Planning a cross-country move with a baby

Post date: 2020-01-20 09:06:11

After this question, we narrowed our search quite a bit to Bellingham, started the house searching process, and now we're under contract on a house! What are the logistics of moving across the country with a baby (Philly to Bellingham)?

Thank you again for all the thoughtful responses to our previous question. We have family in Bellingham and had a hunch that it would be a winner for us, and you helped us nail that down.

My husband is flying out for the inspection and barring any catastrophes, we'll be closing on the house in mid-late February. We are not contingent on selling our current house, and we are planning on doing some cosmetic work on the new house before we move out there, so we hope to stay in Philly until the bulk of the work is completed. We'll have estimates for said work done at the same time as the inspection (contractor is already lined up to join us).

Post-inspection, the plan is:

- Get a U-Pack container and fill it with seasonal, rarely used things, and books/DVD/knicknacks/not-needed things, and ship it off to be delivered at a later date in Bellingham.
- Get listing photos for current house taken after U-Pack.
- Based on work estimates from contractor, hire a moving company
- List current house after we move

We don't know where to start with regard to moving companies for long distance, and we have heard some horror stories. How do we organize the move so that we have everything we need for us and baby between packing and sending it off and then getting on the plane? And do you have recommendations for companies that have excellent guarantees? Like, within 3 days of expected delivery date or money back?

We are also at a loss as to how much to keep or give away/sell. We have some furniture that we care a great deal about because they were either family heirlooms/antiques, or made by or custom for us. But we also have a lot of stuff that could be nice to keep but maybe it's not worth moving 3k miles.

Basically, any and all advice you have for us would be greatly appreciated. Lessons you learned, things you did or wish you did, etc. Thank you!

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