Cross-country moving to another state alone is a challenging process, and in the beginning, people often think it is something they won’t be able to do on their own. However, if you take into consideration that, each year, around 10% of Americans move, you’ll realize that you are not alone in this journey. The golden rule to every successful move is organization, and if you’re wondering how to do it, we’ve got everything covered.
From figuring out when it’s time to move to deciding where you will live, you’ll have to do a bunch of other stuff if you want to have a pleasant experience with this relocation. When moving to a new state alone, one of the crucial things is to learn helpful tips on how to reduce stress during the move and get the answers to questions like how can I move to another state alone or should I move to a new state alone. Since you’re not the only one with these questions and concerns, we decided to create a list of useful tips that will help you move like a pro and adjust to the new circumstances.
What to Do When Moving to Another State Alone – First, Embrace the Change
This is a big step in your life, and once you realize that relocation is one of the most stressful processes in people’s lives, you can more easily embrace the change that will affect your life on probably every level. No matter the reasons for your move – whether you are relocating for an awesome job opportunity, planning a whole office relocation, you just decided it is time to start over fresh on your own, or are looking for the best city after college you’ll live in, keep in mind why you are relocating and don’t let anyone get in the way of achieving your goals.
We all know how hard it can be living by yourself in a completely different place, but in situations when it’s tough, remember to look at the bright side of things. Think about all the good stuff the relocation can bring and all the opportunities you can seize.
Relocating alone to a new city is a challenging task, but don't let anything get in your way
The Best Way to Move to Another State Is to Visit the New City
There are many things to do before the move, like figuring out how to organize your important documents and finding the best guide for packing. However, one of the most important steps in the whole preparation process is to get to know your future place. This could seem like an impossible thing to do, especially now that we’re looking at every little option for a safe move during coronavirus. Luckily, nowadays there are a lot of possibilities to check the future place without actually visiting it. Use the power of the internet and get as much information as you can.
Make the Best Decision and Read Everything About the City You’ll Call Home
If you are not in a position to travel just to visit your future home, read everything you find online and in books or guides about the destination you’re relocating to. Another great way to do it is to ask family and friends if they have some interesting facts to know about the city you’ll live in. Here are some of the most important things to learn that will help you get the whole picture of your home-to-be:
- Cost of living,
- Crime rates,
- Neighborhoods,
- Job market,
- Commute times.
Learn as much as you can about your future place
A Very Important Step Is to Make a Budget
After you decide on the place where you will live, figure out how much money you’ll need for the relocation process. Calculate the budget step-by-step and write down every service you’ll have to pay for the move. If you have never moved before, you should know that this process is going to cost you, so it’s better to start saving money as soon as you decide to move. To be completely worry-free about any extra expenses, hiring cross-country movers that are reliable and experienced is the way to go.
Think Through Whether You’ll Buy or Rent a House in the New City
When relocating alone, there are many things to think through besides wrapping up fragile items and figuring out what is the safest way to pack paintings. One of the most important ones is to decide whether you are going to rent or buy the next place. If you are not sure about the neighborhood, it might be better to rent an apartment in the first period after the move. That way, you can be sure that you like the surroundings and the people that will be your neighbors. If you are still not sure, watch the video below and decide if you are a renter or a buyer:
How to Move Out of State Alone – Get Organized and Start on Time
For those who have never moved before, the crucial thing is to get organized and not to panic. Your best friend during the whole process will be a relocation to-do list. Create one checklist with all the cross-country moving services you’ll need and tasks you’ll have to do. This is the greatest way to stay up-to-date, and you won’t lose track of time when it comes to deciding the importance of some duties. In other words, put the most tedious tasks first, and once you mark them as done, you’ll feel a big relief and encourage yourself to do everything before the relocation day.
