Making a large move across the country is never easy, but it can be done. Between my clients and others in the area, I’ve learned a lot about what can help you save money and efficiently move. That’s the topic of today’s post, so let’s talk about it.
The best moving tips when you’re moving to Northwest Arkansas, either in Bentonville or Fayetteville, include renting a moving truck elsewhere and then driving it back to where you rented it. Leave your furniture and appliances in your old place, and make two trips when you move.
Moving is difficult when you’re moving from one end of town to the other, but moving across the country can be a nightmare if you’re not prepared. Stick around, and I’ll give you the best moving tips I’ve gleaned in the last few years.
Rent a Moving Truck Elsewhere and Drive It Back
This tip might not apply to you if you’re hiring a moving company or doing a local move. However, if you’re coming from out of state and you’re renting a truck to move your belongings, and you have family and friends helping you, you may want to rent a moving truck from an adjacent city, complete your move, then drive the truck back to the same city.
High-exit states like California, Colorado, and Arizona often charge more to rent a truck if you don’t return it to the same state. They do this because they’re running low on moving trucks and want to ensure they get their trucks back.
For example, if you’re coming from a larger city like Phoenix, you’ll want to drive to another city, rent a truck from there, complete your move, then drive the truck back. Then you can ship yourself to Northwest Arkansas, either by plane or having someone else come with you with their vehicle.
I’ve heard of people doing this and saving up to $4,000 just by renting a truck in another city, then driving it back.
Leave Your Furniture and Appliances
One of the hardest things to do when you move is to leave your furniture and appliances. I’ve had to do it, others have had to do it as well, and it hurts. But when moving appliances or furniture, there’s a good chance they could get damaged.
Now, I’m not saying that if you have a special bed or chair made for your physical needs, you can’t take it with you, but for the most part, it’s best to leave your furniture and appliances when you move.
Stainless steel appliances, especially, are difficult to move because they can get dinged or scratched.
The less you bring, the less likely it is that things will get damaged. Plus, it’s usually cheaper to leave those items behind, especially if you’re moving across the US. If you can minimize your items and say, “I’m only getting one 26-ft truck, and whatever can fit in there will move with me,” you’ll have a little easier time with moving.
This will not only keep your move from becoming exhausting, but it will also help you declutter your items and your life. If your current home is bursting with things, it might be good to sort through all those things and get a fresh start with only what you need and some of what you want.
But keep in mind where you’re moving to. If you think you might need a snow shovel, think again. We don’t get that much snow here. However, if you want it, bring it.
Leaving most of your furniture and appliances behind might be a good idea.
Make Two Trips When You Move
When people move, they typically want to do one trip and be done with it. However, from personal experience and the experiences of others who’ve moved here, it’s highly recommended to make two trips. Let me explain.
The first trip is where you do all the work of moving, you’re loading all your things, friends, and a vehicle in a truck, and you’re hauling everything across America. That’s your work trip.
The second trip is when you’re coming back from taking the truck back to the place of origin, and this is the family trip. This is when you stop for several bathroom breaks, McDonald’s breaks, and breaks for, perhaps, sightseeing along the way.
Doing two trips like this will save you so much stress and headache because you’re getting the work out of the way, and then you’re enjoying the trip the second time.
However, if you’re using a moving company, and they’re the ones doing the work, you don’t need to do two trips. As long as you make it to your new home before the truck arrives, it shouldn’t be that stressful for you.
If you can afford it, I would highly recommend using a moving company, as it does remove a lot of the stress of moving from your shoulders.
Find a Short-Term Furnished Rental to Move Into
If you’re not necessarily ready to buy a home yet, but you’re ready to move, it’s a great idea to find a short-term furnished rental to move into, and I can help you with that. It will give you some breathing room and allow you to get to the area, put your stuff in storage, and take some time to look around to find a home that you love.
You can rent a furnished place on a month-to-month basis for up to three months, and during that time, we can look for a new place for you.
Making your move this way takes a lot of stress off of you, as you can settle in for a bit. And when your rental time is up, you can be closed and ready to move into your brand new home. So keep this in mind and reach out to me when you’re ready to move here. I can help you find a short-term rental and then help you find your new home from there.
Connect With Me For Help
This goes with the last tip, but when you’re ready to move here, call me, and I can put you in touch with Movers Across America, who has helped so many people move across the country already.
And as I’ve already mentioned, I can help you find short-term rentals or even long-term rentals. If you need a job, I can help you out with that.
Yes, I can do that–I actually have so many resumes in my text messages or email from people needing jobs when they want to relocate here. So you can send me your resume and what you’re looking for, and I can help make those connections happen.
So when you’re starting the process of looking to move to the area, reach out to me and text me and let me know. I can help make the process a lot easier.
Conclusion
The moving tips in this post came from the tried and true experiences of people who’ve come here before, including yours truly. If you’re unsure where to begin, let me know, and I can guide you through the process. Hopefully, it will go smoothly for you.
