Tops Tips for a Local Move

Moving is never a day at the beach, but there are some serious advantages to only relocating a short distance. Follow these few simple tips to make your local move as straightforward and hassle-free as possible.

Short Distance Moving Tips

Leave Your Clothes on the Hangar

If you’re really just going across town, why bother taking your clothes off the hangar? You can easily cover them in garbage bags during the transport but leave them where they’re at. Packing your clothes into boxes is just another waste of time, especially when going a short distance.

Move Your Items in Shifts

Assuming there’s an overlap between your new lease or homeownership and your existing property, you should bring your items over gradually. This will make the process more methodical and less stressful. Instead of pushing everything to one day, you’ll be able to knock out your move in pieces.

Prioritize Perishables

Moving across town means you don’t have to throw away food. You can clean out your fridge and take as much of the stuff with you as you’d like. It’s okay to throw some food away but since you’re moving a short distance it’s not completely necessary.

Measure The New Space

Go to your new property and measure the space. This will give you an idea of how many items you can bring along, especially larger items like furniture. You should also look at the sizes of closets and other storage areas to determine whether you can store your existing belongings or you need to give them away.

Sell or Donate Unwanted Things

The moving process always reveals stuff that we no longer need. From children’s toys to ab exercise units, there are likely a host of things that are taking up space in our closets. Head over to your local Goodwill and give away some of those goods to make the move easier and hassle-free.

Take Out The Trash

It’s likely that most of the stuff in your desk drawers and medicine cabinets could be tossed in the circular file. A good rule of thumb is to throw away any papers that are older than one year. Any important papers should be scanned and saved on your computer.

Get Packing Supplies

You can get packing supplies very cheaply, or for free. When you call a professional moving company, they will set you up with cardboard boxes and other supplies to make the packing and moving process as streamlined as possible.

Transfer Utilities

Even if you’re going a short distance, don’t forget to transfer your utilities to the new residence. You don’t want to have any delay between moving in and getting your lights turned on.

Mail Forwarding

This is another vital step in any moving process. Whether you’re going across town or across the country, be sure to send your mail with you.

Mail forwarding is easy to set up through the U.S. post office, and can even be done online.

Ask Friends for Help

Another advantage to moving a short distance is that you can ask your friends to help you with things, literally! Everything is easier when you have more hands at your disposal. This is in addition to hiring professional movers of course.

Take Personal Items With You

Any small, personal items can be moved in your car. If you have a lot of these items you can make a few short trips.

Is it Cheaper to Move a Short Distance on Your Own or With a Moving Company?

If you’re moving next door or across town, you’re probably wondering if you should hire a short distance moving company or if you should do it yourself. The perception of moving a shorter distance is that it will be faster and easier than a long-distance move, but that isn’t always the case.

With that said, you probably want to know if moving a short distance is easier and cheaper. The answer to that is how you decide to handle your local move.

If you have the time, equipment, and resources to do it on your own, it may be advantageous to do it yourself; however, if you’re like most people you probably don’t have the resources to do it on your own. For example, you would need people to help you with your move and although some friends and family may decide to help, others will come up with excuses to get out of it.

You also need equipment, like a hand truck, boxes, and a truck or trailer (just to name a few). Renting the equipment can be costly and if you happen to have your own truck or trailer, you will need to take several trips—which will take up more of your time and patience. Last, without experience or the proper equipment, you risk damaging your most prized possessions.

Should I Hire a Moving Company for My Short Distance Move?

In most cases, it’s best to find a company that specializes in short-distance moves. The key, however, is to make sure you do your research and find the best short-distance movers near you. If you partner with an experienced moving company like RT Relocation and take the steps necessary to prepare for your move, you can make moving a short distance economical and stress-free.

A good moving company has the experience and will safely get your items to your new home. If you want to save money, you can choose to pack yourself, albeit, the easiest way to move a short distance is to hire a moving partner that will handle the entire move from start to finish. This will allow you to take care of the many other things that come with establishing your new residence. 

If you are located in Connecticut and decide that you don’t want to do it all on your own, contact us for a free consultation. RT Relocation, a full-service moving, and storage company that provides safe and reliable moving, packing, and storage services for residential, commercial, and corporate clients throughout New Haven County, CT and beyond. Our team is licensed and insured and has over 10 years of professional high-end moving experience for both local and long-distance moves.