Preparing to move can be a stressful time for any family, but when your move involves packing up and travelling thousands of kilometres across the country, it can be especially overwhelming. The trick is to approach it like any other move while keeping in mind the extended distance your belongings have to travel.

Below you’ll find some tips and tricks for preparing to move long-distance that we’ve picked up over our many years of moving families locally and nationally.

Confirm your move-in date

This might sound like an obvious task, but it’s worth double and even triple-checking when you can move into your new home. The last thing you want is to arrive with all your belongings and find out you’re not able to move-in for a couple of days.

Book a mover

Letting a mover transport your belongings to your new home is a great way to eliminate a lot of the stress associated with moving. You don’t have to worry about renting a truck, learning how to drive a truck or even making sure the truck is packed correctly. From start to finish, our team handles everything in a professional and precise manner with no hidden costs, shared truck space or anything else that can jeopardize your belongings.

Plan your mode of transportation

Depending on how far away your new home is, you might want to consider other forms of transportation for your family. For instance, if you were planning to move from Ontario to British Columbia, flying might be more relaxing and comfortable than driving. Keep in mind, if you own a car you’ll need to get it to your new home somehow. And the same goes for family heirlooms and keepsakes you may prefer to transport yourself. Depending on the amount and size of these things, your airline may charge you extra to have them flown to your new home with you.

Declutter

Last month, we talked about spring cleaning before moving and touched on the need to declutter— this is even more important for long-distance moves. The less you decide to transport, the lower your cost of moving will be. We like to suggest the “one-year rule”. If you haven’t used something in a year (excluding seasonal furniture that was stored for the winter/summer), chances are you don’t need to bring it to your new home and should consider donating or selling it.

For more tips on decluttering, check out last month’s blog post here.

Inspect Outdoor Furniture

Now that the bugs have started to emerge, it’s essential to inspect your seasonal furniture and give it a good wash before packing it. This is to be sure you’re not packing stowed away insects into the same space as the rest of your belongings and to eliminate the risk of bringing boxes of bugs into your new home.

Pack Boxes to the Brim

As careful as we are when transporting your belongings, boxes can sometimes bounce around due to rough roads. We recommend packing every box as full as possible to keep items from rattling around as well as wrapping delicate items extra carefully just to be sure. This will also come in handy if specific boxes need to be turned on their side to utilize as much truck space as possible.

Tip: When packing your boxes, be sure not to place too many heavy items in the box. This can lead to boxes breaking open when they are picked up and can mean damaged contents in some cases. Also, be sure to purchase high-quality boxes. While it might be tempting to save some money on boxes, it can end up costing you more in the long run if your belongings get damaged.

Don’t Pack Things You’ll Need Upon Arrival

Before you start packing, set aside any items you will or may need upon arrival at your new home. This can be house keys, health cards, passports, bank statements, real estate documents, a change of clothes or anything else you might think of. These items should be packed in your personal luggage or somewhere else where they are easily accessible.

Don’t pack food or liquids

Packing certain foods and liquids might be ok if you’re moving across town and will be able to unpack them on the same day, but when you’re moving long-distance, we recommend not packing any foods or liquids. This is so there’s no chance of foul odours, spoiled food or containers breaking open and ruining your belongings.

Those are just a few of the tips and tricks we’ve picked up over our years of moving families locally, provincially and nationally. We strive to make your moving journey as comfortable and successful as possible, whether you leave all or just a little of your move up to us. If you’d like to start planning your long-distance move or simply need some advice, give us a call or send us an email today and we’d be happy to help.