Source: https://www.updater.com/moving-tips/long-distance-moving-tips

Whether you’re moving to a new country or just a few hundred miles, you’re going to need some fantastic long distance moving tips to make it happen. From the moment you find out you’re moving, to the day your belongings are finally delivered to your new home, you won’t have to worry about missing a beat. 

Tips to Help You Prepare for a Long Distance Move

For some moves, you just need to throw everything you own in the back of a van and hit the road. A long-distance move, on the other hand, requires a lot more planning. The long distance moving tips below will help you remember everything you need to do ahead of time in order to have a successful move.

1. Make a plan as soon as you know you’re moving

You’re about to move everything you own hundreds or thousands of miles away. That kind of enormous task requires a plan! Whether you like to go with the flow or you want every moving-related to-do recorded in a spreadsheet, you should write down every moving-related tasks you need to accomplish. We know that’s a lot to juggle, so to help you out, we’ve already created the ultimate moving checklist to help you through every phase of your move. Check it out below!

2. Get multiple in-home moving estimates

Since you’re moving such a long distance, you need to do everything you can to find the right moving company. Part of this process is getting in-home estimates from at least three different moving companies. We recommend scheduling your estimates four weeks before your move, but the earlier the better. Don’t forget to make sure the price estimate is as accurate as possible by preparing your home properly for the in-home estimate.

3. Purchase moving insurance

Whether you have dozens of valuable items or not, make sure you are aware of what your insurance does and does not cover. Sit down with your agent before you move and see what your home and auto insurance covers as far as moving goes. Also, remember that though moving companies usually offer a limited insurance policy, you might want to purchase a more comprehensive plan if you have many expensive or valuable items. 

4. Let the professionals handle it

While moving hacks can save you loads of time, packing up your entire house could still easily take months. If you’re moving in a hurry, work long hours, or would rather spend time with friends than pack up your home, you should consider hiring professional packers. Especially when it comes to long distance moving, having a professional bubble wrap and tape up your belongings can be invaluable. To save time in other areas, you can also hire professionals to clean your home or help you organize before the move. Just keep in mind that this long distance moving tip can be expensive, so be sure it fits into your budget before calling in reinforcements. 

5. Save money where you can. 

If you’re in between jobs, you might be trying to save as much money as possible during your long-distance move. If that’s the case, the best long distance moving tip for you is to try to do-it-yourself as much as you can. Whether it’s packing, cleaning, and organizing with only the help of your friends, or getting rid of as much as possible in order to save money on your moving company, you can get creative in this process. The downside is that this method takes more time. However, if you ask your friends for help, you might actually enjoy DIY-ing parts of your move.

Move During Off-Season 

Most people choose to move during the summer, and as a result, this is probably the most expensive time of year to hire a moving company. If you can, choose to move during the off-season. This could save you hundreds of dollars and make your entire move a whole 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. 

Tipping your movers is a practical way to thank them for their hard work, particularly if they did an exceptional job. Tip a certain dollar amount per hour of the move, or offer the crew snacks and a cooler full of drinks upon arrival. To be sure you follow this long distance moving tip properly, you could even call your moving company and ask how much their customers usually tip. Just make sure that a tip was not already figured into your moving estimate.