Compare the Best
Cross Country Moving Companies of 2023

Moving can be one of the most stressful experiences, especially if you have a family and kids. Moving across town or the country is exciting but can also be expensive and frustrating. In addition, the stress of finding a reputable moving company, packing, and unpacking can be overwhelming.

Company Company Name Local and Long Distance Offers
Auto Shipping
Rating Details
Allied Van Lines
Yes
Yes
4.8
North American Van Lines
Yes
Yes
4.7
Bekins Van Lines
Yes
No
4.5
American Van Lines
Yes
No
4.3
Arpin Van Lines
Yes
No
4.2
Author: Helen McKenzie
January 06, 2023

Writer & Researcher

8 Min Read

Usually, when you’re moving out of your home, you’ll have a slew of expenses you’re responsible for paying before you move. These could include things like your security deposit, your utilities, and your rent. Taking on more costs on top of all this could send you over the edge, so you’ll probably want to consider using a cross-country moving company instead of doing everything yourself. If you have the budget for it, it might be worth it to use one, but if not, don’t worry. There are plenty of other ways you can cut costs.

What is Considered a Cross-country Move?

Moving to another state can be stressful, no matter how much you’ve planned or how much you’ve packed. Packing up your life and moving cross-country is a daunting task, and it can take months to make it happen. But there are some ways to ease some of your stress and make the process easier on you and your family.

But what is considered to be a cross-country move?

 A cross country move (or inter-state move) is defined as any move to a new county within the same state if the distance to be traveled is greater than 50 miles. The process involves the loading and unloading of a moving truck, loading, and unloading of a moving container, or both. 

Additionally, a cross-country move crosses territorial borders. This may include moving a shipment across an ocean, river, or borderline. It may also include moving a load between two landlocked countries. This can be a highly complex process and will require a good amount of coordination. For instance, if a large shipment is being moved from New York to California, it will pass through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and other states.

The best thing for someone in any of the above situations before going through the stress of such a huge move would be to find the right cross-country moving company.

Many benefits come with hiring a professional cross-country company. Hiring a professional moving company can move you across the country in record time, worry-free, and without stress. You don’t have to worry about packing, driving, or lifting. Your belongings are transported safely, and your move is planned around your schedule. A moving company can handle your move easily, providing you with peace of mind. They’re available to answer your questions, offer packing services, and pack all of your belongings safely.

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What Qualities Should a Professional Cross-country Moving Company Have?

Moving is stressful enough, so choosing the best cross-country movers for your move will help make the experience better. They’ll have professional movers, too, who are trained to handle expensive items like pianos. 

Here are three qualities to look for in a professional cross country mover:

1. Flexibility

There are several things to be flexible about when moving long distances. In addition to the fact that you need to be flexible about your moving dates, you also want to be flexible about the services you need for your move. For example, you might need complete packing services, or you may be able to pack some (or all) of your own boxes. 

You might need complete unpacking services, or you may be able to unpack some (or all) of your own boxes. Do you have a lot of furniture and large items? Do you have specialty items, like a grandfather clock or fine art? Are you moving a lot of different things?

2. Great Communication

Great communication is essential for any business. This applies to a cross-country moving company as well. When choosing a cross-country moving company, ask your friends and family members who have moved. You may also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints. 

You need a cross-country mover who can keep you informed throughout your move. If you do not receive updates and do not know where your belongings are, you may never recover them if something were to go wrong.

3. Proper Insurance

To protect your move, make sure the mover you’re hiring is properly insuring your items. Your moving company should provide you with an insurance certificate that states they are insured, as well as a bill of lading. A bill of lading is a document that states the contents of your shipment and the weight and value of the goods. The bill of lading should also contain information about how you can file a claim if your items are lost or damaged during the move.

How Much Does an Across Country Move Cost?

They say moving is one of life’s biggest stresses—and if you’re moving across the country, that’s even more true. You may be excited to start your new life in a new city, but you’ll be paying a pretty penny to do so.

Moving your family to another state can require a lot of planning, even when you’re dumping your old place and moving into a new one in the same community. But moving across the country is a whole other ball game. Moving companies charge a pretty penny—most estimates range between $5,000 and $8,000—and going DIY isn’t an option. 

Keep in mind the cost of cross-country moving is not only the price of the movers themselves but also the cost of packing materials, the cost of the moving truck, and any sales tax or fuel costs your moving company may charge. So be sure to ask questions about these details upfront.

What Factors Impact Quotes?

