Moving clear across the country can seem daunting. From packing up your home to the long drive, it’s difficult to keep everything organized. And you don’t want to forget anything! So how can you keep all your ducks in a row? Here are some moving tips to make your cross-country move less stressful.
Packing
Leave some baggage behind. Go through all the things you own — from furniture to clothes — and decide what you really need. Got crates and crates of books you’ll never read again? Take them to a local used bookstore. Clothes you haven’t worn since 1980? Donate them to Goodwill. If you have items that might be worth something, hold a moving sale or list items on Craigslist or Ebay. Craigslist tends to work better in cities where demand is high. Ebay works best in rural areas, though consider shipping costs and logistics before posting.
Sometimes it’s difficult to part with nostalgic or sentimental items, but part of moving is letting go of the past and finding something new. The less you have, the less you’ll have to haul across the country. Parting ways with some of your less-than-essential possessions helps you prioritize and focus on what really matters.
Your Car
While moving cross-country, your car is your tool. You wouldn’t try to cut down a tree with a dull or rusty chainsaw, so why would you try to drive a car on a long trip without a tune up? An oil change, new spark plugs and maybe even some new tires are a good idea before you hit the open road.
Old tires can be a safety hazard — especially if they’ve ever experienced extreme weather conditions — and cause you loads of time and trouble. Check the wear of your tires by measuring the tread using a penny. With so much on your mind already, you don’t want a distraction like a blowout or flat.
If you’re moving somewhere rural, all-terrain tires might be a good idea. All-terrain tires are smooth on paved roads, but also have the tread to handle muddy and rocky tracks. Order them online from a retailer like TireBuyer, and have them delivered to a specialist for easy installation before you leave.
Your Route
Plot out your route. By having defined directions, you’ll save yourself worry, time and money. Getting lost can slow you down, waste gas and be stressful if you end up on shady roads in unfamiliar cities. With an in-car GPS navigation system, you’ll take the most efficient route.
Along the way, call in some favors. Friends, family, family friends — you can save money on hotels and visit people. Don’t let the experience of moving go by too fast. Take a few days off and enjoy the trip. If you’re moving to a city without permanent house plans in mind, arrange a temporary place to stay before you get into town. A friend or inexpensive hotel can be your base of operations until you get your bearings.
About In Order to Succeed Staff
In Order to Succeed is a full service Professional Organizing firm providing Home and Business Organizing Solutions, Moving/Relocation Coordination Assistance and Time Management help to people throughout New York (NY) and Connecticut (CT) and across the US. Our Professional Organizers, Relocation Specialists, and Productivity Experts will make your home and office more efficient and attractive. We can help create a zen-like, less stressful environment giving you the time and calm to focus what you enjoy. Our Professional Organizers and Project Managers can work with you to declutter your home, office or calendar ~ creating sustainable systems to simplify your life and keep it organized and clutter-free. You’ll find that you will boost productivity, save time, and optimize your resources. If you are moving from your home or office we’ll facilitate this process and plan your move with you by obtaining moving quotes, providing packing assistance, coordinating the sale or donation of unwanted possessions. We’ll work with you and your movers to help you work through the details and get you and your family settled into your new home. We assist clients who wish to organize an office, tame their paper piles and manage technology. Organizing and removing clutter is our specialty whether at home or work so we’ll take on projects that you don’t have the time, interest or resources to do yourself. Whether you’re a homemaker, business executive, small business owner, senior or student – we’ll show you how to become more productive and recapture balance & time. In Order to Succeed offers a wide array of professional services and organizing solutions so let us take the stress and complexity out of your life by turning over any home, business or relocation project to us.