How To Navigate A Long Distance Move

A Message From Gavin Broadfoot

Moving season is ongoing, and though our customers know us best as the area’s most trusted local movers, we not only can help you move down the block or around the corner but wherever life may take you. In this issue, we’ll provide you with ways to navigate a long-distance move. The farther the distance doesn’t have to mean the more stress involved. We’re here to help!

Stay well and safe,

Gavin Broadfoot, President of Yarnall

P.S. Have we already helped you move? We would very much appreciate a positive review on Facebook, where you’ll find some very nice comments already posted by our customers. You can also fill out a customer feedback form on our site to let us know directly. Your feedback and recommendations help us make sure we’re always making improvements.

No matter the distance, Yarnall will ensure your move is a smooth and stress-free one. We are proud to have been of service all the way from Florida to New York, start to finish! Our customers’ experience always come first.

“We had a fantastic experience with the Senior Relocation Service! Anita, Ray, and the entire team worked efficiently and expertly, and everyone was pleasant and courteous. The first day they packed us up, the second day they unpacked us and set up everything for us, including shelves exactly as we had it, as they took pictures before they packed up the shelves. And even the content of the refrigerator was moved for us and set up better than I could have done! At the end of the day, we were home! It was a great moving experience and I have raved about the experience and highly recommended the service and team to everyone!“
-SUSAN L.

HOW TO NAVIGATE A LONG-DISTANCE MOVE

Navigating a move, whether it’s across town or the city over, is always a bit tricky and taxing, but it becomes even more complicated when the journey is thousands of miles. There’s no reason a long-distance move has to be any more difficult, though, as long as you’re prepared.

Plan, plan, and more planning.

The key to any successful and stress-free move is planning, but with a long-distance move, you’re going to want to triple your attention to detail in the planning stage. When you’re in the midst of traveling and everything hasn’t been ironed out, the odds for things to go wrong and be forgotten are high. Instead, make spreadsheets and checklists your new best friends in the time before your move.

Create a timeline and make lists. The timeline lets you gradually check off your to-dos, so come moving day, there won’t be any chaotic last-minute fiascos. Have a checklist for all you will need to reserve for your move, one for what you need to pack, and one for tasks to complete prior, like change of address, home insurance, and utilities.

You will want to make an itemized spreadsheet of all your items and separate them into categories, furniture, valuables, etc. That way you not only know how many boxes to buy and how much truck space you need, but you also have an account of everything if anything goes missing during the move.

Allow yourself enough time.

Stick to a schedule! A long-distance move is not the time to procrastinate. Once you know you are moving, you’ll want to get in-home estimates and reserve all the movers and equipment you need. You don’t want moving week to come along, especially during peak moving season (mid-May to early September), only to find all trucks and movers are fully booked.

Packing is a huge time drain, so set aside your essentials, purchase boxes, packaging tape, grab a Sharpie, and get started. It’s much more stressful to be haphazardly packing the night before, leading to disorganization and making it more time consuming to unpack when you arrive and are exhausted from your travels. 

Have you said proper goodbyes to friends and family? It may seem silly, but allotting time in your busy move prep schedule for this will help you see everyone you love without rushing or leaving anyone out.

Downsize your belongings.

It’s time to take stock of your inventory (this is where the spreadsheet of items comes in handy) and be realistic about what you need in your new home. You’re not going to be able to go back and forth several times like you would with staying in the same city. Go through dresser drawers, closets, and storage spaces, donate what you can and throw out what is unusable.

Is your new place larger or smaller than your current one? Will all the furniture you have now fit in the space you’ll be putting it? It’s best to take measurements of them all before and map out where they will go. The pieces that don’t make the cut should be sold or given away, saving you space and money when you reserve trucks and movers. 

Get to know your new neighborhood.

Are you spending any time in the area you will be moving to before your move? If you are or can, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the neighborhood. This way you won’t be figuring out on the fly where moving trucks and cars can park for unloading and, if you’re moving to an apartment or condo, where and how you can access a freight elevator. 

Ready you and your family for travel.

If you are fortunate enough to travel by plane for your move, you may only need parts of this advice, but for many, there’s the inevitable road trip with stops at gas stations, fast food, and hotel stays to get yourself, your family, and your car to the new home.

Map out safe and clean rest stops throughout your trip, pack plenty of snacks and water, charge up your devices the night before, and bring enough entertainment. There will be a lot less bickering and tantrums or crying this way.

Moving? We can help.

We pride ourselves on having a loyal, dedicated team of movers. On average, our moving team has been with Yarnall Moving & Storage Solutions for more than 17 years. And over the decades, we have changed with the times and expanded to offer needed services. As problem-solvers, we help customers overcome their unique moving and storage challenges. We’re here to help every step of the way. Learn how.

THANK YOU!

The Yarnall Moving Team