So it’s time to move from your New York home and settle in sunny California. It’s surprisingly common for New Yorkers to look towards the City of Angels as a potential relocation option. But even if many make the journey, that doesn’t mean moving to Los Angeles comes without pitfalls.
So that’s why you can read more about the 6 pitfalls to avoid when moving from New York to Los Angeles.
1. It’s A Long Ride
One of the first pitfalls that you’ll encounter is the fact that going for a drive down the I-80 W isn’t something everyone can pull off. If you add the coordinates in Google Maps, you’ll realize that the drive is as long as 42 hours.
Do you have what it takes to drive 42 hours to your new home in Los Angeles? Most people don’t, especially when also transporting all of their belongings. So one thing every New Yorker should know is to be prepared for what’s about to come.
If you do indeed decide to drive across the Midwest, then do know you’ll see some amazing sights. The Midwest is absolutely beautiful and full of unprecedented scenery. Sure, it might be one of the longest road trips you’ve ever taken, but it’s well worth it.
If, however, you don’t have what it takes to drive all the way to LA from New York, then there are obvious answers to this issue.
2. Underestimating the Drive
If you’re quite the adventurist, then you might see it as challenging – driving from New York to LA isn’t something everyone is capable of. But an additional pitfall to avoid is underestimating just what it means to drive all across the country to sunny California.
For starters, don’t expect to be there in 42 hours – even that’s what Google says. You will need to sleep, you will need to eat, and you will need to go for bathroom breaks. So that will most certainly add a few hours to the trip.
So if you’re scheduled to be there in 42 hours, reschedule as it will most likely take you more than that.
3. Not Hiring Long-Distance Movers
The obvious choice for most people looking to relocate from New York to Los Angeles is to go with a professional moving company. But there’s a catch.
While not everyone says this, some services operate state-wise, and there are services that operate country-wise. The latter mostly describe themselves as long-distance movers.
These are the professional moving services you need to be looking for as they have most likely done the move from NY to LA a hundred times before. That means they’re experienced and know what it takes to transport your belongings from New York to Los Angeles with little problems if any.
More so, make sure that the moving company offers moving insurance just in case something happens to your belongings. This will make you eligible for some sort of payment as professional moving companies promise clients their goods will be transported safely.
4. Mind the Price
Even if professional movers pride themselves on safely transporting your goods from NY to LA, that doesn’t mean the move won’t be a costly one, according to Moveeast as there are various things that affect the price.
The thing with long-distance moves is that you’re meant to transport only the stuff that matters. Otherwise, expect to pay a huge price for the whole thing.
But with all that said, you can do plenty of things to lower the cost of moving. One thing to do is to sell the stuff that you don’t plan on moving. This can prove to be quite a savvy decision as you might even recoup enough money to finance the whole move from NY to LA.
If you’re not interested in selling, then you can gift some of your stuff to those who need it. If you have old clothes, you can donate them to the Red Cross or Salvation Army. You’ll be doing more good if you get rid of the things you don’t plan on taking with you.
5. Mind the Packing Fee
Professional movers will give you a price for the move, and they will also break it down into parts. One part is responsible for packing your stuff.
Here is where you can save a ton of money. Instead of paying for the company to pack your stuff, why not do it yourself? Not only will you save a ton of money, but you can find even better ways to save money.
By doing it yourself, you can find ways to get boxes for free. Simply head to the nearest supermarket and ask them to give you the boxes you need. Since they have no use of them, and will likely throw them in the trash, you’ll be doing them a service while also paying zero for boxes.
6. Don’t Move Until Your New Home Is Ready
This might come off as quite obvious, but it’s important to keep in mind nonetheless. The biggest mistake you could make is to prematurely schedule the move. You’ll need to wait until your new home is ready to take you in.
Hitting the road early will only cause more problems. Even if you’re eager to get there as soon as possible, where will you stay? What if the paint isn’t dry or the previous owner hasn’t completely moved out? If that happens, you’ll have to go to a motel and pay even more.
So another pitfall to easily avoid is waiting until your new house is ready for you to move in with all of your belongings. One thing that you can do while your home isn’t ready is rent a storage container for your stuff.
But that creates a whole other problem of having to pay for the container and pay for transportation again.
