If you’re planning a long distance move, the odds are pretty good you’ve looked into ways to save money. Moving is expensive! One common tip is to ship some or all of your household goods from your old address to your new one. This can be a great idea, but you have to do it right.
For that reason, we’ve prepared some cross country shipping do’s and don’ts:
DO: Get really real about what you want & what you don’t.
There’s nothing like paying by the pound to ship something to help you determine what that item’s worth to you. Look at your possessions critically before you start packing. If it’s going to cost $15 to ship your box of food storage containers, plastic pitchers and cups – is it worth it to you? People traditionally downsize before a move anyway, and when you’re using a cross country shipping service, it’s a really good idea.
DON’T: Be careless when packing your stuff.
Traveling across the country in a shipping box is a daunting prospect. The odds are pretty good that a box can be dropped, knocked, kicked, or fall. Whether or not the stuff inside the box survives depends directly on your packing skills. If you’ve got access to packing best practices and the right packing materials, you should be in good shape. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be well worth it to have your local pack and ship company do the packing for you.
DO: Make sure you’re properly insured.
Have you ever heard the saying hope for the best, prepare for the worst? That’s the right approach to take when shipping your household goods cross country. Your cross country shipping service will be able to advise you on the various insurance coverage options you have available, so you can pick the one that makes sense for your possessions and your budget.