How to Plan Moving to a New State – a Step by Step Guide

How Much Should You Save to Move Out of State?

When it’s time to move, the first thing you should prepare yourself for is the significant amount of money you must put aside for relocation. Housing expenses vary on the different relocation circumstances, whether you move to college, relocate alone, or with numerous family members. Moreover, the price also depends on which country, city, or even neighborhood you choose.

So what is the average cost of moving to another state? We can talk only about the average cost of the relocation itself, but it can vary too, depending on the long-distance movers you choose, materials you use and so on. However, pay attention to the following numbers: according to AMSA, the average sum of relocation expenses for an interstate move is a little less than 4,500 USD (with an average distance of about 1,300 miles and an average weight of about 7,500 pounds.) Compare it to your case and try to calculate the amount of money you will need.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Move From State to State?

Obviously, you will save a lot more money if you opt for the DIY option for every possible job. However, you should decide if the money is worth the anxiety you are bound to experience. If you choose reliable cross-country moving services, you can severely reduce relocation stress by letting professionals do all the work – but it comes with the price.

If you want to move safely, it would be more effective to save money by selling unnecessary items, getting your friends to help you, or getting some cost-free relocation supplies. Don’t try to be economical when choosing relocation companies – be careful of possible scammers. If you are relocating for a job, explore if the company wants to help you with your relocation expenses.

Book a Long-Distance Moving Company on Time

Contacting your cross-country movers without delay and organizing a relocation date can save you a lot of money. All of the best relocation companies are booked months in advance, so the more you wait, the bigger is the chance of hiring a not-so-reliable company. On the other hand, note that East Coast movers as well as the West Coast movers have a lot more work during the weekends and holidays and therefore charge more. Have that information in mind if you’re relocating on a budget.

Things to Consider When Moving to a New State – Get to Know the City

When you decide that it is finally a relocation hour and narrow your pick to one city and one house, it would be best if you could explore what that town has to offer. If you are moving out of state with a child, you would probably want to know about the best kindergartens and schools, the cost of private schools, evaluation of the public school system, sports and other activities your child can attend, and so on. Keep in mind that this transition can often negatively affect your kids, so be sure to do whatever you can to help them with it.

Learn everything there is to know about the town’s history, job opportunities, and neighborhoods, and read about recommendations for anything you are interested in (food, music, gatherings, and the like.) Be absolutely certain that you like the city’s neighborhoods and vibe before you decide to choose the best place for you to relocate. If you are moving out of state alone, making friends in a new city should be one of your priorities, especially if you’re relocating to a small town. Dive into an online world, find groups that share your interests, start to chat with your future neighbors, and from the start, you won’t feel lonely.

Checklist for Moving Out of State – Get Organized

If you want your relocation to be successful, you must use all of your organizational skills. Prepare a relocation to-do list to always know where you are with the job and what else needs to be done. For example, when packing, you should think about which rooms need to be packed first and which items you must save for your last box. And do not let it be the only list you make – the more, the merrier. Try to create a packing list, an inventory list, a list of all packing materials you’re going to use, and so on.

Next Step: Choose a Reliable Cross-Country Moving Company

Moving from one state to another is a lot to take, emotionally and physically, even with the help of professionals. And when they end up not being as professional as they led you to believe, the whole thing can get a terrible turn. Be careful when choosing long-distance moving services. There can be a few tips and suggestions which will help you with hiring movers and avoiding scam companies:

• Compare estimates – don’t be satisfied with only one estimate. If some movers offer you a quote that is too good to be true, it usually is. Compare it with other estimates you’ll get.
• Check the company’s license and DOT number to determine if it is a legit one.
• Rely on reviews and recommendations – if a company doesn’t have any, you may end up working with frauds.
• Have everything in writing – document everything you previously agreed on. Do not sign any blank document or any paper you haven’t read before.

What to Do Before Moving to Another State – Paperwork Preparation

One of the most important things to do before moving out of state is preparing your documents. Whether we talk about birth certificates, medical records, bank statements, or car insurance, you will want every important document by your side in your newest home. The tricky part is getting them organized. You wouldn’t want to relocate only to find out that you can’t find some important file. Ensure to leave enough time during the relocation process for organizing your documents.

Keep Getting Important Documents – Change Your Address

If you’ve ever lived in an apartment where you were wondering how to stop getting mail from previous residents, that means that they didn’t cancel their old address. Do not let it happen to you – it can start an avalanche of problems with your loan providers, banks, and alike. Changing your address is (nowadays) a very simple process, and you won’t have to leave your house to do it. Just go to the United States Postal Service site and choose an option for an online change of address. It is that simple! Every important document you have will arrive at your newest home.

Transfer Memberships, Subscriptions, and Utilities to Your New Home

So your current resident doesn’t end up with your mail, and so you don’t have to pay for something you don’t use at all, remember to inform everybody about your relocation and transfer whatever you can (magazine and newspaper subscriptions, gym membership, and alike) to your newest address. Cable, internet, gas, and other utilities demand the same – contact your providers and schedule a date for installation.

How to Move to a New State – Packing Time

When the time of packing comes, you will meet your true nightmare. People often fail to realize how many items they hoard until they need to pack them, especially if they have to pack to move in a hurry. Ensure all of the necessary supplies before the packing, like boxes, wrapping material, markers, scissors, and so on. If you decide to let someone else do that work for you, you can always go with a professional packing service and a crew that knows how to pack quickly as well as how to pack fragile items and even how to move a piano, if you find yourself in need of this service. Make sure to communicate with them if you want to discover some good relocation hacks.

Find Cheap Supplies You Could Use

If you’re trying to find a way to cut costs, be sure to consider some cost-free supplies like clothes and newspapers for wrapping and boxes you could get from a friendly market. You may think that it is not a lot, but with all of the other relocation expenses, you must take care of every spent dime. However, remember to check which one of those supplies won’t be a good choice to protect your delicate belongings during the long road.

Make the Best Of Your Unwanted Items

If you don’t know what to do with things you decided not to relocate, do not throw them away. You could prepare a nice garage sale, sell them and earn some extra money. The second, more noble option is donating those items that are in good shape but you no longer need. The fact that you can, because of it, get a tax deduction is only a bonus. In any case, whatever you choose, you will bring only what you genuinely use instead of overpacking.

If you can’t decide whether to sell or donate your belongings, watch the following video:

Plan Your Relocation Day to the Fullest

Your relocation day doesn’t have to be the most chaotic day of your life. If you plan it properly, you can avoid unnecessary stressful situations. Remember that on the date of relocation, you should:

• Move your children to a safe place – with everything you have to do that day and the number of people that will walk through your old home, ensure to keep your kids with a nanny or other family member.
• Take care of your pets – if you’re relocating with pets, remember to book an appointment with their vet, and when the relocation date comes, put them in a separate room with enough food and water.
• Clean before relocating – make sure to do it gradually and start with the cleaning process long before the last day.
• Prepare an essential bag – a bag that will go with you, not with movers, which contains items like chargers, toiletries, spare clothes, and so on.

Things to Do When You Move to a New State

There are so many things to do when you arrive at your newest home. Unpacking and cleaning are only the beginning – you also should take care of car registration, get a driver’s license, and so on. But the most important thing you must plan for when you move into your newest house is to relax and enjoy yourself. You deceived it! With all that hard work behind you, smile and prepare yourself for the next phase of your life.