5 Tips for Moving Across the Country
When you move across the country, you quickly realize what would have made the process go more smoothly. Read on for some tips and tricks I learned along the way that will make any move easier, whether it’s across the street or across the country!
1. Spring (or whatever season it is) Clean before packing
It’s more important now than ever to pack light. For us, this move was from Wisconsin to Texas, so it was easy for us to part with some of our winter gear we had accumulated over the years (because Texas winters are nothing like Wisconsin, right? S/O to the 2021 Snowpocalypse…). Even when you’re not switching climates, moving is the perfect time to get rid of items and clothing you don’t need or use any more. We also took this time to make a list of who had what for kitchen items, furniture, etc. and decided whose to take if we had duplicates. It’s a great idea to get organized early on so you’re not packing more than what you need to when the time comes.
2. Plan time to deep clean your new place
Because unfortunately, your apartment complex, landlord, or seller likely will not have cleaned it to your standards prior. Before you move all of your stuff in, make sure it’s being brought into a clean space. When we first got to our apartment, it was a mess. Layers of dust everywhere, some garbage in the closet, noticeable foot tracts all over the kitchen & living room, and more. It turns out that our leasing office had had the apartment cleaned, but it had been sitting vacant for a while collecting dust. This was not something we had planned for, so we quickly realized we needed to make time to clean it before moving our things in. I would recommend planning for this. Even if the place you’re moving into was professionally cleaned, it never hurts to do a little extra on your own for some peace of mind.
3. Purchase any new home décor & furniture AFTER you get there
I am guilty of seeing something at target that I just "had to have" right before our big move and causing us to pack extra stuff. It’s so easy to get excited about decorating a new apartment or house, but remember that you’ll have every opportunity to do so after you’ve moved in. If you plan on getting a new bed, living room furniture, dressers, or anything like that do so after you get to the new place. Don’t add an extra load to your moving truck if you don’t have to. This will also help ensure that nothing new gets damaged during the move!
4. When at all possible, tour the home before you sign a lease/purchase
This is something we were unable to do as we were moving in the middle of a pandemic. We relied on photos, reviews, and communication with our apartment complex. All in all, it worked out well in our situation. We love our apartment and the location for the most part, but it would have been invaluable to be able to take time to actually tour not only our complex but any other apartments we were interested in.
5. Splurge and Hire a Moving Company
This is something we did not do, and I wish we had! With the help of family and friends (and extra help from my mom), we packed up a Pensky truck and 3 vehicles and made the 20-hour trek from Wisconsin to Texas (in the middle of an Iowa tornado, no less). Then once we got there, we spent two days cleaning, moving in, and organizing in 105-degree heat. I wish we would have splurged and hired a moving company like Our Truck Moving to help get some of the dirty work done.
Our Truck Moving offers a variety of services like residential moving, commercial moving, packing, and labor movers in Garland, TX. (I wish we would have known about them for our move to help with unloading the truck!) While many moving companies are only available to do the heavy lifting, Our Truck Moving with help with packing and unpacking! They will provide the truck for the move, provide boxes and tape, label and organize boxes, and deliver items to your new home safely. Make your move as effortless as possible with Our Truck Moving.
Take it from me and use the tips listed above for your next move. Moving should be fun & exciting! Take out some of the stress by being smart with the process. I’m sure once you’ve done it, you’ll have plenty of tips to add to this list as well!
Yours truly,
