What to Do Before Moving Into Your New Home
The four-step guide to a stress-free car ride
It’s easy to forget about the trip itself among the deluge of packing valuables, organizing boxes, cleaning up, traveling with your pets, and every other piece of the moving puzzle. That’s why hiring a Cleveland moving company can free you up to focus on getting your family from point A to point B—instead of worrying about your belongings.
Whether you’re relocating across town or across the country, it’s easy to leave road trip prep off of your moving to-do list. Here are four ways to make your travels stress-free—and even fun.
Safety
When you’re moving precious cargo, safety should be your number-one priority. Ensuring your car can make the trip is a great teaching opportunity for children and an important first step. This means checking the fluids, getting a fresh oil change and making sure your spare tire is accessible and inflated (print this out for an easy guide to changing a tire). If you have doubts about your car’s endurance, an inspection by a trusted mechanic is a good idea. An emergency kit is also a must. At a bare minimum, it should include first-aid supplies, jumper cables and a flashlight.
Tip: Use a shower caddy to store spare car fluids.
Entertainment
“Are we there yet?”
The age-old question that’s akin to nails on a chalkboard. Fortunately, there are plenty of apps and games that might actually have the family excited to hop back in the car. Great low-tech solutions are games like “guess who I am” or license plate bingo.
If your car doesn’t come equipped with an auxiliary input for your stereo, you can also pick up an FM radio transmitter. Audiobooks are great for the whole family when you’re not in the mood for games, or you can try YouTube and Netflix for stand-up comedy routines that won’t take your eyes off the road to be entertained.
Tip: Get a USB car charger for everyone’s smartphone and tablets.
Navigation
Fortunately, confusing road maps are a thing of the past. Download Google Maps to save directions in case you lose cell service, and even find out you which lane you need to be in.
Waze is another awesome navigation app that one-ups Google Maps with its feature that allows users to contribute info while driving, in order to benefit other drivers. Waze shows you heavy traffic, road hazards, bad weather and even speed traps.
You may hit some tolls on your way, so be sure to know how much you’ll need and bring plenty of small bills and change. And finally, Gas-Buddy lets you plan your trip to find the lowest gas prices on your route and will calculate your gas budget for you.
Tip: If you don’t have a phone holder in your car, you can use a rubber band wrapped through the dashboard air vents for a quick mount and safe way to check the map while you’re driving.
Comfort
While you can’t turn your car into a cozy, self-driving cabin (yet), there are a few steps passengers can take to make the drive as painless as possible. This window pillow, a sleep mask and some noise cancelling headphones are the perfect combination to rest up for your next driving shift.
A car cooler can save on stops to stock up on food and drinks, while using a plastic cereal container as a trash can (use a plastic bag as a liner) makes for easy clean-up.
Tip: Fill water bottles halfway and freeze them on their side. Then, fill the rest with water for ice-water on the go.
Spend time focusing on your family, not worrying about boxes.
Devoting a little extra time to these four areas can transform a stressful experience into an relaxing trip. Contact our Cleveland movers at (440) 497-4393, call us toll free at (800) 481-6843 or get an online quote today, and let Leaders take care of the rest.
About the author
LEADERS Moving & Storage was founded in 1994 in Ohio with a pickup truck and a handshake. Since then, we’ve become one of the largest moving companies in the Midwest and have set the standard for others to follow.
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