8 Philadelphia Long-Distance Moving Tips

Moving long-distance out of the Philadelphia area? Don’t go in blind. Instead, check out our 8 long-distance moving tips that we have learned in our decade of experience. These will help you put together a truly stress-free move.

1. Budget First

The first thing you want to do is plan your budget. You want to avoid pushing this off. If you do this and plan a part of your move, you can find yourself either spending too much or not enough and having to rework your moving plans.

Knowing where you stand is the best way to avoid the hassle that comes with cancelling a service or reworking your budget. Make this priority #1 and you can handle the rest of your planning without any stress.

2. Find Movers with the Right Moving Services for You

With long-distance moves, you’ll want to consider a few aspects of the services that moving companies offer while choosing which movers are best for you. The most important; can they offer true long-distance moves? There are certain licenses needed to cross state lines, check to make sure that this isn’t a problem with your potential long-distance movers.

Next, check to make sure that they offer the specific services that you need. Maybe you need storage and you need a moving company that has warehouse storage. Maybe you have to find movers that have expertise in piano moves. Maybe you want a Philadelphia moving company that offers professional packing. For your move, find professional, full-service movers that offer exactly what you need.

3. Make Sure You Can Trust Your Moving Company

For your long-distance move, you want the best Philadelphia movers available. There are a few things that you can look for to know for sure that you can trust the moving company that you’re considering. Those include:

• Make sure their prices are on their site. The biggest complaint people have with moving companies is that their prices change or are hidden. Look for movers who are straightforward about their costs.
• Check out online reviews. There’s a couple things to look for here. First, make sure they have a good amount. Next, look at the average rating. Finally, if there are any bad reviews, see how the business responds. If they pass all of these tests, chances are you can trust them.
• Take a look at their BBB score. You should be able to find movers with an A+ BBB rating.

To trust a moving company, you have to do research. With enough research, you’ll be able to work with your moving company worry-free.

4. Consider Moving in the Off-Season

Most moves happen in the summer. That means that moving companies are very busy. You’ll have to book your move in advance. Moving in the off-season will be easier and cost you less money.

However, keep in mind that there’s a reason why the summer is so busy. The temperature is better and there aren’t any major holidays to work around, and for families with children it comes with the perk of school not being in session. There are perks to both seasons, so choose what’s best for you.

5. Now is the Time to Declutter

Moving is a great time to declutter. Not only will decluttering keep you organized and make cleaning easier, but it makes moving cheaper and easier.

Decluttering can be difficult. That’s why we wrote an in-depth guide on it. A key part of decluttering is deciding what to do with each item. With each item you can:

• Sell It: Selling is often the decluttering go-to, since this results in some extra change in your pocket. However, this takes time and some of your items may not sell. If you do have time before your move, a great option is to have a garage sale.
• Donate It: This is a great option to get rid of items and have them go to a good cause. Check with your local thrift store or church to learn their rules on what can be donated.
• Keep It: While this isn’t the goal of decluttering, don’t feel like you’re doing something wrong by keeping an item that serves a purpose to you.
• Throw It Away: Sadly, this is the best option for some items. If it doesn’t fit into any of the other three options, it’s best to simply put it in the garbage.

Decluttering can seem like a monumental task, but with a little bit of effort it can have a monumental impact on your move and home.

6. Take Inventory of Your Items

Be sure to take inventory of your belongings before your movers begin handling them. A great way to do this is by taking photographs. These images will capture the condition of your items before the move, giving you a reference point for a “before and after” of your belongings.

You should try to do this for as many items as possible, but, if you can only get some items, focus on your more fragile items, larger items, and expensive items. These will be the most likely to get damaged or have the biggest impact if damaged.

7. Plan Ahead for Moving Pets

Your goal is always to keep your pet, or pets, safe and happy. Moving is a difficult and confusing thing for pets, and comes with some risks. Here are some tips on moving with pets:

• Replace the address on your pet’s collar with your new address. Do this right before your move so that you have extra protection on moving day.
• Either have someone watch them or have them in a secure, shut room with enough food, water, and toys on the day of the big move.
• Make sure your new house and yard are set up to prevent your pet from getting loose.
• Be sure to discuss the move with your vet.

Every pet has different needs, so consider what your furry friend needs to be safe and calm during the moving process.

8. Consider Unpacking Services

As you can tell, there’s a lot that goes into long-distance moving. Even with the help of professional movers, once you get to your new home the last thing you’ll want to do is unpack all of your items. You deserve the utmost convenience, which is why you should consider unpacking services. All you have to do is tell your movers where everything should go.

Final Thoughts

The first step of moving is research. You’ve begun just by reading this blog. With this guide in hand, you’ll be ready to plan out the best move for what you need. Just follow these tips and you’ll be enjoying your new home soon.