Tips For Planning A Coast To Coast Move

image of a coast

Are you planning to move from one coast to another? Moving to the other side of the country will be a great adventure for you. You’ll have to travel 3000 miles and face new challenges along your journey. But if you think that everything will be easy, then you’re wrong.

You’ll meet new people and see different places, adjust to new cultures, and memorize new routes. Yes, it might not be easy but if you are determined to face these challenges just to move to a new place. To make your adjustment easier, here are some tips to help you with your new adventure.

Housing Options

The first thing that you have to think about when moving to a new place is your new house. Planning before you move to a new location is essential so you can get the best living accommodations. It would be great if you can visit the place before you move to look for the houses that are available for you.

However, it is almost impossible to go on house hunting trips when you live too far from the place that you want to move to. Consider living in a temporary housing near the new area so you can hunt for a new house properly. This way, you can inspect your new house for yourself and see it in person. It’s different seeing a house through a computer or a picture. When you see the house for yourself, you’ll get to see whether the quality is good or not.

Living Cost

Everyday expenses are also some of the factors that you have to know before you move to another coast. Do not assume that everything will be cheap just because the living costs in your current area is cheap. The cost of living will vary, and you have to be prepared for it. Check how much you need to prepare for the utilities, clothing, food, transportation, etc. Make sure that your budget will be able to cover the cost of living when you move, so you won’t regret it in the end.

Job Opportunities

Looking for a new job can be difficult if you move to a place where your skills or experiences are not that in demand. Job markets are different from one place to another. Research whether you’ll be able to find a secured job in that new area or not. If you aren’t able to find a good and stable job after your relocation, then you might want to reconsider your choice because no work means no salary and that means you won’t be able to pay for your expenses.

Cultural Issues

Moving to another place means you have to adjust to new cultures. The demographic patterns and cultures of the east coast and the west coast differ significantly. You’ll have to deal with the different point of views, trends, and values. All of these changes might cause you to be culture shocked. This is why you have to prepare yourself by researching about the place that you want to move into.

It would also be perfect for you to be more open-minded about the new things and lifestyles that you are about to encounter. Be tolerant of new perspectives that might clash with yours and be patient. Try your best to understand these new people in your life. Try to be friends with your new neighbor and just be kind to everyone. It might take you a lot of time before you can adjust to these cultural differences but nothing is impossible with perseverance and a little faith!

Climate

It’s also a challenge to get used to the weather when you move to another coast. Prepare yourself for the temperature, air pressure, and humidity differences of your current location and your future location. If you do not prepare yourself to the changes, it may result in health problems and difficulties.

How can you prepare yourself to this? Pack the right clothes, eat healthily and know the important things about dealing with a cold or hot weather. It would also be good for you to have the proper equipment in case of calamities and other climactic conditions like hurricanes.

Moving Costs

After researching about the living costs, housing, job opportunities, cultural issues, and climate in your new area and you’re still convinced that this move is going to be great for you, then it’s time to think about the long distance moving cost. And yes, it will cost you a lot which is why you have to prepare your wallet for it in advance. Expect to pay around $6,000 – $9,000 depending on the weight of the things that you want to move.

As you embark on the journey of moving from one coast to another, remember these tips from WatersDG2016.org and use them to make everything a little bit easier for you. There are more challenges to come your way on the other side of the country, but if you prepare yourself, you can overcome anything.

Tips On Choosing The Right Long Distant Moving Company

image of a road for moving

Most people find moving a challenging and tiring task. Usually, the longer the distance that you have to move the more difficult that task becomes. Very often, families will have a large collection of items that are very important to them, and they want those things to be moved and remain in good condition. Here at WatersDG2016.com we will take a look at tips on finding one of the best long distance movers.

Get Recommendations From Everyone You Know

When it comes to finding few of the right moving companies you should ask everyone you know. This is not a time to be shy. Ask colleagues, neighbors, friends, and even your boss. All of these people have a good chance of having moved in the past, and they may know a great moving company, or at the least, they may be able to tell you about the one you should avoid.

If people that you know don’t have a recommendation, then go online and find out what those who have left reviews say about the different companies you are considering. Read the good and the bad reviews to get an overall feeling of what you think about each company. Remember that the larger the company is, the more people that they deal with, which will mean that they are likely to have at least some bad reviews.

Having some bad reviews is not a reason to discard that moving company from your list. The important thing is if the majority of the reviewers leave a positive review and what the negative reviewers say about why they don’t like the company. As an example, there are some customers that will say that they were angry with the moving company because they wouldn’t do something that was not included in the contract.

image of preparation for moving day

This is a clear indication that the customer wants something that they weren’t entitled to. If the bad review is covering something that was genuinely the company’s fault, then consider it closely but also consider it in balance with all the reviews including the right ones to make a final determination.

Screen The Company You’re Considering

Anyone can go out and buy a moving truck and a hand truck and hire a couple of guys to help but when it comes to moving your important things you want to know that you’re using a reputable company. Once you found a handful of best long distance moving companies that you’re considering, then you’ll want to look a little deeper to develop a short list. Check and see what if any reputation they have with the Better Business Bureau. If they’ve had complaints that have gone unaddressed than this is a red flag.

