Long Distance Movers in Texas

Moving long distance is never cheap (nor should it be – be suspicious of any moving company that is suspiciously cheaper than the others) but there are methods to get your belongings from one place to another within a reasonable budget.

Long distance moving options range from a do-it-yourself (DIY) truck rental to hiring a full-service, long-distance moving company to pack, move, and unpack all your belongings.

As you'd expect, the DIY route is often the least expensive, especially if you have free help from friends or family. You can make this type of move even less expensive by paring down your belongings so that you don't need the largest truck available.

No matter what kind of move you choose, getting rid of belongings is the easiest way to shed dollars off of your move. Many people don’t know that moves are priced by weight. So if you have a granite top for your dining room table and heavy wooden bedroom set, that would add a considerable amount of money to your quote.

A hybrid move offers a convenient option between a DIY move and a full-service move. This allows you to have some professional moving services, while doing all the elements you can for yourself. Look for a long-distance moving company with a flexible service policy that lets you choose only certain services, while you handle other services on your own, such as packing and unpacking.

There are several items that shouldn't be moved long distance for safety reasons—which will likely be prohibited by cross-country movers—and some that you should move yourself to protect them.

Here's the list from our long-distance movers of some items that should not be packed for a long-distance move:

• Perishable food: Food that won't keep during a move can attract insects and rodents, both of which can damage your belongings. Frozen or refrigerated food and produce should be consumed or discarded before you move. Boxed or canned food in its original, unopened packaging may be able to be packed; open packages should be left behind.
• Hazardous items: Most types of chemicals and substances that are flammable cannot be legally moved by interstate moving companies. These are just some examples:
  • Lawn and garden chemicals
  • Oil and gas products
  • Batteries
  • Cleaning products
  • Ammunition
  • Aerosol spray cans
  • Pool chemicals
  • Liquid bleach
  • Fireworks
  • Pesticides
  • Fertilizers
• Sentimental or personal items: Although long-distance moving companies have safeguards in place to prevent damage or loss, there's always at least a slight possibility that something may go wrong, and an irreplaceable item goes missing. Make plans to take care of packing and moving items such as these yourself:
  • Financial documents and records
  • School records
  • Computers
  • Medical records
  • Photos
  • Jewelry
  • Keys
  • Checkbooks and cash
  • Insurance policies
  • High-value collectibles
  • Family heirlooms
• Houseplants: States have varying regulations regarding bringing plants in from another state to prevent insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Check with the Department of Natural Resources or Department of Agriculture in the state you're moving to for regulations that may apply to your long-distance move.

In general, the industry-wide standard definition of "long distance" is a move of 50 miles or more. This may be an interstate move (from one state to a different state) or an intrastate move (within the same state but at least 50 miles).