Planning a Coast to Coast Move

When you’re planning a coast-to-coast move, it can feel like you’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It can be especially challenging if you’re relocating from one end of the country to another. With such a long distance and so many different variables involved in your move, it’s no wonder so many people give up before they even begin. But moving across Canada is doable, and with a little patience, planning, and lots of research, it won’t be as difficult as you think. Here are some helpful tips for successfully making that cross country move.

Research your options before you commit to a move

Moving cross-country is a big commitment, and there are a lot of factors to consider before you decide to move. You need to weigh whether a coast-to-coast move will be better for your family’s long-term needs. For example, if you have a family of four with two school-aged children, you may want to consider the shorter but more frequent move between provinces. On the other hand, if you have a family of three with an elderly parent, you may consider the longer, coast-to-coast move that is less frequent. So before you commit to a move, research all your options so you can make the best choice for your situation.

Don’t forget to include the estimated value of your possessions

When you’re moving, you’re probably going to want to sell some of your stuff to help cover the costs. But before you get started, you need to add the estimated value of your possessions to the initial costs of your move. Unfortunately, many people don’t do this, which can cause some serious financial problems. If you don’t include the estimated value of your possessions in your move, you’ll likely find yourself short on cash after you’ve sold off all your possessions.

Depending on the value of your possessions, you may find yourself with zero cash in your bank account at the end of the move. This can be a real problem if you have a mortgage and other financial obligations that are due at a certain time. If you don’t include the value of your possessions in your move, you’re likely to incur extra costs on top of the move itself, which can add up.

Know all the things you’ll need for your move

When you’re moving across Canada, you’re going to need a truck, a trailer, and a drop-off place for your possessions. You’ll also need to have access to a place to sleep, like a motel or hotel room. You’ll need to budget for gas and tolls, and you’ll also need to factor in the cost of any damage you may cause while transporting your possessions between provinces. If you don’t know the exact cost of each of these things, you could end up spending more than you need to.

Tackle packing and loading first

Packing is hard. There’s no way around it. It’s not like you can just take a few boxes to your new home. You’ll have to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, and you’ll have to figure out where to put everything. Packaging everything up, loading your truck, and carefully driving to your new home can be a lot to handle at once. If you tackle packing and loading first, you’ll have a lot less to worry about when you start driving your possessions to their new home.

When you’re tackling packing and loading first, you don’t need to worry about driving your possessions to your new home or figuring out where to put everything. You can focus on getting all your stuff from point A to point B, and when you get to your new home, you can deal with all the other aspects of moving later.

Break down household goods before the final packing

If you’re planning a coast-to-coast move, you may want to break down your household goods ahead of time. Breaking down your household goods means putting each item into one or two boxes before the move begins. This will allow you to make better use of your storage space and keep things more organized. Once you’ve broken down all your household goods, you can focus on creating a final packing list. This will help you eliminate some items from your list and help you keep your packing to a minimum.

Ask yourself if you have to move right now

There are few things as annoying as talking yourself into a move. You may find yourself telling yourself things like, “I have to move now because my kids are growing up fast,” or “I should move so I can see my grandkids grow up.” These should sound like alarm bells in your head. If you’re moving because you think you should, or because you’re worried you’ll be bored or unhappy if you don’t move, you need to stop and ask yourself if you have to move right now. Maybe there’s a better time to make the move that doesn’t involve a cross-country move. Maybe you can find a way to make the move without a coast-to-coast move.

Final words of advice

When you’re planning a coast-to-coast move, don’t let the idea of such a long distance and so many variables overwhelm you. There is nothing that you can’t overcome with a little patience, planning, and research. By following these tips, you can successfully make that coast-to-coast move.