How to Have Your Best Interstate Move

Preparing and embarking upon an interstate or long-distance move isn’t something that can be done without proper planning or the right amount of preparation. It takes time and needs a lot of attention to detail to not only make all of your things arrive safely but to make the entire packing and moving process itself as smooth and seamless as possible.

Before you begin on your journey to your new home, you’ll need to map out a feasible timeline, have the right movers on your side, and will also want to make sure your things are packed properly and that your current home has any arrangements or details squared away before you leave it.

When you’re trying to plan out the proper process for your long-distance or interstate move, you’ll need to start the planning process almost immediately or as early as possible to make sure you’re prepared for the process. This goes for not only the packing process but for choosing the right moving company to accompany you in this process.

If you’re looking for the best way to tackle an interstate move and to find the right long-distance moving company, we’ll give you the best way to have the most successful relocation possible.

What to Know About Interstate Moving

As we mentioned before, when tackling a cross-country or out-of-state move, you’ll want to start the planning process as early as possible. Though any relocation is a complicated process, long-distance moving is even more so and needs to have all the right attention to detail to make the process go smoothly and to ensure that your items arrive safely.

Always start by crafting the right vision for your moving process, as well as a realistic timeline for the packing process so that you’re ready when moving day comes.

When prepping for an out-of-state move, always take into account that you’re about to take on what’s often a major project that involves a lot of moving parts and steps that will all need to come together to make your process successful.

When you decide to move or learn that you’ll need to make a long-distance move, you might get easily overwhelmed or not know where to start – especially if you’re under a time constraint. That’s why you’ll need to book your movers and reserve your moving date immediately with your company so that you have a solid goal, and can then work backward from that date to form your timeline. Determine what needs to be done by when, and how you’ll approach the packing process so you’re ready to go.

How to Choose the Right Long-Distance Moving Company

The best way to make sure your vision and timeline align with the actual results and quality of move you receive is by making sure you have the right interstate moving company on your side.

When looking for long-distance movers, you’ll want to walk into the process with an informed eye, so that you know how to spot a dependable company and how to avoid moving scams. So how do you start your research the right way? Here are the best ways to look for the right professional movers.

Get Recommendations & Look at Reviews

When beginning your search for the right full-service moving company, ask around to family members, friends, or trusted colleagues for recommendations for good movers, or about any positive experiences they might have had in the past with moving companies.

This first-hand experience with a company from people you trust is the best way to make sure you’re working with a company that will give you a good experience as well. It’s also the best way to make sure you’re working with a genuine crew, and not scammers.

Another good way to make sure you’re avoiding moving scams and working with the right set of people is to thoroughly look through and research the online reviews of each company you’re thinking of working with. Before using the services of any professional mover, you should always look to see what others have said about their service, prices, and overall business practices. This is even more important for long-distance movers, since they’ll be responsible for the safety of your items as they travel across states.

When researching reviews, take a look at not only the ones posted on a company’s website, but at those posted on third-party sites like Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, Google Reviews, and more.

Though you shouldn’t solely go off of the reviews posted just on a company’s website, as they can easily be filtered to only show the good ones, it’s a good way to compare how they would like you to see them versus the service they provide. If the reviews a company posts are of the same general vibe as those they can’t control on other sites, then it’s a sign of a good company that’s honest and provides good service.

When researching reviews, look to see if the movers have responded to any negative reviews, or if they’ve responded to any complaints made against them. How they react to negative customer experiences is also a good preliminary gauge for how they approach to service and responsibility in the relocations they service.

Get Multiple Quotes

When shopping around for the best professional movers, you should always explore your options and get quotes from multiple long-distance movers. Never go with the first company you talk to or look at without considering offers or deals from other companies. Shopping around will let you both get the right price for your moving services, and will let you also gain more experience in what to look for from movers and what might constitute good services vs. bad.

Shopping around for quotes will also save you from getting scammed, as you’ll be able to compare and contrast the services of so many different places. Always steer clear of companies that try to pressure you into signing contracts without in-person quotes, ones who ask for money upfront, who offer services at suspiciously low prices. Also, look for a professional moving company that uses up-front pricing and that doesn’t have any hidden fees or undisclosed costs. After all, you don’t want any unwelcome surprises after a big move like this.

One of the greatest benefits of being able to shop around and compare moving companies is that you’ll be able to differentiate between which companies claim to offer the best services and competitive pricing, and which walk the walk. Go with the company that has the right prices and services for your vision, timeline, and budget.

Make a Packing Plan

Having the right packing plan or strategy before you really get swept into moving prep will let you get ahead in the process and have a smooth and strong timeline. Having the right packing timeline will also let you avoid stress or rushing, will keep your things organized and safe, and will allow you to pack up fragile items safely and carefully.

Before tackling the actual packing process, take a step back and look at your timeline and vision. Have you given yourself enough time to get everything packed? Do you need to declutter or weed out unwanted items before your packing gets underway?

Starting early in your process not only lets you avoid stress and create a solid timeline, but will give you time to sort, organize, and declutter your things. When considering decluttering or getting rid of items, always consider if you’ve used or worn them recently and how much of a purpose they serve. If you’re still torn, consider how easily replaceable they are in relation to how annoying they might be to move.

Picking a Season to Move During

Making sure that you’re moving during a time when the weather and conditions are right for you can make all the difference between having a stress-free, comfortable, and straightforward move, and one that’s rushed, miserable, and not your ideal situation.

Remember, peak moving season is from April to September, with June, July, and August being particularly busy. Not only will regular moving companies book up quickly during this time, but long-distance ones can often be booked solidly. This will make it harder and more expensive to find a good company to service your move – especially if you’re under an existing time constraint.

If you move off-season, say during March or October, you might be surprised by how favorable your pricing, service, and overall conditions might be. You’ll have more flexibility when booking thanks to the lack of fellow movers out and about and could even see lower prices thanks to a slowing of demand.

However, when moving off-season (and particularly in the winter) consider the weather of your current location and of the one you’re moving to. If you’re headed to a colder climate than your present home, take this into account when packing and moving, and give your items a little extra protection if you think they need it. Take a little extra time to also prepare for any temperature differences you might experience when you arrive.

At the end of the day, long-distance moving isn’t easy, but with the right plan and right moving company on your side, you can make your relocation as smooth and seamless as possible. Looking for the best interstate movers for you and your items? Carey Moving & Storage will provide you with the best possible moving experience from start to finish. We’ve got the best service, best crews, and the best prices to set you up for a positive and straightforward cross-country move.