Cross Country Moving Company: Expectations vs. Reality
Clients expect that the move will go smoothly without getting ready for it, without doing research about the moving company, customers are not buying a third-party insurance, schedule of the move and delivery.
As with any moving project, the success of your upcoming long-distance move is largely predicated on effectively managing your expectations and coordinating them with the realities of such a large scale, involved endeavor. Many times, what we hope for and expect is not exactly what we get, and the results can be frustrating and disappointing if not managed correctly. As is so often the case, proper planning negates poor performance, and can in many cases mitigate any negative effects of your moving experience.
Before we discuss the basics vs reality, here is a short, long distance moving primer:
How Do Cross Country Moves Work?
The moving provider you choose will load the items onto their transport vehicle, transport them across the country, and then unload those belongings into you new residence. For an additional fee, they can also provide all the packing needed for the trip, as well as unpacking at the new location.
How Much Does It Cost to Move Cross Country?
To utilize a professional, cross country moving from CA to NY, provider may cost anywhere from $5000 to $15000, depending of course on how much needs to be moved, the distance involved, seasonal factors, and other considerations.
What Do I Need for A Cross Country Move?
The single most basic need for any moving project is a checklist of everything that needs to be accomplished in the run up to moving day, and then adhering to that checklist to the letter. Doing so keeps you focused, organized, and ready for the target day.
And with that in mind, we can examine the expectations vs reality of your long distance move.
Plan Ahead, Way Ahead for That LA/NY Move
Most of us mistakenly believe we can have everything packed up and labeled several days or even weeks ahead of our move, only to run right up to moving day and discover we still have a long way left to go as the movers are pulling in the driveway. How can we avoid this common mistake? We recommend beginning your moving process with a checklist spelling out what needs to be done, and in what order. By following that checklist religiously, and checking off each item or room as it is packed away, you stand a far greater chance of ending up ahead of the game and being ready when the clock finally ticks down to moving day.
Likewise, decluttering is an important part of any move. We often think we will get rid of those things that no longer serve us, only to find we end up taking far more of it with us than we expected. So, make decluttering a priority. But where do you begin? Ask yourself if this item or that piece of furniture or whatever still serves any useful purpose, and if the answer is no, or even if you have to think about it for more than a minute, then get rid of it. It may be difficult to part with those items that you have some emotional attachment to, but if you can make the break, you will find your moving day to be a much less stressful affair.
Coming in Under That Moving Budget
Another mistake that is often made is expecting to be able to monitor moving expenses so that they do not get out of hand, when the reality is often that those expenses fairly skyrocket to two and three times what was expected. What are the causes of rapidly ballooning budgets? They often come, again, at the expense of poor planning. So, create that budget, determining early on what expenses will be involved and planning for them in advance, so that you are not caught unawares. Some of the most common budgeting problems include:
- Failure of friends to come and help pack or move, resulting you having to hire professional laborers to get the job done
- Possible damage to rental vans on the day of and during the move
- A delay in the release of keys for you new home, which may mean storage of belongings and temporary lodging
- Food and lodging along the moving route, which could mean several days of living out of hotels and restaurants
Another common budgeting mistake is hiring the wrong moving company, erroneously concluding that all are the same. Fact is there are notable differences between the various providers available to you, and you need to choose the one that provides the widest array of services for the cost. Often this will mean neither the least expensive nor the most expensive, but somewhere in between the two. Choose a company that has the skills, services, and expertise needed for your specific moving scenario. Check out reviews and above all, ask a lot of questions before hiring any long-distance moving provider.
Settling on the Other End of the Long-Distance Move
For some reason, even experienced movers think they can have everything unpacked and be into their new lives on the other end of their move within a day or so, while the reality is that in all likelihood, with things like kids, work, and general life getting in the way, you may have boxes scattered throughout your new home for weeks after the moving company dropped everything off. So, what is the most effective way to get settled in? Ideally, you will have all boxes properly packed and correctly labeled so that they end up in the proper rooms and the contents are undamaged. Much like you packed up, unpack each room one at a time, and do not get distracted until you are done.
And in Conclusion
Unrealistic expectations will have a detrimental effect on your long-distance moving to LA experience. But if you make a plan in advance, follow that plan to the letter, and check your progress along the way, you may just find that not only is the experience of dealing with realities that much less stressful, but in the end, you may actually enjoy the process as an exciting new adventure, a prologue to the next chapter of your life, both personally and professionally. Ask yourself if you are being realistic or falling victim to unrealistic expectations and ask that question more than once during the process. By doing so, and by planning properly, you can keep your long-distance moving project on course for your final destination with a minimum of fuss, stress, and unnecessary hassle.