Moving costs aren’t something to take lightly. Even with the cost of a cross-country move being somewhat lower than in previous years, moving is still a significant expense. Here are different factors that affect the cost of cross-country movement. 

1. Distance and Time of Movement

Distance and time of movement are among the most influential factors determining the cost of cross-country moving. So distance is a very important consideration when deciding on a cross-country mover. Even if a moving company offers low rates, your moving cost may be significantly higher than you initially planned. The more miles you are traveling, and the more time your goods need to be moved, the higher your moving cost will be.

2. The Size of Your Home

When moving a long distance, you will have to move everything you own in one load. This is true whether you have a large house or a small apartment. No matter what the space is, it will go into one truck and be subject to the same cost.

A long-distance mover will determine the size of the home when determining the cost of the move. The price of a cross-country move will be determined by the number of movers needed to complete the job, the amount of space required in the moving truck, the distance to be traveled, and the accessibility of the property.

3. How Much Stuff You Have

The nature of moving is the more stuff you have, the more time it will take to wrap, pack and deliver your belongings. This is why the cost of moving rises as your distance increases. Movers can only be as efficient as the amount of time they have. If you are not sure how much time you will have, double or triple your moving time estimate to be safe. If you have a lot of time, you can always have the movers return to move the rest of your stuff.

4. The Time You’re Moving

The time you’re moving will also affect the cost of cross-country moving. For example, the summer is a peak season for moving across the country, so the movers will have much more business and will be much busier. Hiring movers in the summer is likely to cost more than in the winter. Similarly, movers will charge more for moves during holidays and weekends than for weekday moves.

5. Extra Services

Of course, hiring extra services will also affect the cost of cross-country moving. If you want to cut down on the cost, you can prepare some of the services yourself, such as packing, loading, and unloading.

However, we do not recommend it because you may cause some damage to the house and furniture. If you still insist on doing it by yourself, you need to pay for the cost and repair.

Tips on Preparing for a Cross-country Move

The cross-country move is an exciting time, filled with new sights, sounds, and experiences. However, it is also stressful, as you have to contend with many unknowns, such as how to get to your new home and how long it will take. In addition, a cross-country move can put a lot of strain on the family, so it is a good idea to take steps to prepare yourself as much as possible. These tips will help you prepare well.

1. Start Early

Early preparation is vital in the cross-country movement. First, you have to plan for time differences and the time difference between your old and new homes. The time difference is not an issue when you move to a new house close to your old one. However, it is the primary factor when moving to a new city. 

When you move to a new city, you need to plan for the time difference. For example, if you are moving to Los Angeles, you need to prepare for the time difference between New York and Los Angeles.

2. Stay Organized

When it comes to cross-country moves, the more organized you can be, the better! It’s no fun for you, the moving company or anyone else involved if you move at the last minute and still expect to pull off your move in the timeframe you intended for it to take place. 

Organizing ahead of time will allow you to get a clear and realistic idea of your move and your costs and give you the time you need to make arrangements for your pets, your children, your work, and more.

3. Set a Schedule and Stick to it

Setting a schedule and sticking to it will ensure everything runs smoothly when preparing for a cross-country move. It would be best if you first created a plan for the preparations for your move. Then, start with the things that will take the longest to prepare and work your way down, leaving yourself with the shortest time for your more immediate tasks. 

To begin with, you should run through all the paperwork and organize the information you will need. You should also find a good storage company to store your belongings while you are moving.

4. Consider Downsizing

Downsizing before a cross-country move is essential for many reasons. One of the most important is cost. The less you move, the less you pay in fees. A mover can charge by the pound and the number of rooms, closets, and boxes.  

Other than the actual weight and cubic space (as listed on the inventory), the mover will estimate your weight based on what they believe to be the bulk of your goods. Sometimes, a bulky item like an upright piano or a box of books can hold as many as three average-sized suitcases. So a quick trip to the local thrift store can go a long way to reducing your moving costs.

There are several criteria to be considered when picking long-distance movers. The movers should have a good reputation for their service. They should also provide insurance and have a license to operate. The movers should also offer an estimate up-front. With this information in mind, the decision to move may become more manageable.

Author: Helen McKenzie
January 06, 2023

Writer & Researcher

8 Min Read

Helen McKenzie is a writer with more than 10 years of experience. She has always loved writing and started writing for her school newspaper and eventually became a staff writer for a major metropolitan publication. More recently, Helen has been a member of the iMove Research Team, where she seeks to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information about products and services available to consumers. In this role, she has conducted extensive research on topics such as moving companies, storage solutions, and real estate.

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