Mia
If you are about to undertake a long-distance move, then you are probably wondering where on earth to begin. With so many things to consider, it can become a little overwhelming but, if you break it all down and deal with one thing at a time, it should help make your relocation go as smoothly as possible.
Here are 8 things to plan when moving cross country.
If you are an existing tenant
If you currently rent a property, you should consider when is the best time to give your landlord notice of your intention to vacate. If you are unsure, your tenancy agreement should provide details of your notice period.
Things don’t always go to plan, so it’s worth building in a week or two of overlap, so if for any reason your departure is delayed, you will have somewhere to stay until things are back on track again.
If you are a homeowner
If you are a homeowner, you need to consider what to do with your existing property. If you are unsure whether your move will be permanent, you may want to consider leasing your property for the time being. Not only should it generate a bit of extra income, but it will provide peace of mind that your property is being taken care of in your absence.
If you are selling up, it’s a good idea to put your property on the market asap. If it sells quickly, you can always request a delayed entry date, so it coincides with your moving plans.
Get rid of things you don’t need
Before you start packing, get rid of anything you no longer want, need, or use. If you are moving abroad, it may be that you need to get rid of pretty much everything and start again. Separate your belongings into bundles to keep, put in the trash, and donate to goodwill.
By the end of your purge, only items that you intend to take with you to your new home should remain. As well as being therapeutic, decluttering will make your move a lot easier.
Removals
One of the first things you should do is to research cross country moving services. It can be a bit of a minefield, so it’s worth looking at previous customer ratings, independent rankings, and chatting to a few firms until you find one that you feel will give you the best service.
When you find a company that ticks all the boxes, book them as soon as you can. It isn’t unusual for good movers to be booked up months in advance, so don’t mess around, or it could disrupt your plans.
Find a new property
You will need somewhere to live when you reach your new location, so you should start looking online as soon as practicable. Before your official move date, you may, if geographically feasible, need to visit a few times to have a look at what’s available. Your goal may be to buy a home, but, in the first instance, leasing may be a more sensible approach. Renting will give you time to familiarise yourself with the area and get to know your surroundings a bit better before making a big financial commitment.
Talk to local real estate and rental agents and give them an idea of your budget and what you are looking for in a home so they can keep an eye on properties that might be of interest to you. Once you feel settled in your new location, you will have a better idea of where you want to live and what type of property would be best for you and your family.
Moving with kids
If you are relocating with children in tow, you will have far more to plan. Although kids are pretty resilient, they may – depending on their age – struggle with the idea of leaving their friends and family behind. Talk to them as much as you can and, if possible, take a trip or two to your new location so they can familiarise themselves with it a little before the move. If you have chosen a school for them, see if they can visit or even meet their new classmates.
Spend a day wandering around and getting to know the local area or visiting places of interest. If you know any of your new work colleagues, find out if they have kids of the same age and arrange a get-together. The more secure they feel, the easier the transition will be, so do whatever you can to make them feel at home.
Mail redirection
When moving cross country, you can’t make a quick visit to your old place and collect your mail, so make sure you organize a mail redirection. There will typically be a fee involved, but it will give you a bit of breathing space and a bit more time to make sure that all the relevant businesses and organizations know you have moved.
If you aren’t sure who you need to inform, there are tick lists online that should help you and make it easier to keep a record of who to tell and when. Once it’s all set up, any mail will be forwarded to your new address, and you can make contact with anyone you may have missed.
Friends and family
One of the hardest things about relocating is saying goodbye to the people you love. It can also take a bit of time, so it might be worth considering throwing a party so you can say farewell to everyone at the same time. If that sounds too much, why not invite your closest family members around for dinner and drinks? It will create the perfect opportunity to tell them all about your new surroundings and say goodbye.
Moving long-distance can be an emotional and stressful time, but if you plan things carefully, it should help your relocation go without a hitch.
