If you have ever moved, you already know how stressful it can be. However, while relocating across town or one state over is difficult enough, a cross-country move can be particularly daunting. In addition to taking longer to get from your old home to your new one, cross country move are typically more expensive. Fortunately, there are ways to make the move a bit easier.3 tips and advice about how to make your Cross Country Move easier, less stressful, and faster.My top moving tips for families.
3 Tips Tips to Make Your Cross country Move a Success
Purge, Purge and Then Purge Some More
The average cost of hiring a professional mover is $7,500; this varies depending on the number of belongings you have. To help reduce this cost, cut back on the amount of items that the movers will have to haul to your new place. The lighter the weight, the less you will pay. This is also true if you plan on moving yourself; fewer boxes means you can rent a smaller truck. To literally lighten your load, get rid of everything possible that you will not need at your new home. Donate old clothing in sizes that no longer fit and hold a garage sale to unload excess stuff. The extra cash from the sale will come in handy. If you live in a cold climate and are moving to a warm weather state, sell or donate your snow blower, heavy clothing and shovels. If you don’t have time for a garage sale, consider listing some of your stuff on sites like Craigslist or Ebay, or apps like Offer Up.
Invest in a Vehicle that Can Handle the Long Haul
Even if you hire a moving company to tote your belongings across the country, you will still want to take a number of items with you. If you have small kids this includes their favorite toys and books, along with clothing, personal items and bedding. To be sure you can safely get your precious family and your belongings across the country, it may be time to invest in a new vehicle. For example, buying a dependable truck like the Chevrolet Colorado will ensure you have a vehicle that can carry a great deal of cargo while also handling thousands of miles of travel with ease. The Colorado can tow up to 7,000 pounds and has a payload maximum of 1,410 pounds, so you can safely take plenty of furniture with you. In addition, the Chevy Colorado is budget-friendly when it comes to fuel usage. It averages 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway, so you won’t have to pull over for gas too frequently. There’s no point in throwing away money on a one-time move; instead, invest the money in a reliable vehicle that you and your loved ones will benefit from for years to come.
Label Everything
Moving can be so time consuming and emotional, you might be tempted to simply fill boxes as quickly as possible to get it all over with. Resist this urge and label the heck out of everything. Think ahead to when you are standing in your new home. The last thing you want is to have to cut open 25 boxes to find what you are looking for. Take the time when packing to label not only what room the box will go in (for example, “kitchen”) but also what things are inside of it (“pots and pans,” “blender” and “crock pot”). This tip will take a bit more time when packing, but you will thank your lucky stars that you did this when you arrive in your new place.
Moving cross-country will probably never be easy, but it does not have to be overwhelmingly stressful. By getting rid of as much stuff as you can, purchasing a vehicle that can transport your furniture and boxes across long distances, and carefully labeling everything, you can focus your energy on the more important things — like getting to know your new home and neighbors.
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