Long Distance Moving Tips.

A long distance move can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.  For all of those who are ready to pack their bags and say adios to the valley of the sun, we dedicate this blog to you!  Before you get caught day dreaming of the open road with Mr. Fluffy sitting shotgun, there is a few things you need to know about packing before the big move!

First and most importantly, give our guys a call to get a free moving quote.  At Muscular Moving Men, we offer a packing/unpacking and a loading/unloading service to help take the sting from your long distance move.  Thinking about carrying that antique armoire down your flight of stairs?  No way, let our guys do the heavy lifting for you.  All you have to do is pick up the phone and call us at 602-923-6400.

Since we’re talking long distance here, you are probably about to move everything you own at least a couple hundred miles… probably more. No matter how you intend on accomplishing all this it is going to require some planning. Even if you’re a go with the flow kinda person some sort of game plan and schedule is going to be necessary.

A Quickie Long Distance Moving Tips Cheat Sheet To Get You Started:

• Get Your Quotes – get at least three onsite moving quotes from reputable long distance moving companies at least 6-8 weeks out depending upon the season
• Notify Banks and Insurance Companies – 6 weeks out
• Declutter & Purge – packing and moving things costs time and money so don’t move what you don’t use. Declutter 4 weeks out.
• Donate – Sell – Give Away – 3 weeks out
• Notify doctors, dentists, neighbors about 4 weeks out.
• Set up disconnects of utilities 4 weeks out.
• Start Packing – 3 weeks out.

A lot can happen to your stuff on its journey so making sure you properly pack each box is priority #2, after calling our guys of course! Don’t leave all the organizing for your move in.  You will thank yourself later for taking the extra time to organize your items before packing.  The extra time organizing now, will give you just enough time later to pop open a beer when you get there.  Don’t forget to mark each box of its contents and the room it belongs to.  The Sharpie is your best friend!

Properly Insure Your Belongings

Over the course of all your stuff traveling in the back of a truck or trailer for several hundred miles a lot can happen. Moving your stuff that far across multiple types of road conditions puts your belongings at risk no matter how carefully you or the movers packed them. Be prepared for this possibility and get the proper coverage for the value of your belongings. Take the time to have your moving company explain the differences between the types of coverage and the deductible options involved. Your long distance move will be expensive enough without having turn into a financial disaster should something catastrophic happen along the way.

Since you’ve been working on your long distance moving plan, you need to stay on schedule with things. Make sure you get your utilities, CATV, mail forwarded, and any other important documents that need to be updated scheduled and added to your calendar so you aren’t scrambling around trying to remember everything at the last minute. At the very least you’ll want to:

• Have A Checklist – whether it’s a handwritten list or a detailed spreadsheet you must have some sort of checklist to manage your time and tasks. Feel free to use our Ultimate Moving Checklist.
• Use A Calendar – These days digital calendars and emails can be accessed from everywhere, especially your phone. Using your personal calendar with your checklist is an invaluable combination to have for peace of mind and stress reducing.
• Prioritize Your Tasks – Using your checklist and your calendar, make sure you set priorities to your tasks. Something as simple as High, Normal, Low will help keep you on track and focused on what needs to get done and when.

Create An Inventory List

Maybe not quite as important for a short local move, but a definite must for long distance moving. During a long distance move your belongings can get spread around so it’s imperative that you create an inventory of your items. These days there are even convenient apps that you can download that will assist and make this easier. An inventory list won’t just be helpful for keeping track, but it can help make sure you get the most accurate price estimate for you long distance move. Your inventory list will allow you to stay on top of what has been checked out and what has been checked back in.

Request In-Home Long Distance Moving Quotes

Be diligent and get multiple quotes from multiple moving companies. Especially for long distance moving, request that the moving company send a consultant by to do an onsite estimate. Don’t go with any company that just wants to give you a quote over the phone or by email. Make sure that you show the moving people all the items that you’ll be moving (or not moving) and get an accurate binding estimate of the move in writing. Remember that although price point is important to your decision making it doesn’t mean that cheapest is the best option. Make sure you check references and reviews of any moving company and that they are experience managing long distance moving.

Purge Before You Pack

The math of long distance moving is pretty basic… the more items you move the more it’s going to cost you. Especially with a long distance move the time to purge and declutter is now so get rid of any items you’ve not used, clothes you haven’t worn in the past year, tools and appliances you’ve not touched. Seriously, if you don’t use it, love it, or need it to survive, get rid of it. The options for donating, selling, and recycling are everywhere so make those ruthless decisions. Also, take a serious look at any cheap bulky furniture items. Often times these items will actually cost you more to move than they are worth. So, consider donating or having them hauled off.

Pack Boxes With Long Distance Moving In Mind

Over the course of a long distance move your belongings are going to get handled more than once not to mention they’ll be riding across a lot of miles for a long period of time. This is why how your items are packed becomes super important. The end goal for packing for long distance moving is that your boxes are packed to the top, cushioned on the bottom, and any blank spaces are filled so that nothing is loose. Once a box is packed you should be able to shake the box and not hear or feel anything moving or shifting around in the box. And although finding cheap boxes to use may save you a few bucks up front, for long distance moving buying quality boxes and packing materials will ultimately save your money.

As You Pack – Organize It

This works to be a great time and stress saver on the destination side of your move. Once you begin packing set aside and label the boxes that you want to unpack right away at your new home. Usually this would include your “everyday items” such as what you’ll need in the kitchen, clothes, some basic tools, and anything you know you’ll need right away. Also, group together any specialty items, or items that are related to one another, and group together your fragile items. Group boxes together however you see fit that will speed up both the move and the unpacking. Make sure that you label your boxes on the sides as well as the top. Labeling on sides allows you to see what the box is even if it is a part of a stack of boxes. Also, if your boxes are going to be sharing a truck with another family, make sure you add your name as a part of the label.

Keep Your Survival Gear And Essentials

Put together, store, or pack your essentials that you going to keep with you and are not to be loaded on the truck. Depending upon the delivery window the moving company has set up for your long distance move, you’ll want to take the appropriate amount of clothes, bedding, and toiletries. Also, keep in your possession any important documents, licenses, passports, social security cards, bank statements, tax documents, etc. And have each family member do the same for their essentials box.

Know Your Moving In Logistics

You’ll need to a few things about the location of your new place. Since this has been about long distance moving, your belongings are probably going to be transported via a tractor trailer. These big trucks can’t get or aren’t allowed down all access roads and streets. If this is the case, the moving company will have to use a smaller vehicle to shuttle your items between the trailer and your door. This will have you incurring additional fees for this service. Also, find out if there is parking available near your new home and whether a temporary permit is required for the truck while your stuff is being moved and/or shuttled. Be sure to note how busy your street is during certain times so you can do your best not getting stuck in the middle of a jam trying to move in.

No matter what your final destination is, let the Muscular Moving Men take you there.  Before you go, make sure you enjoy one last Arizona sunset, one last margarita from your favorite Mexican restaurant, and one last dive in the pool on a summer day.  We sure will miss you.  Call our guys today to get a free quote.