Maybe you were forced to move because of job relocation, or some other more pressing personal reasons. It would not help if you fret about it. Just accept the situation and prepare for it so that you can mitigate its emotional and physical effects.
Don’t Think About Yourself
Now is not the time to concentrate on what you are feeling. There are a lot of things you need to move. Think about how you can move your stuff. Maybe some of them have to be left behind, but most of them, you would want to bring along with you.
That is why you need to act now before your expected moving date comes rushing by.
You Can Have Fun with It
Yes, moving can be fun – if you take yourself and your feelings out of the equation. Other people have done it, even if they were in worse condition than you are. This article has collated several tips from these people which you could use. These tips will help you make this forced move a lot of fun. Here they are.
Throw As Many Personal Stuff As You Can
For sure, you have stuff, such as clothes and personal items that you haven’t been using in years. They are just in your closet taking up valuable space. This is the time you can give them away to those unfortunate ones who might need them more than you do.
Or perhaps, you have some flimsy furniture that may not survive the trip. You can sell or give them to a friend who might be able to use it. In fact, you can look at your forced move as something positive because you now have the opportunity to let go of things that you really don’t need and have not been using in years.
If there is plenty of stuff that you need to leave, why not organize a garage sale? Your neighbors will gladly pick up something that they find valuable. You will also be able to use the sale to somehow reduce your moving expenses.
Get an Inventory of What’s Left
Now that you have tossed all your unwanted items away, it is time for you to inventory all the things that are left. They are the stuff that you will need to transfer. You need to devise a system by which they can all be organized. For instance, bedroom items must be in one box, kitchen items in their boxes as well, and so forth.
In this way, you will know how many boxes you will need. It will also facilitate your packing and unpacking tasks.
Setting Your Budget
Now that you have organized everything, it is time for you to think about how much you need to spend for the move. Since you are facing a cross-country move, you need to set up a bigger budget than if you are just moving across town.
In today’s rates, a cross-country move can cost you approximately $8,000. You can get a discount from a mover, such as Budget or U-Haul, if you will transfer during the off-season. That time is usually from October to April.
If you really don’t have the money, you can cut your expenses by doing the packing yourself and just ask the mover to do the heavy lifting. You will have no problem with your budget if your transfer is for job relocation since your employer is required to pay for a majority, if not all, of the moving expenses.
Look for Alternatives
Don’t just hire the first mover that you see in the newspapers, or in the internet. Compare the prices and services of at least three moving companies, and get the company that offers the best deal.
Pack Your Items Tightly
The best way to protect your items, especially the valuables, is to pack them tightly. But that doesn’t mean to over stack the boxes. It means you need to fill up all the empty spaces with shock absorbing materials such as crumpled newspapers, so that the items won’t have any playroom inside the boxes.
Allow Plenty of Time
You are moving cross-country therefore it will take a long time before you arrive at your new place. The longer the trip, and the more items you are moving, the greater chances for delays. Therefore, you will not be stressed if you will allow more time before you can complete the transfer.
Inject Some Fun
You can inject some fun in your long cross-country trip if you will ask the mover to pick a route that will allow you to pass a few sites that you’ve always wanted to visit. There are state and national parks that will take off your mind and your family’s from the heavy task of moving. The beautiful sceneries in such places have a magical way of erasing your tiredness and worries away.
