Preparing for long-distance moving requires a lot of planning and a lot of attention to detail to ensure that your entire process runs smoothly and is a successful process. Though it requires a lot of attention to detail to ensure that all of the variables involved in the process come together successfully, long-distance moving can be pulled off simply and can be a very straightforward process if you follow the right moving tips and give yourself plenty of time to prepare.

Even for those who have coordinated or pulled off local moves in the past, being prepared for long-distance moving requires even more care and time taken to make preparation go smoothly. However, with our long-distance moving checklist for preparation and for things you might forget heading into a big move like this, you’ll be able to have a successful moving process that will let you settle into your new home easily and without undue stress.

How to Find the Right Professional Moving Company

Before we get into our moving preparation checklist, let’s discuss why it’s a good idea to have a full-service moving and storage company on your side for a huge transition like this. When going into a cross-country move like this, hiring a long-distance moving company will allow you to reduce the amount of stress you’ll be under for a huge move like this, and will absolve you of the responsibility of having to coordinate not only the move itself but the travel and transportation involved in moving as well.

When moving by yourself and not with professionals, you’ll have to pack up your entire household, perform all of the labor involved in loading up and moving all of your items, and then will be responsible for driving and moving all of your items hundreds or thousands of miles in a rental truck by yourself. From there, you’ll also have to then unload all of your items and be responsible for everything involved in unpacking and setting your things back up.

On top of that, DIY rental trucks are also often just as expensive as hiring professionals for long-distance moves! Instead of putting yourself through all of that, save yourself time, stress, and strain by having a professional moving company and an experienced moving crew take care of your move for you.

When looking for the right long-distance moving company, you should always investigate a company’s experience, reputation, licenses, accreditations, and reviews.

When looking at customer reviews, you should always look beyond those just on a company’s website, and instead look at sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau to ensure that the company you’re working with has provided positive moving experiences to its customer bases and that it’s not a moving scam.

These reviews will also give you a good idea of a company’s experience and knowledge when handling long-distance moving, which requires a lot of professionalism and detail on their part.

If you’re looking for a long-distance moving company with a great reputation and plenty of experience in providing the best cross-country moves to its customers, check out Fuller Moving Services’ complete full-service moving and storage options. We’ll provide you with the best pricing, service, and overall experience.

Now that you know what to look for in long-distance movers, let’s discuss how best to prepare yourself for a cross-country move.

Long-Distance Moving Checklist

1. Book Your Moving Company

When deciding to move with a professional moving company, especially during peak moving season, you’ll want to book as early as possible. Booking your moving company with a lot of time to spare will also allow you to lock in your moving date with ease and be able to effectively coordinate your move with a definitive timeline involved.

Try to book your movers at least a month in advance, especially if moving during peak months. Moving companies can easily be booked out months in advance, and you don’t want to be left scrambling or not be able to book the company you want just because you left the booking to the last second! Get it out of the way and know that you’re working with your ideal company by booking as soon as you decide to move and find the right place.

2. Look for Specialty Items

If you’re using a professional long-distance moving company, you should also take note of any items that might require specialty services to move to let your company know, and have that factored into your quote.

When looking for items that might be considered specialty, think of especially awkward or heavy items to move, like large dressers, pool tables, outdoor furniture, or any especially unique items.

Factoring in these specialty items will ensure that you receive the most accurate estimate possible and that your movers are prepared completely for your relocation.

3. Use Up/Donate Perishables

Always try to use up, eat, or donate all of the food in your house before a long-distance move. Since you’ll be traveling over a great distance, odds are you won’t be able to take your food with you, and you of course don’t want to let it go to waste. Stop buying nonessential food items well before moving day, and use up the ones you do have. For things still left over, donate them to a local food bank or shelter so that others can benefit.

4. Prepare Children & Pets

If you have pets or children, you’re going to need to prepare them in any way you can so they understand to the best of their ability what’s going on with your move, and how to start adjusting.

When gearing up for a move with pets or children, you’ll want to start preparing them well ahead of time for relocation like this. With pets, of course, focus on making sure that they’re kept safe, calm, and out of the way during your move-out day, and that they’re given a little extra love and care leading up to it so that they’re not overly stressed.

To prepare kids for moving, try to sit them down and communicate why you’re moving, try to allow them to openly express what they’re feeling, and try to even get them excited about your move!

5. Declutter Your Items

After preparing yourself and the members of your household for your move, it’s time to start the actual packing process. When taking on any move, you’ll want to declutter your home from the items that aren’t needed, wanted, or used. After all, there’s no point in making your move more expensive or more complicated by having a bunch of things weighing you down.

Begin going through your household room by room, determine what you need and don’t need, and sort things into keep, donate, give away, and sell categories. Decluttering and downsizing your household items will allow your move to be a lot easier and will also be a lot cheaper since you’ll have gotten rid of things. Doing this will also allow you to be more organized and have a better packing experience.

Long-distance moving isn’t always easy, but you can make your entire process much more straightforward and easy to deal with by using a full-service moving and storage company to help out in your transition. See what Fuller Moving Services’ experienced and professional crew of moving specialists can do to make your long-distance move run smoothly and be as straightforward as possible. We want to handle the heavy lifting, so you can focus on your new home! Take the stress out of long-distance moving with the best services for you and your family.