Making a Long-Distance Move? 7 Questions to Help You Decide Between Shipping Furniture or Buying New

While almost every adult in America has moved to a new home at least once in their lives, nearly 40 percent of people remain near their home town. A cross-country or international move is a different experience that requires some special considerations.

Should you ship your furniture or buy new items when you arrive? There's no cut-and-dried answer to that question. We've done some research into the various factors that can help guide your decisions.

1. Who's Footing the Bill?

If you're relocating a significant distance for a job, many companies will offer full or partial coverage of moving expenses as part of your hiring package. While you still want to exercise good judgment, financial assistance gives you a bit of leeway in planning.

2. How Much Is Your Furniture Worth?

Your possessions have more than monetary value.

• Some items may be in good shape and perfectly suited to your lifestyle or your new home, giving them high practical value. Our Springs luxury apartment homes have online tools such as 3D floor plans that let you see how your furniture will fit in.
• Furniture pieces that have been passed down in your family or hold special memories have great sentimental value.
• Of course, monetary value is also part of the equation. You may own some high-quality pieces, antiques or collector's items that would be expensive to replace. 

3. Is Your Furniture Oversized, Unusually Shaped or Fragile?

The greater the distance your possessions have to travel, the greater the chance that they could be damaged. Some items such as TVs aren't even covered by insurance, so you may be better off just planning on buying a new one.

4. Have Your Tastes or Lifestyle Changed?

Maybe you've been longing to redecorate.This could be the perfect opportunity to get a whole new look. If you have kids, they may be at a new stage in their life and need a larger bed or more age-appropriate furniture.

5. How Will You Dispose of the Old Items?

With online sites such as Craigslist and eBay, it's relatively easy to sell any items that are in reasonably good shape and put the money toward new furnishings.

6. What Are Moving or Shipping Costs?

With moving or shipping estimates in hand, you can get a rough idea of the comparison between sending and buying. Move Advisor (Android and iPhone) is a free organizing and planning app that allows you to get free estimates.

7. How Much Time Do You Have?

Sometimes you have to move without much notice, especially if a job is involved. Even if you're hiring a moving company, there's a tremendous amount of preparation involved and you may be better off with a minimum of furnishings to transport.

Are you planning a long-distance move? When you can't be there in person, our Springs video and live online tours are the perfect options.