Top Ten Tips For Successful Long Distance Moves

Is it time for you to move to a new city or province/territory? We are the experts in long-distance moves!

To give you a fair heads-up, you need to be extremely prepared for a long-distance move. The folks here at Alberta First Moving have been doing long-distance moves within Canada for decades, so we’ve learned a thing or two about moving between different cities!

You can hire a team of qualified, professional movers or you can take the move-it-yourself approach. Both options have their share of pros and cons and at the risk of seeming biased, it’s always a wise move to hire a qualified, reliable, and dependable moving company.

Moving companies in Alberta (and anywhere else in Canada) have the tools and workers to get the job done. This is maybe the biggest reason why you should consider hiring long-distance movers.

That said, let’s take a look at ten simple tips for completing a successful long-distance move.

Photo of a large moving truck on a highway

1. Preparation Is The Key

Planning can really, truly help your relocation to go smoothly.

Unfortunately, many people procrastinate and wait until the last minute to get their preparations underway. Don’t do this! You should contact moving companies in your city or town at least two months before your moving date.

It is a very important piece for you to take this advice seriously, especially during the summer months since moving companies are always extremely busy at this time of the year.

2. Get Several In-Home Moving Estimates

Getting an estimate is the first step to dealing with professional Edmonton movers.

A representative from the local moving company should be more than happy to visit your home and conduct a visual survey of the items you are moving. This helps them give you the right price quote for their services. You will also get a good feel for the moving company while the representative is inspecting your things.

You should be extremely cautious of a prospective company that does not offer in-home surveys. You may be in contact with a moving broker instead of a real moving company, or you could be dealing with a scammer.

Brokers simply take your business and outsource it to a physical mover in your town or city. These unnecessary middlemen typically give their business to the cheapest movers, which can (and far too often does) lead to serious problems down the road.

Doing a Google Maps search for the prospective mover will help you see if they have a real office and moving trucks.

3. Do Your Due Diligence on Moving Companies

Some moving companies are better than others. You should do your due diligence on your mover to make certain they have a strong, positive reputation in the industry. Angie’s List, The Better Business Bureau, and Movingscam.com can help you learn more about prospective movers.

It’s a very wise move to do business with a well-established company, like us! With a well-trained moving crew on hand, you should not have any difficulty in showing up at your home on moving day.

4. Downsize

The moving company’s fee will be based on the weight of the items being shipped so logically the more items you ship, the more you will have to pay.

It’s a good idea for you to go through your items and decide what you should keep regularly, regardless of whether you’re moving or not. But this is especially the case when you’re preparing for a long-distance move.

You can have a garage sale and sell your items, or you can give them to your local Goodwill.

5. Consider Furniture Placement

Take note of where you want your furniture to go once it gets to your new residence and make sure you have enough room for everything. For example, let’s say your new home is smaller than your current home. If this is the case then there’s a strong possibility that you’ll feel overcrowded if you keep and bring all your furniture.

You must find a space for each item. If you don’t have enough room for an item, then seriously consider getting rid of it before moving day.

Also, be sure to find out if the doorways in your new home have adequate space for your furniture. In some situations, it’s extremely difficult (if not impossible) to transport furniture through the doorways of older homes. Getting an accurate measurement of your furniture will help you determine if you will run into any problems.

6. Label Boxes

Make a good effort to label your boxes while packing. Write the details of what you’ve packed on the outside of each box and what room it should be placed in upon arrival. This will help you save time unpacking and find everything in your new home.

This will also help the movers place items in the right area. After all, you don’t want the movers to place your bedroom items in your kitchen!

Photo of moving boxes sitting in a kitchen

7. Know Your Rights

Movers must offer compensation for items that are lost or damaged during transportation. However, the amount of compensation they are required to provide varies depending on the type of insurance coverage present and the details of your contract with them.

Full valuation protection covers your items from potential moving damage, but you must pay an extra fee if you want to increase the coverage. With full valuation protection in place, the mover will replace or repair an item that gets damaged during the move. Make sure you ask the prospective mover about valuation so that you hire the right company.

8. The Off-Season

Long distance movers typically offer the best prices during the off-season, and moving companies are notorious for charging higher fees during the summer. You will save money if you move during the spring, fall, or winter

9. Moving Expenses are Tax Deductible

If you’re moving for work, there’s a possibility that your moving costs are tax-deductible. Please remember to deduct your moving expenses when you file your taxes in the spring. This can help you save a significant amount of money.

10. Get Familiar with Your New Area

A long-distance move is challenging, but adapting to your new city can be one of the toughest things you will have to deal with.

For instance, you will have to find new friends, restaurants, and shopping malls. You’ll need to turn to a resource that can help you adjust to your new environment. Meetup.com is a great resource that can help you meet new people. Before you know it, you will be back in the swing of things!