How to plan a nationwide family relocation

Relocating across the nation with your family in tow is a very challenging prospect. You will want to make sure that you are ready for such a venture. And you will want to secure help from one of the best long distance movers in your area. While your movers will be doing most of the work, there is a lot to do before the moving day arrives. In this article, we are going to help you plan a nationwide family relocation by providing you with a simple step-by-step process.

How to plan a nationwide family relocation?

Here are the steps that you will want to take:

1. Inform your family about the move
2. Research your new area
3. Prepare a long distance moving checklist
4. Delegate tasks
5. Create a moving budget
6. Find a good moving company
7. Obtain free/cheap packing supplies
8. Declutter
9. Get ready for the moving day

While it is not required to do them all in order, you will want to complete each and every step before the moving day arrives. Furthermore, you may want to add a couple of steps depending on your unique situation. When planning your long distance moving process, the best thing you can do is to start early. The more time you have to deal with the relocation necessities, the better. With that in mind, let’s proceed to the necessary steps.

Informing the family about the relocation

The very first thing you will want to do is to inform every member of your family that relocation is imminent. This will provide your loved ones with the necessary time to say their goodbyes and tie up any loose ends they might have. You may want to hold a family meeting for this purpose, where you will answer any questions and allay any concerns. It will allow you to plan a nationwide family relocation a lot easier.

The key thing when discussing relocation with your family is to stay calm. It is entirely possible that some family members will not be thrilled about the prospect. That is alright, try not to make matters worse by losing your temper. Uprooting is difficult for everyone, after all. But don’t make it so that the family believes that they can somehow stop the relocation. Be very firm about that. The relocation is happening and it is in everyone’s best interest to make the most out of it.

Researching your new area

If you already know where your new home is going to be, you will want to start researching that particular area. If not, you may want to look into some of the 2022 moving trends to get a better “picture”. Try to make this task into a family activity. The best thing you can do is to start finding fun places in your new hometown and get the family excited about the relocation. The more research you do, the easier it will be to adapt to the new surrounding once you get there.

Preparing a moving checklist

The first step of actually planning the moving process is the creation of a moving checklist. Relocation will put so many tasks in front of you that you might easily get overwhelmed without any organization. What you want to do, even before starting to research and compare moving companies is to make a list of all of the tasks. No matter how small or how large a task is, it deserves to be on the checklist.

Don’t worry if you can’t think of all the tasks in a single sitting. It is practically impossible. But whenever a new task presents itself, make sure to write it down. After creating the checklist, you will want to display it in a prominent location, one that you look at every day. Standard practice is to display the list on the refrigerator door, but it can be placed anywhere.

As you complete the tasks, make sure to check them off the list. This will provide you with both a sense of progress and a sort of “morale boost”. It is always fun checking things off a checklist, after all.

Plan a nationwide family relocation properly – Delegate tasks

Once your moving checklist is created, it is time to figure out who will be doing each task. You want to involve each family member in the relocation effort, as that will give them a sense of purpose and direction. Save the most difficult tasks for yourself and delegate the most fun tasks to younger family members. By dividing the labor, no one will feel overwhelmed by all the relocation necessities. This is very important, as you will still have your regular schedule to maintain.

If anyone starts feeling overwhelmed, you might want to find a way to lessen their burden. You may want to read up on nationwide moving tips, or you might want to reshuffle the delegation of tasks. The important thing is to understand that a nationwide relocation is a “living” process. In other words, nothing should be set in stone.

Creating a moving budget

Long distance relocations tend to be very costly. Not only will you have to pay for the moving services, but you will also need to consider the travel and lodging expenses, as well as any unforeseen expenses that might occur. To make sure that you are well prepared for the journey ahead, you will want to create a moving budget. Your moving budget will help you when choosing moving services, selecting travel options, and will generally put a stop to any unnecessary expenses.

Before you get to the next step, you may also want to read up on a few money-saving tips when hiring movers. This can help minimize the relocation costs and allow you to get more moving services, should you wish to. The more moving services you are able to afford, the easier the relocation will be.

Searching for a quality mover

Nationwide relocations all but require you to hire moving assistance. There are many reasons to hire professional movers and only one not to. Unless you are planning a DIY relocation, you will want to spend some time finding the best mover for the job. Depending on where you live, you may be able to choose between several moving companies or between a hundred of them.

You will also want to be very careful to whom you entrust your belongings. In other words, you will want to avoid common moving scams. Try to only consider movers that are fully licensed, insured, and bonded. While you may get a better deal from an “unknown” moving company, you will be putting yourself, your belongings, and your family at a risk. It is always best to hire one of the better-known moving companies when you are about to plan a nationwide family relocation.

Obtaining free or cheap packing supplies

You can get packing supplies from a variety of sources. The easiest (and probably the most expensive) way is to simply purchase them from your moving company. However, some moving companies offer amazing deals on packing supplies so you will not want to disregard this option entirely. But if you want to save a bit of money, you will want to procure cheap (or free) packing supplies.

Every relocation requires moving boxes. Therefore, your first step should be to obtain enough of them. The best way to get free moving boxes is to simply visit your local convenience stores. Alternatively, you can search the internet for any “pass-it-forward” groups. You can find such groups on Facebook, for example. As a last resort, you may want to check if anyone from your current area has any packing supplies for sale. Most of the time, you will get these supplies at a heavily discounted rate if you simply ask around.

The decluttering process

Before you start packing in earnest, you will want to go through your home and identify the items that will not be making the trip with you. Regardless of the fact whether you are performing a DIY relocation or going with professional movers, extra items will always make things more complicated. We’re not saying that you should throw away or donate items that you can still use, though. But items that haven’t seen any use for years are better left behind.

The moving day

When the moving day arrives, you will want to have a set plan in place. Talk with your family members and make sure that everyone understands their part in the process. While your movers will most likely do most of the work, there will still be some chores that you and your family will have to handle on your own. If you have pets, you will want to either have them out of the home while the moving process is underway, or you will want to have them in a secure location where they can’t interfere with it.

How to plan a nationwide family relocation – Tips and tricks

Lastly, here are some tips and tricks that can make your nationwide family move a bit easier:

• Try to always stay on schedule
• Get multiple, in-premise, moving estimates
• Update important documents
• Consider purchasing moving insurance
• Organize as you pack, not before
• Label each and every box
• Triple-check everything before your movers leave

The best way to plan a nationwide family relocation is to make use of the best “resources” you have: Your family. With their help, even an extremely tedious relocation effort can become something that all of you can enjoy!

For more tips and tricks on long distance moving, browse the remainder of the Consumer Opinion Guide. We can also provide you with suggestions on the best nationwide moving companies and much more.