5 Moving Companies To Try For A Stress-Free Long Distance Move
There are few things in life more stressful than uprooting your entire world and moving somewhere else. Even if you're moving to a house down the street, it can be incredibly disruptive to pack up all of your furniture and belongings. The level of complication is only amplified when you move a long distance, like to another state, across the country, or even across an ocean. When dealing with a long distance move, you'll definitely want to consider working with competent and detail-oriented professional movers. The money you spend on their services will pale in comparison to the trouble and headaches you'll save from not having to coordinate a lengthy move by yourself.
According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, almost 40 million Americans move every year, with 14% of those moves extending at least as far as across a state line. moveBuddha reports that the average distance Americans chose to move in 2021 was 922 miles, coming out to approximately 14 hours of non-stop driving, which is no small feat! It will be time-consuming enough to figure out how you're going to move yourself and your family that far (particularly if you have small children or pets). Don't complicate your life further by also taking on the Sisyphean task of packing and coordinating transport for all of your belongings as well. Instead, consider choosing a moving company that is trusted and well-reviewed in order to make your move and your life a little bit easier.
Most customizable options: JK Moving Services
If you're looking for top-of-the-line customer service and the freedom and flexibility to totally customize your moving experience, JK Moving Services is the company for you. Every person who contracts with JK Moving Services for their move will be assigned a personal coordinator who will work with you on the whole project from start to finish.
To begin, you and your coordinator will do a virtual walkthrough of your home so that the coordinator can have a sense of the amount and nature of the belongings you'll be moving, including whether there will be any specific attention needed, for instance, custom packing to protect electronics or expensive fitness equipment. Your coordinator will then provide you with an estimate, which includes furniture disassembly, padding and wrapping, and loading and unloading all of your belongings.
The detail-oriented and customer-focused mindset of JK Moving Services is impressive; U.S. News & World Report ranks them as the Best Moving Company of 2022. Numerous customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau shout out to the company as well, with multiple past customers giving JK Moving Services props for their efficiency, their movers' positive attitudes in the face of adversity, and their continuous and conscientious communication throughout the whole moving process. Clearly, if you want a moving experience where your movers prioritize your needs — and you're willing to pay a bit of extra money to get that experience — JK Moving Services is a top contender.
Most hands-off process: Moving APT
With all of the complications of finding a new place to live, starting a new job, and even becoming used to a new grocery store, you may be looking for a moving company that will take care of the entire packing and transportation process for you. If your top priority is not having to think about moving at all, you're going to want to look into Moving APT. With Moving APT, you can determine a rough cost estimate using the handy calculator on their website. Once you schedule a virtual walkthrough, receive your binding estimate, and communicate your moving date and any special services you might require, the company takes care of the rest.
Moving APT does not employ packers and laborers, but rather contracts with local movers in the city where a customer is departing and the city to which they're arriving. But don't worry — you won't need to juggle the cell phone numbers of a bunch of contractors in different cities, as Moving APT will remain your primary contact throughout the entire process, keeping the logistics and complications out of your hands.
One satisfied customer reviewing Moving APT on Angi reported that they were looking for the most convenient long-distance moving experience possible, and Moving APT provided such an experience, to the point that the customer and their family were able to treat their move as a fun road trip as opposed to a messy obligation.
Most hands-on process: 1-800-PACK-RAT
Let's say you're looking for the exact opposite of a full-service experience. If your move will be shorter (to the next town over), if you're trying to save money, or if you want to pack up your belongings yourself to make absolutely sure they'll be protected and arrive undamaged at your new home, the services of a company like 1-800-PACK-RAT may appeal to you. With 1-800-PACK-RAT, you can rent weatherproof steel storage containers. These units are 8, 12, or 16 feet long, and the company's website provides a helpful space calculator for determining what size container you need based on the rooms in your house and the anticipated items in each room. 1-800-PACK-RAT then delivers the unit to your home.
The flexibility and control of being able to pack up your own moving containers has landed 1-800-PACK-RAT in the top 10 best moving companies on U.S. News & World Report's 2022 list. But, if you would prefer that someone else pack your items, you can contract with local movers to pack your belongings for you (the company can connect you with the local contractors they recommend). You have 30 days to fill your container, and then 1-800-PACK-RAT will pick it up and either transport it or securely store it until you need it. Unfortunately, 1-800-PACK-RAT is not yet available in all 50 states. Check their website first to make sure there's a location near you as well as near your final destination.
Most expertise for specialty items: American Van Lines
Are you a collector of old antiques or expensive fine art? Maybe you're a fitness fanatic, with a workout room full of bulky athletic equipment and a huge TV for your workout videos. You might want to work with American Van Lines to ensure that these costly items, and any that are particularly complicated to transport, end up at your final destination in one piece. As U.S News & World Report notes in their review of American Van Lines, which they ranked as the #6 best long distance movers of 2022, the company stands out because of the expertise of its staff. If you are stressed about moving high-value belongings such as a baby grand piano, you can rest assured knowing that American Van Lines will provide you with workers specializing in piano transport. If you own rare antique furniture, American Van Lines will make sure it sends you certified antique movers.
American Van Lines does require a bit more commitment than some other moving companies on this list. As Forbes Home points out in reviewing the company, not only does American Van Lines mandate a deposit up front, but prospective customers have only three days to cancel requested services if something comes up. Keeping that in mind, American Van Lines is probably the best option for you if the logistics of your moving schedule are confirmed and you anticipate requiring additional expertise to move specialty items.
Best for international moves: International Van Lines
What if you are not just hopping over to a different state, but packing up your whole life and making the move to an entirely different country? Most national long distance moving companies will not venture out into international waters, or if they do, they contract out the actual work of international moving, instead of handling the process directly. International Van Lines is different. They provide service to 150 different countries and handle every aspect of international moving in-house. You can choose between having your belongings transported via ocean freight transport or air freight transport. Air freight transport is the faster option, but it is also more expensive.
International Van Lines ranks highly as an international moving option across several review sites, including U.S News & World Report and Forbes Home, which ranked them as their number one choice for moving between countries. Forbes notes the company's high customer service rankings and overall flexibility as crucial to the international move experience, which is invariably more complicated than moving domestically. Move.org also ranks International Van Lines highly for the variety of discounts, including a discount on car shipping, one for senior citizens, and 30 days of storage with no additional charge. The month of free storage is a bonus for any move, domestic or otherwise, but can come in handy particularly for an international journey, when passport and visa complications can snarl up planned schedules.