If you are planning an interstate move and wondering how to get your belongings safely to your new destination, you may be thinking about shipping them there. However, depending on how much stuff you have to get from point A to point B, entrusting large, bulky, fragile or valuable items to a shipping company could be an expensive or risky proposition. Here are some factors to consider if you are moving to a different state.

1. Your Budget

A long-distance relocation requires some planning and preparation above and beyond what you may have experienced with shorter moves. First things first, determine what you can afford to spend on your move. Setting a moving budget will prevent you from making hasty or careless decisions or wasting money on things you don’t need.

Take an inventory of your belongings and determine what you want to bring with you to your new location. Remember, the more items you move, the more it’ll cost to have them shipped to a different state. Some shipping companies charge extra to transport heavy things like furniture. You may also have add-on fees for services like truck loading and unloading, or even shipping insurance.

2. Your Goals

Having less stuff to haul to your new location is one of the easiest ways to cut moving expenses, which is why we always recommend decluttering before a move. Before you start packing, go through each room of your home and make a checklist of what belongings you want to keep. You may also want to divide your possessions into categories – like kitchenware, clothes, decor, etc. – and minimize from there.

Setting specific, realistic and achievable goals for your move to a different state holds you accountable and will help you have a less stressful experience. If you don’t have time to account for every item you own, you can still make a difference by only doing a little bit.

3. Your Time and Energy

Managing the logistics involved with a state-to-state move can sometimes feel overwhelming, even for the most detail-oriented person. After all, most people do not have the luxury of putting all the other responsibilities in their lives on hold to solely focus on the details of their relocation. Experience is also a factor – people in the U.S. move an average of 11.4 times throughout their lives. When the time comes to move to a different state, you may have no idea where to begin if it’s been several years since the last time you relocated.

If your budget allows, hiring a professional moving company is an investment that will allow you to focus your time and energy on other tasks. Experienced movers know how to lift and maneuver bulky items around stairwells and door frames without damaging floors or walls. We understand all the tricks for packing boxes to keep fragile items protected all the way to your new front door. We’ll arrive on your scheduled moving day with everything needed to complete your relocation smoothly, quickly and dependably.

Atlanta’s Experienced, Courteous Relocation Experts

At Fox Moving and Storage of Atlanta, we’ll take all the guesswork and frustration out of your moving process with our residential moving, packing and storage services. If you are moving in the metro Atlanta region, count on us to make your experience hassle-free. Contact us today for your complimentary, no-obligation quote.