Five Tips for Making the Best of a Cross-Country Relocation

According to recent data published by the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), more than three million interstate moves take place annually. Whether it is your first move, or your 10^th move, we know that relocating can be stressful regardless of where you are moving to, or how far you are moving from your current residence. Add that the fear and uncertainty that often comes from moving to a new city in another state, far away from your current home, and the stress can multiply.

At King Companies, we have been helping individuals and families successfully relocate their households for more than 60 years, so we asked our experts for some strategies on coping with long-distance moves and they offered up five tips that we hope you will find useful:

• Do your research. Before moving to a new city or state, it’s important to research the community. Knowing the best place to live within your new city or town is a good start. If you are single or don’t have kids, for example, living downtown near restaurants and entertainment venues may be more appealing to you than suburban areas that cater more to families with children. For retirees, you should ensure that resources you may need in the future are close by. These include grocery stores and pharmacies, medical and healthcare providers, and senior centers.
• Get organized. Planning and organizing your move can go a long way toward reducing stress. Creating a check list and scheduling various aspects of the move, i.e. meeting with your realtor if you are selling a home, or notifying your landlord (if you are renting) of your move date; sorting out your household belongings so you know what you want to keep, sell, recycle or throw way before moving day; and, turning off/turning on utilities and putting in a mail forwarding request, are just some of the activities you will need to accomplish pre-move.
• Ask for help. Depending on the size of your household, moving can quickly become overwhelming. Yet, reducing anxiety and stress can often be as simple as asking for help. If you have family close by, or good friends that are willing to help, put them to work! Also, make sure to engage the entire family in the move. Ask older children to help with sorting their rooms, this can help alleviate stress and ensure that they are able to choose which items they want to take with them, and which items they are disposing of prior to the move.
• Hire a professional. Along with asking for help, hiring a professional mover can alleviate a lot of relocation related stress and anxiety. The great thing is you can hire them to do as much, or as little as you want them to, depending on your needs and budget. In addition to transporting your household goods, a professional mover can help you pack; connect you with local resources, including realtors; provide you with details and a community profile of your destination; assist you with finding resources to donate or dispose of unwanted household items prior to your move; and, much more.
• Take care of yourself and your family. Last, but not least, it is important for you to take care of the health and well-being of you and your family members during your relocation. Make sure to get plenty of sleep, eat healthy foods and stay hydrated as this can help reduce stress. Don’t forget to take time away from the move to enjoy your final days in your community. Meet with friends and make plans to stay connected to the friends and family you are leaving behind, as this will help prepare you mentally for the separation and may reduce anxiety.

About King Companies
As an agent of United Van Lines, King Companies has the resources and expertise to be your “go-to” resource for all relocation needs. Whether you are relocating your household, moving an office, or are in need of logistics services, we strive to ensure that your next move will be the best you will ever make. Call us today at 800-854-3679 to learn more.

We hope that you will consider King Companies for your future relocation needs. To learn more about our services, visit is at www.kingcompaniesusa.com. And, don’t forget to connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ for our latest news and updates!