get some sort of road side assistance insurance for the trip. It is relatively cheap compared to the cost of a tow truck in the middle of the night. Sometimes they also come with a few perks for travelers, like so much off certain hotel rates and coupons for discounts at restaurants.

AT YOUR NEW HOME
When you finally arrive at your new place, make sure you check with your city hall or town center for anything you need and any bylaws you aren’t sure about. Make sure if you have a dog that you get a new license for it as soon as possible. Try to get a new doctor and dentist as soon as you have time. Some places are short on doctors and you may be put on a waiting list. If this is the case, make sure you know where the hospitals and medical clinics are located.
Well, if you’ve made it to your new place and the only thing broken was a couple ornaments, you have done better then a lot of others moving long distance. But don’t fret, you are all moved in now. After everything is taken care of, put up your feet, relax a little and enjoy your new community!

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