The coronavirus pandemic has many people considering a move, with long-distance moves to warmer destinations such as Fort Lauderdale becoming more appealing as flexibility surrounding remote work continues to grow.

The task of preparing for a long-distance move can feel daunting and expensive, but when done correctly, it can be a manageable and rewarding experience.

Here are 7 tips to save you time and money as you gear up for a long-distance move:

1.) Begin making a plan as soon as you decide to move long distance

Increased demand of long distance moving services means it’s more important than ever to create a plan once you’ve committed to relocating. We suggest beginning this process by making a list of everything you need to accomplish before the big day, such as packing and address changes and job logistics, and anything else on your mind. This allows you to stay on schedule and meet any necessary deadlines, which will prevent any excess costs.

2.) Reach out to a trusted long distance moving company for an estimate

Once you’ve created your personal moving checklist, give a trusted moving company such as Gentle Giant a call to discuss your moving route and get an estimate for hiring professional movers. This doesn’t mean you are obligated to use the moving company for your actual move, but receiving an estimate can be empowering in order to help you decide if hiring movers is right for your situation.

For many people, the time saved and reassurance you receive by hiring professional movers is worth the investment and can save you money in the long-run, due to

3.) Make an inventory list

It’s important to know which items in your home you plan on keeping and taking with you to your new home. When you have a detailed inventory list, it allows you to create a packing plan and buy the ideal amount of packing materials within your budget. Once your move is in-progress and when it’s completed, you can use your inventory list to make sure everything has arrived safely and in order, which saves you time because you’re not having to figure this out by memory alone.

4.) Declutter and donate any items you don’t need

To reduce your inventory, it’s essential to take time to declutter each room of your home, making various piles to keep, donate, or throw away. The smaller your inventory is, the faster the move will take and the less materials you will need to buy, and the more money you can save by downsizing.

5.) Organize your belongings during the packing process

As you’re packing for your move, you may find it helpful to organize your items as you place them in your boxes. For small items like office supplies, place the items into storage containers and dividers ahead of time. This can make these items easier to unpack and place on your desk once you arrive, which saves you time while settling into your new home.

6.) Label each of your boxes efficiently

A major time-saving tool recommended by moving companies is to label all of your boxes. You can include your last name, which room in the home the box needs to go, and a condensed inventory list of one to three items inside on the box so you know which items are located in which boxes, and where to begin while unpacking. For those who made a digital inventory list, you can assign a number to certain boxes to know exactly which items are inside of each box to save time while setting up your new home. See more tips for packing for a move here.

7.) Plan the arrival to your new home within your delivery window

The last stressor you’d want to add to your plate is arriving too early to your new home prior to your delivery window. It can be difficult to nail down an exact estimated arrival time, but checking in with your moving company can help you make sure you’re on track. You’ll save in hotel costs and can prevent taking excess paid time off from your employer if you don’t want or need to use it during this time. We recommend keeping a bag of essentials for one week with you during these in-between stages to avoid having any necessary items on the truck instead of on your person.

To get a quote for your long-distance move, use our moving estimate request form and inventory checklist, or call us at 800-442-6863 to speak with a moving consultant and how we can assist you with your move.