If on the other hand they had a complaint and it is shown that they quickly handled the situation and to the satisfaction of the customer, then this could be an indication to show that it’s a reputable company. You may want to check to see if it’s a member of the American Moving and Storage Association which has a set of standards that each member has agreed to abide by. This is a voluntary membership, and if a moving company is not a member it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not a reputable company, it’s just another way to ensure reputation.

Your Short List

Through all of your investigation, you should come up with a shortlist of three or four potential best long distance moving companies. When moving out of state, you should ask the company if they’re willing to give you a binding estimate which includes an addendum that guarantees the price will not exceed a certain amount. If the company attempts to give you an estimate without actually coming out and taking a look at your home and all the things that you have, you’re probably going to want to stay away from that company. What you want is an estimate that is going to be reasonably close to the final price and under the ideal situation they will guarantee that the estimate will not exceed a certain amount.

The Department of Transportation says in a report that you should expect to pay more than the estimate. The estimates are based on the distance that you’re moving and the total weight of the things that you’re moving. When someone is moving within the same state, the rules vary from state to state, but in some, such as California, the law requires that they give you a binding written estimate.

When you speak to each of the best movers on your short list find out how their estimates work and if there is any guarantee that if the amount goes over the estimate that it won’t go over a certain limit. Otherwise, you have no idea what you’re going to pay on the final bill.

Show The Company Everything That Needs To Be Moved

When the company comes to look over everything and give you an estimate, make sure you show him everything. Just like you don’t want surprises, neither does the company. It’s also a way to ensure that the estimate is going to be as close as possible to the final price. If you fail to show the company something that you’re moving, then you should expect for them to charge you more than they initially estimated.

Other things that you might want to bring to the attention of the moving company are any special conditions that may make the process more difficult and time-consuming. If you have stairs that make moving some of the upstairs furniture more difficult, or if you have an elevator or other conditions that might make it more difficult, you want to point this out to the person doing the estimate. There’s no point in hiding it because once they come to do the job, they’re going to find out anyway so show him now so that estimate can be correct.

While the person doing the estimate is there, make sure that you ask them any and all questions that you have about the company. The more that you know, the easier it is for you to make the final decision on which company is the one that is right for you. Taking this time to do this initial footwork will help you to better achieve a final result.

11 Effective Moving Tips For Your Next Relocation

Moving can be a daunting task, but with proper organization, planning, and hiring the right company, you can tackle it with ease. Each move is different, and like almost everything else, proper preparation is critical. Here are 11 effective moving tips from Waters DG Long Distance Moving to ensure the best experience.

1. Declutter

If you want to ensure that the move goes as smoothly as possible, you need to make sure that you get rid of everything you don’t need. If you have fewer items to be moved, the easier it will be to move them. Donate, sell, or dispose of anything that you don’t need.

2. Gather Moving Supplies

A few weeks before the move, you should pick the moving supplies you need. Boxes of varying sizes, labels, markers, packing tape, bubble wrap, and markers are just some of the moving supplies that should be at the top of your list.

3. Label Everything

You need to label everything that you pack as well as the room the box should go in the new house. Doing this will save you a lot of headaches when you are searching for various necessities such as cutlery in the new house.

4. Packing

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Packing should be done at least 2 weeks before the move. Pack up anything that is not currently in use such as extra kitchen items, dishes, holiday décor, out of season clothes, etc. If you do this, your packing will be much easier once the time for the move draws closer.

5. Update Your Address

You might be surprised to learn that people often forget this seemingly obvious moving task. It is advisable to start with organizations such as your bank, your doctor, dentist, etc., at least 2 weeks before the move. You can even divert any mail going to the old address for a small fee.

6. Hiring a Cleaning Company

You should consider hiring a cleaning company to get the new house ready for you and to clean your old house once you move. If you do this, you will take some burden off your plate. The peace of mind you will enjoy by doing this will save you a lot.

7. Hire Furniture

Hiring furniture might seem a bit unconventional, but you will be moving into a new house and may not be aware of the kind of things you will need there. You may wish to live in the new house for a while to get a sense of the things you will need. Hiring furniture can save you time and money while you figure out what you need in the long term.

8. Packing the Last Out Box

You should pack all the things you require such as medications, spare clothes, pillows, soap, shampoo, etc. into a box that you can easily access when you move and stays with you at all times.

9. Direct Your Movers

On the day of the move, direct the movers, friends, or even family members on where to take the boxes at the new house. You should have them take furniture pieces and boxes to their respective rooms to allow for easier unpacking.

10. Check the New House

Once you get to the new house, check whether everything (A/C, water, toilets, smoke detectors, furnace, water heater, etc.) is in proper working condition. Doing this ensures that you can get a professional to come over to the new house to fix those things quickly to ensure that you don’t get inconvenienced once the move is complete.

11. Unpack

When unpacking, you should start with essential items to get settled. Clothes, bedroom items, bathroom items, and kitchen items should be at the top of your list. Once you have done these things, you can start focusing on the rest. Ensure that you get rid of everything you find that you don’t need that might have been missed during the initial purge.

The Bottom Line

Moving time is hardly the easiest of times, but if you follow the advice and tips discussed here, you can be sure that your move will be smooth. You should not forget to hire a reputable moving company to ensure that your belongings are not damaged or lost during the move.