If you have kids and you’re planning to move, there are a few important things you need to do before calling the cross country movers.  Moving from New York city to San Francisco in itself is a stressful event.  But when your move is across the country, and with kids, then you are going to need a good amount of patience and preparation.

You know that with kids, life is not the same as it used to be. You cannot just pack your bags and take a road trip when you wish to. You need to be mentally and physically prepared to accomplish the task. So, before you pick up the phone and call the cross country movers, there are a few important things that you need to keep in mind for an easy transition.

Emotional Preparation For Kids

For the little ones, a cross country move is much more than just changing location and school. They need to be emotionally prepared before the time arrives to move. Be honest with your communication with them and answer any questions that they may have.

They are going to miss their old friends so hosting a goodbye party for neighbors and friends is a fun way to say goodbye. Talk to them about the new city you will be going to and talk about it in a good way. You may want to tell them all the exciting things about the city to get them excited.

Create A Moving Checklist

To ensure that your moving with the family goes smoothly, we suggest that you start making preparations days or even weeks before the actual moving day. You may involve all family members in the process, even the kids and give them specific responsibilities.

This will not only lighten the burden, but involve everyone in the journey. You may allow the kids to choose how they want to help with packing the toys and deciding which toys go in which box. They may also be interested in labeling and decorating the boxes, too.

Hire Professional Movers

If you feel that you can move long distances without any professional assistance then you are mistaken. When you have kids in the family, we suggest that you forget the DIY options and start looking for a reliable moving company in your city.

A move cross country is not the same as your inter-city or inter-state move and with kids, expect to face challenges which you were unaware that they exist. One of the biggest advantages of hiring professionals is that they have handled similar cases in the past, so they know exactly what to do in tough situations.

The moving professionals are trained to reduce anxiety, stress and minimize the possibility of damages. They can ensure that your move is executed in the most efficient manner without giving you a lot of headache. Here are a few tips when looking for a moving company:

• Start with online research of the best service providers in your location
• Ask for quotes from several top-rated packers and movers
• Compare the rates, services, and customer reviews available online
• Shortlist the agencies and personally talk to them for a better offer
• Choose the best moving company that provides good services at a reasonable price

Be Careful About The Budget

Moving with kids is going to cost you a good deal as this type of relocation is a much different type of move. When planning your move and setting aside a budget for it, you must also consider the extra costs such as flight tickets, shipping costs, and packing services.

Of course, you also need to allocate a part of the budget for hiring professional cross country movers. You may request the moving company to give you a quote free of cost to help you get an estimate of the right price. This can help you start saving money and choose a service provider that you can afford.

Preparing The Inventory

When you plan a cross-country move with kids, you will need to take note of the items that you can pack and move. We suggest that you keep the load light as possible. Discard unwanted items and get rid of things that you have stored up for years but do not have any use for them.

There is no specific purpose in carrying all that clutter cross country as this will add up to the total moving cost. So, we suggest that you cut down the number of boxes and the size of belongings to minimize the total cost of your move.

This also holds true for heavy items and furniture pieces. If you can sell them at half rate and buy new pieces in your new location, this will help you save money. Donate or sell anything that you don’t plan to use and you may even end up earning some money that you can use towards your move.