National Moving Services

National Moving—How to Handle Long-Distance Moves

Whether for work or simply for a change of location, national moving and storage can be a highly stressful decision to make. Even more stressful than the decision itself is the actual moving process. There’s a lot of planning involved, and it’s necessary to make sure the entire process goes as smoothly as possible. This means having a solid master plan in place ahead of time, including choosing a trustworthy and reputable national moving service.

Following are a few pointers on how to handle a long-distance move, particularly when going to a new state.

Start With a Plan

For national moving, start with a plan of what will be moved, how it will be moved, what the budget will be, etc. It’s best to begin planning a few months out to make sure everything goes smoothly. By rushing this process, you risk overlooking key details, which can make the move more stressful than it needs to be.

Involving a professional national moving service can help you through the process smoothly. They will know what goes into moving the belongings over state lines and provide the insight needed for the entire process. In turn, you’ll have a clearer plan and be able to fully prepare yourself.

Update Information

When moving to a new state, make sure your address is updated with those who need to know. This is especially important for bills such as loan payments as well as for banking and credit cards. Filling out a change of address form with the post office is the best way to make sure the mail is delivered and nothing is overlooked.

Also, you will need to get a new license and registration for your state. The timeline for doing this depends on the state, so check with the DMV at your new place for details.

Reduce Weight

The weight of household belongings will often be a much larger factor in the cost of moving. Cutting down on the amount of weight needed to be transported over state lines will reduce the costs of the move as well as giving you a chance to declutter. Consider holding a yard sale or selling some items online prior to the move.

When figuring out which items to keep and which ones to let go of, prioritize need-to-have items over nice-to-have. If something is simply nice to have but is not really necessary it may be best to get rid of it. Letting go of old items that are just cluttering the home can be a refreshing experience and, in a way, help reduce the stress of moving.

Moving Budget

Make a budget on what will be spent on the move. This will include the costs of transporting the household items, naturally, but it can also involve hotel stays, storage costs, and so forth. Likewise, consult the national moving service you hire regarding their price to ensure you can afford it. The budget should also account for life after the move as well. A different state may have a different cost of living, so the lifestyle adjustments need to be considered accordingly.

There may be ways to offset the costs of moving in addition to simply keeping them down. If moving for a job, the employer may cover some of the moving costs. You may also be able to deduct certain work-related moving costs from next year’s taxes. These should factor into the moving budget along with any possible profits that might be seen from selling unwanted or unneeded items.

Choose the Right Mover

Choosing a national moving company in Houston will reduce the stress of moving as it allows you to focus on the details of adjusting to a new state without having to worry about the logistics of transporting a houseful of belongings. It’s important to make sure you hire the right mover for this and that you get their contact information.

The right mover will not necessarily be the least expensive, though an experienced national moving service will be able to handle the move in a quick and cost-effective manner. The right mover will have experience and integrity, both of which are highly important when it comes to packing and transporting your belongings. They’ll have the skills needed to make sure everything is handled safely and securely from point A to point B. Remember that what’s most important is that all your belongings get to the new location looking as good as they did before the move.

They will also be able to provide a variety of services, including packing, crating, and storage. Johnnie T. Melia Moving and Storage offers a wide variety of national moving services to help ease some of the burden of moving across the nation. Our team is always happy to answer questions or provide quotes. Contact us today to learn more about our national moving services.