In nearly every case, moving from one home to another will make for a stressful time. But, if you’re preparing for a long-distance move, those plans get even more stressful. Not only do you have to manage the logistics of moving—from wrangling kids and pets to packing up everything you own—but now you’re doing so with a road trip involved. You have to be ready to get from point A to point B with your entire family and collective belongings.
You might have a more difficult time enticing friends and family to help you move when it involves an extra day of travel. And, on top of your other stressors, you’ll need to do all of this while learning to navigate a new neighborhood and all that comes with it. By spending some time preparing for your cross-country move well in advance of the big day, you can make the process a little more manageable. By spending less time worrying about the logistics of your long-distance move, you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way.
Replace some of your belongings.
As you’re packing up your belongings, consider replacing some of them when you get to your new home. Returning larger items, in particular, will save you some stress through the moving process. Worried about how you’ll manage to move your family’s mattresses without taking up half the moving truck?
Pick out some brand-new king mattresses to be waiting for at your new home. It will take a bit of planning to ensure their arrival coincides with your move, but it will be well worth it to avoid the stress of moving the sub-par pieces you’re currently sleeping on. And, best of all, few feelings will be quite as welcome as a brand-new mattress to fall into after a long trip and lugging moving boxes.
Do your research from afar.
When you’re moving cross-country, there’s only so much you can do in person. In some cases, you might not have even seen your new house or apartment outside of a screen. Nevertheless, there’s still plenty of preparation you can take care of from your current home. Do you have kids who are moving with you?
Take the time to compare the local Oregon charter schools and public schools, considering factors such as the educators’ quality in a school district, the costs of attendance, and whether the in-person or online school would be a better fit for your child. Thanks to the breadth of the internet, you can learn all of this and anything else you might need to know about your new neighborhood from the opposite side of the country.
Ensure your new place is ready for you.
Whether or not you’ve seen your new home in person yet, you can take steps to make sure it’s ready for you when you arrive. If you know that your new roof is missing shingles or the chimney needs bricks replaced, arrange for a local contractor to take care of your roof repair needs before you arrive.
The last thing you want to worry about on your first night in your new house is a leak in the roof—you’ve had enough stress leading up to this day. Of course, hiring a roofer to replace shingles and bricks isn’t the only update you can schedule from afar. From a leaky roof to mold in the basement, find a well-reviewed contractor to make sure your new home is as ready as you are for this new stage of life.
Update your address.
When you’re preparing for a move, it’s always important to update your address. But, with so many subscriptions and necessities to keep track of, it’s all too easy to miss a magazine, bank account, or bill. Spend some time writing out everything you can think of that uses your mailing address or residence. You’ll want to regularly return to this list before your move to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
Consult a reputable checklist for extra reassurance and to cross off the most important items. Will your favorite online store use the address from previous purchases to mail your next order? Is your credit card statement on its way to your soon-to-be ex-address? With the right planning, you can avoid missing out on your most important mail in the process of your move.
Take time to be social before you leave.
If you’re moving cross-country, there’s a good chance you don’t know many people in your new city and that you won’t be seeing your now-local friends and family often once you’ve left. Make sure you’ve given your loved ones plenty of time to get used to the news and that you’re making time to see them before you leave. Spending time with the people you love will be a welcome break from the stress of planning your move. And, of course, be sure to keep in touch with your favorite people after you’ve made it to your new home!
There’s a lot to consider with any move, and it’s all the more critical when it comes to moving cross-country. By planning and preparing as much as you can from a distance, you can make even a long-distance move as painless as possible.
