Make Moving Easier Complete Guide for a Long-distance Move | Page 12

my recent experience of moving from the East Coast to the West Coast — from packing the
moving van to handling the inevitable meltdowns.
1. Maximize space in the moving van. Moving cross-country is not cheap, so it's important to
make the most of the space in your truck.
2. Paint before you move in. If you plan to give your new space a fresh coat of paint, it makes a
lot of sense to do this before moving all of your stuff in. Aside from the obvious (it’s easier to
paint an empty house than one full of furniture), you’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment
having “paint” ticked off your to-do list before the first box is even unpacked. While you’re at it,
if there are other messy, disruptive items on your list (anything to do with the floors definitely
qualifies), getting to as many of them as possible before moving day will be a big help.
3. Ask around before signing up for services. Depending on where you’re moving, there may be
many or very few choices of service providers for things like phone and cable. If you have some
options, take the time to ask around before committing to one — you may find that the company
that served you so well back at your old place doesn’t have much infrastructure in the new area.
Or you might find that (thanks to lousy cellphone reception) a landline is a necessity at the new
place, even though using only cellphones worked fine at the old house.
4. Put ‘Buy houseplants’ at the top of your to-do list. Once you’re in your new place, you might
be tempted to put off buying new houseplants, but make it a priority. Why? Houseplants clean
the air (especially important if you’ve used paint or flooring that has volatile organic compounds,
or VOCs), but most important, they will make your house feel like home.