While careful planning is often the key to ensuring a successful, stress-free move, there are still times where you need to do the whole process in a hurry. From a sudden breakup to job offers that are too good to be true, there are several reasons why you might need to pack up and move on the fly. While a long-distance move typically involves some unique concerns, staying focused, remaining organized, and knowing what to prioritize could all allow you to complete a cross-country move in less time than you might expect.
Don’t get overwhelmed.
Having to rush through a move can be a significant challenge, allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by your timetable, and logistics will only make things worse. Trying to get everything done in a hurry means that mistakes and oversights are more likely to occur. While it can feel like there’s no time to slow down or catch your breath, taking a minute to regain perspective can be vital. Maintaining your focus and composure may allow you to avoid mistakes that might otherwise cost you precious time.
Start with the essentials.
Throwing together a few travel essentials, and packing an overnight bag should always be the first step. Keeping the essentials close means being better prepared for whatever comes next. Even if the rest of your household gets lost in transit, a well-packed bag of essentials can make dealing with the situation a great deal easier.
Plan while packing.
Ideally, you will want to have every box presorted, categorized, and triple-checked to confirm the inventory – but these are not ideal circumstances. Choosing to pack first and sort later helps to expedite the process, and you may be pleasantly surprised just how much planning and prep work you can accomplish while filling boxes and wrapping up furniture.
A little help goes a long way.
While a spare pair of hands can be much appreciated when it comes to doing the heavy lifting, professional help can often be a key asset for executing an out-of-state move at the last minute. Professional moving service means one-stop shopping when it comes to sourcing your moving vehicle, equipment, and even packing materials. Finding professionals to help with the move can also provide you with additional shipping options and ensure that transporting your belongings to a new city or region can be done with greater ease.
Stay focused.
One moment of inattention is all it takes for a treasured belonging to be left behind or for a high-dollar item to obtain damage during packing or transport. While a last-minute move may not be ideal, doing what you can to remain focused throughout helps to eliminate errors and oversights as well as lowering the risk of an accident or other mishaps that might lead to additional costs or lengthy delays. Knowing which concerns to prioritize and which can wait until later helps to simplify the process and can keep you from being distracted while planning a last-minute move.
Start by Planning
Just because you’ve got no time doesn’t mean you’re going to face this challenge blindly. In fact, you have more reasons to prepare a plan and organize things properly to minimize problems and avoid painstaking issues.
Begin by creating a brief moving checklist for your last-minute move. Make sure to sort out essentials and which belongings you’ll leave behind. In addition, make a list of what to do on moving day itself.
Remember, you’re going to have to stay loyal to this checklist, or else you’ll suffer delays or worse, cancellation. That said, try to tick things off, one task at a time, so you’ll have everything covered by moving day.
Hire a Licensed Interstate Moving Company
No man is an island. This statement is true in many aspects of life, but the most important truth behind this saying is that there are times when an individual will need help to get things done. This can be said for a moving company and your relocation needs as well.
When you hire a licensed interstate moving company, they handle everything from packing up all your belongings securely and safely transporting them to setting up each one into the new home’s place. Hiring such services means less stress, reduced chances of messing up, and a faster transition.
However, keep in mind that you’ll have to be wary of who you work with. Some places like Ohio or Minnesota can be tricky to familiarize even for the most seasoned relocation experts. Don’t hesitate to refer to trusted online rankings if you need help finding a licensed Ohio moving company.
Don’t Forget About Setting Up Utilities
Having no electricity or water by the time you unpack at your new place is a huge problem. How are you going to cook your food? How are you going to connect to the internet? Perform personal essentials? That’s why it’s critical that one of the first things you should take care of is transferring your utilities. If you’re moving into an apartment, give your landlord a heads up on when you’re going to settle in so they can activate the utilities in advance.
Take Pictures of Extra Belongings and Sell Them Online
Moving last-minute, you won’t have the opportunity to conduct a garage sale. That means you’ll probably have several things lying around that’s going straight to the junkyard. What a waste, right? But it doesn’t have to end this way. While you’re facilitating your relocation, take photos of the things you plan to leave behind. Post them online and ask potential buyers to head over to your location if they’re serious about buying an item. While you might not be able to sell everything, at least you’ll be going to get back a few bucks to cover up your expenses.