One of the Tips for Moving Out of State Alone Is to Declutter Your Home
As mentioned before, as soon as you are done with the dullest part of the whole relocation process, you’ll feel like everything is possible. So, start first with decluttering the entire home. Go room-by-room and put everything you don’t need or won’t use anymore in one pile. This way, you’ll have much fewer items to pack, and the whole process will be smoother. If you are wondering what to do with the stuff you set aside, you could donate to charities. Check the Goodwill website and do a noble thing or organize a garage sale and make some extra money.
Start Packing Right Away
After the decluttering, start putting items into boxes right away. It’s better to do these two tedious tasks together and check them as done at the beginning of the relocation process because that will leave you with more energy for all the other things you have to do. You’ll avoid any last-minute packing, and there won’t be things you forget to pack.
You can apply the same method you did during the decluttering – pack room-by-room. One of the greatest packing hacks is to label each box, so when you come to the unpacking part, it will be much easier.
Change Your Address and Take Care of Utilities
A few weeks before the relocation day, take care of changing your address and turn off or switch your utilities. Just a few clicks and calls, and you can get these tasks checked off the relocation list. Go to the USPS website and fill the form for changing the address. Another step is to make a few calls to the utility companies and ask if you can transfer the utilities. This is something you shouldn’t omit because you certainly won’t be paying for someone else’s mail and subscriptions. This also means you’ll stop getting mail from previous residents once you update the address.
If you plan on transporting your car with professional long-distance movers, make sure to update the vehicle registration and driver’s license once you move to the new home.
Put changing the address and transferring utilities on the list of stuff to do before the move
Explore the Job Market and Find What You Will Work in the Future Place
If you wonder how I can move to another state without a job, you might think twice. Exploring a job market when long-distance moving alone is a must. There are many ways to do it, but the most effective one is to use apps like LinkedIn, as well as Facebook. We all know why it is important to find what you want to do once you move, and it’s best to find the occupation before you start unpacking and adjusting to your future place. Having work and regular income right after you move will put away all the worries about whether you will have enough for rent, bills, and everyday expenses.
Is It Possible to Move to Another State With No Money?
Unfortunately, you can’t move without money. However, there are a lot of methods to cut some expenses, no matter if you’re relocating to a small town or to a metropolitan area. One of the methods you can use is to save on the materials and supplies for protecting delicate items, for example, protecting silverware – you can use any soft material you can find in the house. On the other hand, if you think that using professional long-distance moving services will cost you more than DIY-ing the whole relocation process, think again. All those services that you want to do on your own will cost more in the long run.
People often think relocating without a job isn't possible, but if you have some savings, it is manageable
One of the Tips on How to Move to Another State Alone Is to Find a Reliable Long Distance Moving Company
This is a step that most people leave for the end because they think it is an easy task to do. However, it is better to do your research a few weeks before the actual relocation day. Check all the reviews and comments of the long-distance companies and be sure to avoid relocation scams. Once you are sure you found just the right company, check with their customer service about relocation insurance for your belongings and the storage facilities they offer.
Don’t Forget – It’s OK to Ask for Help
The relocation process can feel overwhelming, especially if you are relocating on your own. Having no help once you move is stressful enough as is, so at least get a helping hand before the move. If you need any additional packing service for securing and wrapping your makeup and other bigger or smaller items, don’t refrain from asking. It is OK not to be able to do everything on your own.
Having support in this stressful process is always welcome
Don’t Forget Your Family and Friends
Once you figured out how to move to another state by yourself and planned each step for an effortless relocation, the only thing left is adjusting to your new life. Keep in mind, though, this is not the easiest thing to do. It is completely normal to feel alone, and the greatest thing that will help you overcome this obstacle is calling family and friends. We all know how hard it can be to find time in the whole chaos after you move, but this can help you a lot, so put it on your weekly schedule.
Nowadays, there are a lot of options to hear from family and friends - video calls, chats, and phone calls.
Throw a Party and Meet Your New Neighbors
If you are feeling exhausted after the move, know that it is entirely reasonable. Give yourself some time to get used to the fact you moved and are starting a completely fresh chapter of your life. However, making friends in another city should be something to think about. The best way is to throw a party for your neighbors and coworkers and enjoy your future house and life.
