Packing Well: How to Pack for a Cross-Country Move

Cross country moving: virtually everyone dreads it and even the people who don’t dread it aren’t quite sure how to tackle it. It’s understandable that cross-country moving is challenging. In addition to being complex, cross-country moving is also tiring and stressful. Luckily, you can alleviate many of these things by simply learning how to pack for a cross-country move. Regardless of whether you’re an experienced moving pro or you’ve never so much as moved across the street, this guide is here to help you learn how to pack for a cross-country move, without pulling your hair out!

How to Pack for a Cross-Country Move: Your Complete Checklist

When it comes to a cross-country move, getting organized is important. Here’s a simple checklist to help you sort out what you need to do right now:

1. Start organizing and packing six weeks before your projected move date.

This helps keep things streamlined and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed as the move gets underway. For best results, focus on packing the least critical parts of your home (guest rooms, out of season clothing, garages, etc.) first. Then, move into the more critical pieces of the home (kitchen, bedroom, bathrooms) as the move draws near.

2. Secure and organize copies of all important personal documents.

To move well, you’ll need to ensure you have copies of all your critical documents. Before the move gets underway, locate your passport, social security card, birth certificate, and important vehicle documents. Keep them all in a secure folder that stays with you at all times. This prevents them from getting lost in the move and helps protect them from prying eyes.

3. Four weeks before your move, transfer or discontinue utilities.

Nobody wants to move and, several months later, be greeted by a collections notice for unpaid utilities bills at the old house. To avoid this, arrange to turn off or transfer your utilities one month before you move.

4. Start cleaning three weeks before you move.

As you organize and pack portions of the house, clean them as well. This helps you focus more fully on packing for a cross country move and prevents you from becoming completely overwhelmed during the actual moving process.

5. Finalize your packing.

About a week before your scheduled move-out date, you’ll want to finish packing everything but the bare necessities. Label your boxes according to room and mark anything breakable as fragile. Once this is done, begin transporting them to the garage or to the moving truck, if you have it. The day before the move, pack your necessities!

Packing for Cross-Country Moving: A Stress-Free Process

When you learn to do it right, packing for a cross-country move doesn’t have to be so difficult. By preparing in advance, ensuring you’ve covered all of your bases, and understanding exactly what goes into moving across the country, you’ll be able to ensure your move goes smoothly from beginning to end.