This article first appeared on Shires Removals website
We’ve been moving you from Cornwall to Scotland, and everywhere between, and beyond!
And whether you’re moving to a new country or a new county, you’re going to need some practical long distance moving tips to make it happen. From the moment you find out you’re moving, to the day your belongings are finally delivered to your new home, you won’t have to worry about missing a beat.
Recent reasons for the long distance move to the country
A quantum shift in lifestyle choices happened in the past two years. The pandemic drove many to seek a change in location, with a significant number escaping to the country from cities.
People exchanged urban living for open green spaces. Even where people moved within their urban area, many chose larger homes with more access to green spaces and less density of living. This desire came about, even more so, as people’s working life shifted to remote working, working from home and hybrid working.
Pandemic-era population shifts indicate that nearly 545,000 town and city dwellers in England and Wales took to the countryside in the year to June 2020 – ONS (Office for National Statistics) data shows. While some have returned to the cities, a good number of people are still seeking a change in lifestyle.
Far from being the preserve of wealthy retirees, the move to the country was driven by younger age groups, with 54 per cent of those migrating from the urban to rural areas aged under 40. Indeed, Covid seems to have also driven top talent migration to more rural parts of the UK.
As a removals company, we have certainly experienced a significant increase in cross-country moves.
Are people moving back to the city too?
Yes, in a word. We have some customers who are making the return journey back to city life too. There is a small portion of reverse migration, from rural to urban again. Especially now that life has returned to a new level normal and covid restrictions have been lifted.
How do you prepare for a long distance move?
A long-distance move can require a lot more planning. The long distance moving tips below will help you remember everything you need to do ahead of time in order to have a successful move.
Top 10 tips for long distance moving
- Make a plan as soon as you know you’re moving
You’re about to move everything you own hundreds or thousands of miles away. That kind of enormous task requires a plan! It helps to write down and record every moving-related task you need to accomplish on a spreadsheet.
- Stay on schedule
Now that you’ve got a plan, you need to stay on schedule. Tasks like changing utility providers or enrolling your children in new schools are time sensitive. So you don’t want to find yourself scrambling to complete everything at the last minute. It also helps you to not forget what you need to do when.
- Find the right moving company
The earlier, the better. This way you can ensure the moving date that will suit all of your arrangements. Also, with long distance moves, it is highly worth booking the right established removals company with a reputable, trustworthy national and international presence, as well as local. Also key is to choose a moving company who has proven expertise, experience, range of vehicles, good teams.
And, of course, all the stages required for a successful long distance move – nationally or abroad, including planning, packing, storage, transportation, and logistics for complex moves or moves across country borders and the English Channel.
With us, here at Bennett’s, you’ll experience all of these.
We are a well-established, family-run business who have been moving you around the corner for years, and around the world. So we understand all aspects of your move.
Though affordability is an important aspect of this decision, remember that the cheapest option isn’t always the best. You don’t want to get caught out by some other fly-by-night moving company while you’re trying to move thousands of miles away. With us, you are in a safe pair of hands. We care about your valued items that you are moving with you on your new venture and stage in life.
Also, your move with us is fully insured, and quality assured, for extra peace of mind.
- Update important documents
Changing your address requires updating your information in a lot of different places. However, it gets even more complicated when you’re moving a long distance. And if you’re moving to a different country, you will need to update your driver’s licence, among other important documents.
This is one long distance, cross-border moving tip that cannot be ignored!
- Packing for a long distance move
Packing is packing, right? Well, not if you’re packing for a long distance move, and perhaps downsizing in the process!
The less you sort through before you pack, the more there will be to pack, and the more your move will cost. So it’s worth making the effort upfront to weed out all the unwanted and no longer used items!
- Make an inventory list of all the larger items you own and compare this to the place you are moving to. Will everything fit in the configuration and space of your new home? Or is it time to narrow down your five bookcases to two?
- Are you planning to put any of these into storage for a while? If so, separate these items on your list, it will also help you to instruct the moving company at the time of loading
- Take the time to majorly downsize. If you don’t use it, love it, or need it, or it won’t fit, then we recommend donating it, recycling it, tossing it, or selling it! Clearing your unwanted or unused belongings certainly will lower your moving cost estimates and make packing and unpacking far easier.
As an extra service, we help you with the recycling of your unwanted furniture items.
- Prioritise the items you need to keep with you
You can even label these few boxes as ‘Open First’ boxes! Items such as towels, bedding, kettle, personal necessities and goodies that will make your first few hours and days of moving more comfortable by these being conveniently to hand.
- Organise belongings as you pack
Unpacking will be a lot easier if you don’t throw everything you own into boxes at random. Pack your belongings room by room, area by area.
Also, packing boxes with the long distance in mind means you can also pack fragile items together, and use old clothing or bubble wrap to protect them. Ensure your movers know to take extra care with these boxes, and label them ‘Fragile.’
- Let the professionals handle your packing
This is also a popular option with many of our customers! We know that it removes so much stress from your move if we pack your goods for you. We have all the packing materials (that you can buy directly if you prefer to pack yourself). We also use protective covers for your items of furniture such as TVs, sofas, as examples.
- Move during the off-season
The warmer months are certainly more popular months to move house, but we move you all year round. And you may find that there is a wider range of preferred dates available if you move during the off-season. Almost no weather stops us! We move in sunshine and snow!
- Moving with more than one car – or any unusual items
We have a plan for that! Many of our customers moving long distance have asked us to transport their second car as part of the move. The distance may be insurmountable to drive your car, especially if you are flying to another destination. We hitch our trailer to the main truck with your car safely secured inside.
Or you may be moving with your hot tub, your motorbike, vintage items, piano – we are prepared for all sorts of unusual moves.
These long distance moving tips can help you save money, decrease your stress levels, help you to downsize, and ensure that everything you own arrives safely and intact at your new home – near or far!
Now all that is left is to settle in to your new environment, make new friends and connections in your new neighbourhood, county, or country.
