Long Distance Home Moving Made Simple

First, you want to begin researching the best cross country moving companies in your area, and reach out to them as soon as possible to get a quote.

Peak moving season is typically May through September of every year, and if you’re planning to move in this timeframe (and even if you’re not) time is of the essence to ensure you can reserve your moving day with the moving company of your choice.

Once you have reached out to your moving companies, start doing your research on the best movers in the group. If you’re trusting them to move all of your possessions long distance, you want to make sure they are reputable. One way to find trustworthy long distance movers is word of mouth. Ask anyone you can about moving companies they have used, and see if you find any common companies that this group liked working with. Word of mouth and the personal experience of a trusted friend or family member is the best approach.

However, getting personal recommendations isn't always possible, and even if you do, you want to do some additional research on the companies just to be sure which one is right for you. Look for an engaged and active online presence with positive and recent customer reviews.

No matter what, make sure you check that the movers have the appropriate certifications and adequate insurance. A reputable moving company should be able to show you all the necessary documents including:

• Department of Transportation (DOT) License
• Licensing by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA)
• Pro-Mover Certification from the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA)

Your moving truck when it arrives should have DOT information on the driver’s side door, so make sure to check that as well on moving day.

It may vary slightly depending on where you are in the U.S., but typically, a “long distance” move means you are moving further than 50 miles away from your current home. A local move would be anything under 50 miles.

This can be confusing, as sometimes a customer can have a long distance move even if they’re staying in-state. However, 50 miles is an industry standard so you should find this metric is the same even if you’re getting quotes from different moving companies.

Moving long distance or cross country means that your move may take longer than you expect.

With any long-distance move, it’s important to know that your moving truck more than likely won’t just follow you straight to your new home. Moving vans are large, and it typically takes three to four households to fill one up. This means that the moving company will plot out routes that make sense based on customer destinations. So a driver may pick up your goods, and then need to make additional stops along the way to either pick up or drop off other shipments.

Your moving company will provide you with an estimated delivery window, and then as it gets closer a firm delivery date, but you should anticipate that you might be without your bigger goods for likely at least two weeks to four weeks depending on how far you’re moving.

This means any important documents, sentimental items, work uniforms or children’s toys that you will need within a month should be taken with you if possible.

Every long distance or cross country move is unique, so it’s impossible to give an exact budget. However, there are several variables you can use to ensure you get an accurate quote right away. For example:

• Total number of items
• The weight of those items heavy items
• If you have any fragile or delicate items (that may need special crating)
• Your moving distance
• Any special services, such as packing and unpacking

You should discuss your budget with your dedicated move coordinator, who will be able to help develop the plan, and associated costs, for your move. If you already have a moving day in mind, get your free moving quote from MoveDay as soon as you can. The earlier you get your free moving quote, the sooner you can begin planning your budget.

Moving long distance is more complex than moving locally, so as soon as you know when and where you’ll be moving you should begin gathering moving quotes. From there, begin doing your research on your list of moving companies, and begin whittling them down to your top choices based on reviews, services and finally, price.

Moving companies tend to be busier between March and September, so if you need to move during that time, reach out and reserve your moving date as soon as possible.

Not all long-distance moving companies offer storage services, but MoveDay and our trusted long-distance partners absolutely do.

Our teams are able to securely store your goods for long- or short-term in a warehouse with 24/7 monitoring. When you’re ready to have your goods back again, we can easily deliver and even unpack for you.