Moving long-distance can be exciting and, simultaneously, a world-class nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be! If you know how to prepare ahead of time and get ready for your life change, you’ll tackle your move like a pro, and reduce stress while you’re at it. Here’s how.
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Go Easy on Yourself
Moving is a lot of hard work. There’s no easy way around that. So, the most important thing you can do is to go easy on yourself. Recognize that your move is going to take a lot of time, energy, and effort.
Know that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed at the start and recognize that you’ll probably be dealing with a crankier family, including yourself. Give every member extra grace and lots of love, as every individual adjusts to the monumental task of moving your lives, from one end of the country to the other.
Start Well Ahead
If your moving date is a year out, it might feel like you have plenty of time for the big day. Time flies, however, and moving trucks will pull up outside your house sooner than you expect. The best investment in your sanity and stress load is to start planning farther ahead than you think.
According to a long-distance moving company in Dallas, start six months out to prepare for your move. Make a list of everything you need to do, from boxing, organizing, and packing, to hiring a moving company. Write it all out, then organize the list according to when you want to accomplish each task. By creating a list, you’ll have a prioritized schedule with everything you need to do. And ensuring you won’t forget critical tasks such as shutting off your water and power.
Organize
Organizing will be your biggest stress reliever during the moving process. Whether you’re doing your entire move DIY or you’re having friends or a moving company help, this step is critical to ensure your move goes smoothly.
The biggest area you’ll benefit from organizing is in the way you pack your items. Packing is a lot of work, but unpacking can be a bear if you aren’t organized. If you throw things in a box and think you’ll remember where you put them once you arrive at your new destination, think again. You’ll never recall where the pots and pans were. And you’ll instead dig through your child’s toys, husband’s fishing gear, last year’s Christmas ornaments before you hit a box that’s kitchen related. And even then, it’ll probably be all the fancy dinnerware you never use but brought along anyway.
To organize your packing, you’ll want colored markers in four or five colors. Color-code each box according to the room you’re packing. Clearly mark a corner or a square of each box with the appropriate color. When you arrive at your new home, you’ll be able to direct friends and movers where to place boxes. By color-coding, you’ll easily separate kitchen boxes from boxes belonging to your child’s room. And from others still, that can remain in your garage until the Christmas season rolls around, and you need to pull them out.
Get Help
As the old saying goes, “Many hands make light work.” As much as possible, get help with your move. If you’re determined to DIY your whole relocation, have friends come and help you load up the moving truck. What might take you alone an entire day to accomplish, your friends can help you get finished in a matter of hours.
If you’re interested in having professionals help, hire a moving company to do all the heavy lifting for you. Moving companies can provide as many or as few services as you desire. For a truly hands-free moving experience, choose a moving company that will pack everything up at your current location, move it to your new home, and unpack as well. These companies will even set up appliances and ensure everything is working before they leave. For a more cost-effective experience, pack everything yourself, and load the moving truck if the company allows.
Plan, Plan, Plan
The most important thing you can do to help yourself and your family during the transition is to plan as far ahead as possible. Think through contingency plans and prepare meals. So, you’re not scrambling during the last week when everything is in boxes, and reserve lodging for your trek across the country. Build time for resting, sleeping, and doing something fun with your family. Make sure life isn’t just about packing for the next six months and be sure to take care of yourself.
You Got This!
Moving can be stressful, but with some careful planning and organization, you’ll be ready to move like a pro. We hope these tips help ease the worry and take away the strain of your big move.
