Preparing for any move can be difficult. Throw hundreds or thousands of miles into the mix, and that’s what you call a long-distance move, and it comes with its own set of challenges.

That’s why most Americans make up to five different moving mistakes per move! Forty-four percent of them have made the same mistake more than once. From last-minute packing and budgeting incorrectly to doing everything yourself (painstaking as it is), we certainly do it all.

The following tips can help your move. Keep reading to make your life easier.

1. Pack Early and Often

Packing is annoying all on its own. Don’t make it worse by waiting until the last minute!

Stress-packing is the number-one mistake made by people moving. Rather, pack early—anything non-essential or not used regularly—and pack over time.

There are plenty of long-distance packing lists to print out that break packing down by months, weeks, and even days. Print a checklist out and follow it, preparing down to the day.

2. Don’t DIY If You Don’t Have To

Thirty-six percent of people moving cite doing it themselves as one of their top mistakes.

It sounds good initially—you can move your belongings at your leisure and under your control. You think you’ll save time or money by doing so.

But after a few hours into your packing, you realize you’re in over your head. You don’t have the supplies, the expertise, the measurements. With work, kids, school, or all three, you also don’t have the time.

Hiring movers, like those at Rainforest Moving and Storage, can take a lot of weight off your shoulders. 

3. Budget Wisely

Moving can be expensive.

From purchasing moving supplies, hiring movers, paying for gas, spending your time, buying insurance, and so much more, a moving budget can quickly add up. 

Consider all your expenses, and then give yourself some emergency padding. You might need it for unexpected hotel stays, car troubles, and various other surprising situations.

4. Consider the Floor Plan

You might have a room decor idea in your head, but have you used your measuring tape to ensure the correct dimensions?

Don’t wait until you get into your new space to start considering measurements. You might have to rearrange, sell, or buy new furniture if your current set-up doesn’t fit as expected. If you know ahead of time, you can sell what you don’t need, avoid having to move it, and get furniture delivered to the new place promptly.

If you think this won’t be a problem, consider that 37% of movers found their furniture didn’t fit the new space and another 34% got new furniture delivered later than expected.

Crush Your Long-Distance Moves With These Tips

Moving can be difficult, but thankfully, millions have done it before you.

Because of them, we’re armed with the advice to make any move simpler than ever—even a long-distance move. Use the guidelines listed here to make your experience seamless, stress-free, and maybe even easy.

If you need some reading material while you’re playing passenger on the move, be sure to read the rest of our blog! We’ve got tons of interesting content to keep you entertained.

Jane