The state of modern entrepreneurship makes it possible for anyone to start a successful business working primarily from their home. For many would-be business leaders, it’s actually a great way to get their company off the ground, as it cuts a significant portion of the operational and resource costs required to set up elsewhere.
But what do you do when you’re trying to run a business, and then opportunity calls elsewhere? You’re fortunate in the sense that when you move, your business comes with you; but trying to keep your business running smoothly while juggling all the chaos that comes with moving, well, that’s difficult. Moving is one of the foremost stressors we can have in our lives, only preceded by divorce and the death of a loved one, according to psychologists.
If you’ve been struggling with the logistics of trying to succeed at running an at-home business while moving, rest assured: it is possible. It is indeed stressful, but the impact of that stress can be mitigated with thorough, rigorous planning. In this article, we’ll cover how to make the moving process as seamless as possible, how to make it possible to continue operating in the midst of chaos, and our special secret to maintaining sanity through this difficult time.
Facilitating a Seamless Move
Anyone who’s moved before knows that planning is everything. Moving is a complicated process with many moving pieces and parts, and trying to address them all last minute, even if you’re successful, will get your blood pumping in a bad way. This goes double for cross-country moves, where it may not even be possible to execute at the last minute, as much-needed resources like long-distance moving companies may be fully booked.
If this is your first long-distance move, you’re going to want to make a list of all the actions you need to take before the big day arrives. Sitting down for a moment and sketching out your move from start to finish will help give you an idea of the time you have to complete each step, how much your move will cost, and where you should involve external partners.
Your list should include all of these essential steps for cross-country relocation:
- Set your move-in date: Call your realtor to determine when your new home will be available. While many will have move-in-ready dates pre-selected, there’s often a little bit of leeway in when your first day on the new property actually is. Negotiate a time closer to the weekend if possible, giving you more time during the week to fulfill orders and allowing you to focus on moving when business is slower.
- Declutter: Take a minute to walk your property, identify the items that you will not be taking with you, and make plans to dispose of them before the move-out date. Many moving companies will ask what the estimated load is before offering you a quote for their services, and decluttering early makes it easy to get an accurate price.
- Shop around for a mover: It may be tempting to go with the first moving company that has availability around your date. Don’t. Prices will vary widely from company to company, and it’s essential to shop around to get the best deal. If a company tries to pressure you into signing now by telling you that quote won’t be available at a later date — well, you probably don’t want to partner with them anyway.
- Getting all the packing essentials: Sometimes, boxes from your local grocery store will do; other times, such as when you’re carrying an abundance of fragile goods or large-scale items, you’ll need a little more. Large boxes, storage bins, rolls of packing tape, bubble wrap, and even packing peanuts are all options at your disposal.
Once your dates are booked, your movers are set, and your packing is done, you’re virtually set for move-in day. The only thing left to do on that end is execute. Which brings us to the next question: how can your business continue to operate while you’re in flux?
Carving Out a Temporary Workspace
Your business needs a space where you can keep operations running smoothly; a difficult ask when the space you’d typically use is being left behind in another state, and hotel rooms are the only place you’ll get to really settle for a few days.
This leaves you with only one real place to get any work done while the move is occurring: your primary mode of transportation. You can convert your truck into a miniature office, allowing you to fulfill orders, answer customer inquiries, and communicate with stakeholders while on the move. Whether you’re driving and taking calls through Bluetooth, or letting your partner drive while using your car’s hotspot to connect to your storefront, you can carve out a temporary workspace that will allow you to get work done as you move.
Paying for a hotspot or a Wi-Fi connection in your vehicle, setting aside space in the backseat for files and relevant materials, and bringing your laptop, headphones, and a travel-size lap desk are all excellent ways to bring your work on the road with you. While you may not be able to devote 100% of your time to your company (after all, you are moving) it’s a good way to juggle both worlds and catch every ball.
Allowing Time for Self-Care
Finally, we have our secret sauce, the thing that makes it all work: taking care of yourself. It’s all too easy to get burnt out trying to reconcile ambition at work with massive lifestyle changes. Take time for yourself in the middle of all this: the move will happen, and work will proceed as work always does. Avoid burn out by planning your move thoroughly, and set up a space for your work, and you’ll be just fine.
