The Trials of Long-Distance Moving: What You Need to Know

There are a multitude of reasons why you (and families) may want to move to a new location:

• Greater opportunities for work
• Better schools and community
• A much-needed change in pace
• Unbelievable deals on housing and investments
• The society is on a downward turn and you want out

A person is expected to move more than 11 times in their lifetime (source). Most of the moves are within a relatively short distance from the previous location but there are times when you may consider going to another state (or even out of the country).

When you decide to move to the greener pastures many miles out of your state the difficulties begin to show; it’s not as easy as calling up a friend with a truck and getting it done over a weekend. There are plenty of points to consider when you’re making a big move.

What are the greener options?

The list (above) detail some of the basic items on our lists when we are seeking a new home in a new area. We want all of the options but we also know that we’re likely needed to pick and choose. Your task is to find that balance. The balance could sway depending on your job, your child’s education, age, and many other factors.

Before you make up your mind about a city – do some research to see if it offers what you require:

• City-Data.com is a fantastic website that will give you many pieces of data about a city/town from the population to economic range of wages.
• MyLocalCrime.com will show recent crimes within the area so you can get an idea of what kind of safety you’ll have in the specific city/town that’s on your mind.
• Indeed.com can give you a rough estimate of what type of jobs are available.
• Google Maps could be used to find the proximity of schools and other major stores, offices, and institutions you may have on your wish list.

Take all these into consideration when you are seeking those greener pastures. You may be surprised that a 30 mile trek from the original location may offer greater opportunities so always keep an open mind about the new destination.

Doing the move

Most of us have moved multiple times over the course of our lives and it’s fairly unanimous that it’s bottom at our list of fun things to do. Moving never seems to go exactly as planned but it’s because we place too much pressure on ourselves when there are plenty of ways to do it with relative ease:

• Packing – Before you put anything in a box you should take a couple days (or weeks) to sort through all of the items you’ve collected; those items you no longer need can be either sold (giving you extra funds for the move) or donated. Once you’re down to the items you only want to bring you should organize them neatly by the rooms they will go in. Worry less about the number of boxes and more on keeping it all organized.
• Moving – Whenever you move you’re likely to reach out to “that friend with a truck” and there’s a 50/50 chance they will or will not show. You end up spending a full day (sometimes a couple) getting everything boxed before you hit the road. Done it a few times? You’re probably sighing in annoyance at the idea. The easier way to save your back from being soar, having to rush, and dealing with the open road is to pony up the money and hire professional movers. Services like Mayflower movers will come in and transport your belongings to your new destination at a great rate. Compare that to being exhausted before you hit the road; it’s well worth it for keeping your sanity intact during the moving process.
• Settling In – Once you’re at the new location you’ll want to take some time to introduce yourself to the neighbors; you may never really talk to them again but it opens up that chance to build a cool relationship with someone you’ll be around for some time. Afterward, it would be best to redirect your mail, get all the contacts to local services, and take some time to ride around and get a lay of the land. Once you’re all set out there you should slowly unbox and put things in their place (one at a time) rather than dumping it all into the living room. Do all this and you’ll transition into the new place without any hitches.

Get active in the community

When you land in your new place you’re on your own for the most part because you’re so far away from family and friends. You can feel down because you don’t have those immediate connections. The only way you’ll start building those relationships is if you’re being active and going out to socialize:

• Consider joining an amateur sports team
• Buddy up with others at your work and see if they’d like to meet after work
• Look up if others are holding meetups focused around your hobbies and interests
• Check event websites for concerts, events, and other activities that interest you
• Use a dating site seeking just ‘new friends’

Any all these other tips for finding friends.

A great career, educational opportunities for you (or your children), entertainment options, and the like are all good but making new friends is what will make the move complete; you don’t want to feel isolated which is why you should get active in the community.

We move more than 11 times within our lifetime but maybe it doesn’t need to be that way.

What trials have you found with long-distance moving? Share your experience (and suggestions) with a comment!