3 Tips for a Successful Long-Distance Move

Those planning a major move have a huge task on their hands. It takes a great deal of coordination to relocate from one area to another when it is hundreds or thousands of miles away. People can take comfort in the fact that they are far from alone; around 14 percent of the population moves long distances each year. Careful planning and strategy can help make the experience as easy and affordable as possible, including the following three tips.

Curate What's Coming Along

Most people accumulate a lot of possessions when they stay in one place. A lot of them can be dispensed with before moving along. The trick is deciding what gets to come and what gets left behind.

Well ahead of the move, people should begin to eat food in their pantry to avoid moving items. Often, moving companies charge by the pound. What doesn't get eaten in the time leading up to the move can be donated to food pantries or shared with friends.

Likewise, people should go through their possessions and decide what will come along and what can be thrown away. Most people use a strategy where they select out the items they are getting rid of. However, many organizational experts say this approach is backward. Instead, people should look at each item and decide whether it is one they want to keep. Those that they don't picture in their new lives can be sold or donated.

Large items like furniture should also be examined. A cross-country move can be just the opportunity needed to upgrade a mattress or replace an old couch with something new. The less that is taken along, the easier the overall move will be.

Learn About the New Destination

The process of moving can be intimidating and exhausting. Therefore, people should take some time to research their destination and learn what it has to offer. They can check review sites and look at the top restaurants, shopping, and attractions in the area while mapping out how long it will take to get from their new home to the things they want to visit.

Visiting the online presence of local businesses can help newcomers get an idea of ways the new area varies. Online menus, for instance, can help someone determine whether the cost of eating out is higher or lower in their new location.

Make a Calendar

Calendars and checklists can help keep the process of moving manageable. The sooner people start planning and acting, the easier the move will go.

For instance, someone who has a lot of items to get rid of may choose a day a few months before the move to start photographing items with resale value to start listing them in online marketplaces. Choosing options like porch pick-ups, where buyers leave concealed money for an object that is left out for them to take, makes the process quick and easy. Things that don't sell should go in a "donate" box that is emptied once a month.

Additionally, people should write down all the utilities that need to be shut off or transferred, and the numbers to contact them, along with the dates to call or email. Having this information all in one place makes the process easier.

Big moves take a great deal of planning and strategy. It can be hard to adjust to a new place and to figure out how to make it all work, but by breaking up big tasks, such as getting the best homeowners insurance, into smaller ones, a big move can be accomplished with less stress and less hassle.