How Long Does Moving Take?

Even a short move becomes a big hurdle when juggling work, closing costs, lease contracts, and family activities. Cross-country moves involving moving and storage can take weeks or months, depending on your moving window and storage needs, even if you hire long-distance movers. 

Every move looks a little different because of variables such as distance, number and type of belongings, and the moving service you choose. Even small variables, like the weather on moving day, can affect how long it takes to move. Luckily, there are some planning and organizational tips that can help. In this article, we’ll walk through how long it takes to move and some ways to quickly and efficiently get through your move.

The moving process takes on average about six to seven weeks, from the day you reserve a moving company to the day you finish unpacking. This can extend to interstate moves, but you can expect most moves to fall in that time. Alternatively, you can expect a shorter moving window if you’re moving locally from one small apartment to another.

Moving companies create estimates based on factors like where you’re going and how much you’re bringing. The most influential of these factors is how far you’re moving. A lot of boxes can definitely add time to your move, but professional movers can significantly reduce that impact on moving time.

For this reason, we recommend hiring a full-service moving company to assist you on moving day. It does cost more to hire a full-service moving company, but the investment is worthwhile, especially for homes with a few bedrooms. Not only will you have several movers to help you get your furniture to and from the truck, but you’ll also have the vast majority of your logistics handled by an efficient and experienced team.

Be sure to book your company about six weeks before moving day. If you’re moving from a smaller space, you might be able to book closer to moving day, but sooner is better.

To make moving day and unpacking as easy as possible, you’ll want to plan and organize in the weeks leading up to your move. For most people, this is the longest part of the process.

The time before your move involves planning, packing, and organization. Once you’ve finalized your moving day, start packing non-essential items, such as photos, rarely used kitchenware, decor, and other cosmetic items. As you get closer to the move, start packing the items you use most often. Pack absolute essentials the week before the move. Most moving companies charge an additional fee for packing your items.

Be sure to label your items with where they should go in your new house so movers can quickly place them in the right spot on moving day. This can also be a great time to donate or hire junk removal services for items you don’t plan to use.

Additionally, stay in contact with your moving company to make sure they know any new information leading up to the move. Having a clear line of communication will save you a headache on moving day.

Moving day can go by quickly and efficiently if you take the proper steps in planning. The most important thing you can do on moving day is to be present and communicative with your movers—show them the best routes through the house and eliminate any tripping hazards along paths to the truck.

The time it takes to fully load a truck depends on the truck's size, the number of movers, and the distance from your house to the truck. Below is an estimate to give you an idea of the loading and unloading time for three movers.

This part of the process can drag depending on how quickly you want to unpack your items. At this point, the movers will place your furniture, so you’ll mainly need to start unpacking boxes. Having everything properly labeled and in the right rooms will make a big difference. While you’ll likely be tired after moving day, setting a goal of unpacking items in one room per day will have you finished in a few days.

Moving anywhere can be a big undertaking, but there are plenty of companies and resources that can help you get into your new home quickly and efficiently. Taking the time to properly pack and organize your belongings beforehand will help create a smooth moving day—and an easy unpacking process for you and your family!