There are a few things that will play a big role in the decision of what you end up taking with you and what you’ll end up leaving in cross-country moves. We’ll review your options to make the best of your time and money.
How Permanent is Your Move?
If you’re moving away for work or school but intend on coming back eventually, you may want to consider moving certain items into long term storage for retrieval later.
Long term storage that’s further out from urban areas is often more affordable. Things that hold immense sentimental value but aren’t feasible to bring with you are perfect for this category. Proper packing and storage is necessary, and if the item is valuable you may want to buy insurance to cover any losses.
How Valuable are your Possessions?
The more you bring with you, the greater the moving cost. Depending on the shipping company and their shipping rates, you’re going to restrict how much you’ll end up bringing. One typical pricing model charges the customer based on the volume of space used to transport the customer’s possessions.
Once you’ve established a budget on how much to spend moving, you’ll know the amount of room you have to work with. After that, you’ll start calculating the cost of things to be replaced and the items with a lower cost per volume are easier to leave behind. Items with sentimental value will be harder to discard, so you’ll have to use your own judgement when it comes to packing, storage, or disposal.
Other things to consider include the time it takes to unpack and purchase all things necessary to make your new place feel like home. For lots of people, even though buying a lower end mattress is affordable, being able to sleep in your own bed as soon as possible may be worth the effort of packing up a mattress, bed frame, and other accessories. Additionally, children may need to keep certain toys in order to help them feel at home sooner.
Things that are Usually Discarded Before the Move
Most edible items such as:
- Perishable food or food that requires refrigeration
- Near empty bottles or jars
- Jars containing sticky fluids (jams, honey, glue, etc.)
Inoperable, outdated, or inexpensive items:
- Broken electronics
- Worn out shoes or clothing
- Broken exercise equipment
Furnishings you intended on replacing anyway:
- Stained, old, torn, or ugly sofas and chairs
- Damaged lighting fixtures
If you’re making a permanent move, your best option is to clean house before you do. Rent a junk removal bin and throw away anything unrecyclable or that you won’t need in your new home. You’ll be giving yourself a clean slate for a fresh start!