A couple carrying boxes after long-distance moving overlay

7 Moving Interstate Tips You Should Know About

Posted in Moving Tips & Tricks on October 13, 2022

There is no easier and better way to move than with our convenient moving interstate tips. If you follow our blog, we can guarantee that you’ll stay focused and organized during this whole process, which will definitely help you reduce relocation stress and prevent potential problems. Moves can actually be very enjoyable, only if you learn to handle them like a pro.

Is It Hard Moving to Another State?

How do I prepare to move to another state? Many people are so worried about relocating that they make unfixable relocation mistakes and eventually fail in their primary goals. Logically, although moves can be stressful, this is, in most cases, just people exaggerating because they are scared or uninformed. 

If you find a proper relocation guide to follow and make a good to-do list with all the necessary activities and things to consider when moving to another state, there is no need to worry about relocating efficiently. So, without further ado, let’s check some of the tips you should know about.

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#1 Decide Where to Live According to Your Budget

One of the most important things with long-distance moving is to carefully choose where to live. For example, relocating to LA is completely different than living in NYC. The only thing that connects these places and life in SF is the high cost of living. Apart from that, they offer different scenery, lifestyle, places to see and things to do, so it’s up to you to decide which location suits you best. Obviously, these are only some of the options. Other popular cities for millennials are:

  • Austin,
  • Denver,
  • Seattle,
  • Boston.

When Deciding Where to Live, You Want to Consider a Few Different Factors

Deciding where to live is pretty complex, so get to know what you’re looking for. Most people check the cost of living as one of the most important factors that can affect all the other aspects of life. If apartments in some specific place are too expensive and you wish to move without a job, it is not recommended that you choose that exact place for your new home. There are some convenient websites where you can check the cost of living in a specific area – for example, Numbeo.com offers information about food and transportation prices, health and other forms of care expenses, housing prices, and much more. 

Every Trending Place Offers a Different Lifestyle

Only after you consider all of these prices can you be certain if life in some area is suitable for your pocket. You also need to consider the fact of who you are going to live with. If you move to another state alone, you won’t need to look for a big home or worry about factors such as children’s education.

If, on the other hand, you decide to move with kids and still want to move on budget, relocating to the suburbs might be more affordable than relocating to a busy downtown area. If the area you’re relocating to does not offer good public transportation options and you need to commute for a job, shipping your vehicle is also something to consider. 

#2 Take Into Account All the Necessary Expenses Before You Plan Your Budget

Planning a relocation budget is another important thing to consider when relocating interstate. You should definitely include all the potential expenses into this – buying or renting a new home, hiring professional long-distance movers, buying packing materials, and going through every other phase of preparation for your move. Your budget might be limited, but if it currently does not allow you to achieve everything you want, you can start saving on time and consider some other money-saving tips.

For example, relocating in winter is usually much more affordable than relocating during summer. You can book movers in advance and look for cheaper dates in order to save money. You can also check the real estate market in the desired city and decide if the current prices are reasonable or simply wait for a more convenient period. If you wish to plan your budget without many problems, this video might be able to help you out.

#3 Look for a Job in Advance if Possible

It is highly recommended that you try to get a job before you move. This can definitely help a lot with relocation anxiety. You’ll feel much more comfortable knowing that you have something reliable that already awaits you once you move. It will help you adapt more quickly and build a social network with your colleagues. This is proven to work much faster than meeting friends randomly because people you work with will be easily approachable, and you’ll already be sharing the same interests with them. 

This is only one of the many positive aspects. The financial stability that a job in a new city will provide is also very important. You won’t have to worry about paying rent or paying for your relocation expenses if you have a safe and regular income from your new job. 

Person at a job interview before moving cross country
How to prepare to move to another state? Look for a job in advance

#4 Consider Hiring a Professional Relocation Company

How do I relocate smoothly? Hiring professional companies when moving across the country is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself. With reliable cross-country moving services, you won’t experience any unpleasant surprises while relocating to another state. If you wish to move safely and save yourself from unnecessary drama, simply contact professional cross-country movers

You just have to find a reliable company and enjoy the relocation benefits. Professionals will take care of everything around you and think of the smartest solutions for relocating your belongings. If you have some extra stuff you still want to keep but don’t know where to keep them after the move, you can also count on reliable storage services these companies provide. 

Learn How to Avoid Moving Scams

Relocation scams are among the most important things to learn to avoid when hiring professional companies. Unfortunately, many people have negative relocation experiences because they are scammed by so-called professionals whose only goal is to take your money without providing you with quality service. This is why you have to look for the red flags. 

For example, you should check if the company has a trustworthy website and reliable reviews. You should also meet with them so they can estimate the value of our goods and provide a free quote once you provide them with an inventory list. If the price they offered seems too good to be true, this might seem suspicious. 

You should also look for their relocation license and registration number. They are also obligated to offer you a contract where all the parts of your deal are visible, and there aren’t any hidden fees. Real professionals will always try everything in their power to be kind and meet your needs, and they will seem knowledgeable and reliable because they will have the proper skills and equipment to do their job.

Decide What Services You Want

How to plan a move to another state? Once you’re certain that you’re about to hire a trustworthy company, you should decide what service you want for the upcoming relocation. For example, you may want to ship your car to another city or look for some assistance with boxing up your fragile stuff – car shipping and packing service are the best options in this case. 

You can also require a service that includes boxing up your goods, loading them into the relocation truck, transporting them to your house, and unloading the relocation truck once the professionals get there. You can try to lower the potential price of your move by switching dates or changing some of the services. The best way to make sure you get a full refund in case of an accident is to get full-value replacement relocation insurance, so this is another thing that you should consider getting.

#5 Start Packing on Time When Relocating to Another State

It is important to start packing on time no matter where you choose to move, and when you’re relocating interstate, the stakes are even higher. You should be prepared in advance in order to avoid unnecessary complications – this is why you should start boxing up your goods as soon as you decide where to move and find the right apartment in another city. By knowing more information about your home, it will be easier for you to decide what furniture and other things to relocate.

Find the Right Packing Materials

You can start preparing by looking for the right packing materials. Again, this can be more or less challenging depending on what objects you plan to relocate. For example, boxing up fragile objects is usually more complex than boxing up clothes or other stuff that cannot break. This is why you should have at least some knowledge about these materials and the proper ways to use them for protection. If you find this too stressful or complicated, you can always get professional service and save yourself the trouble. 

Declutter and Pack the Least Used Items First

Before you start boxing everything up, you should also decide what to get rid of. It isn’t necessary that you relocate all the stuff you have at your current house. Go through everything around your house and throw away or donate things you don’t want anymore. If they are still in good condition and you know they have some higher worth, you can also try selling them. Once you are done with decluttering, you can start boxing up the least used objects first. Start with the storage inventory and items you rarely use, such as Christmas ornaments or some seasonal clothes.

Packing materials
Get the proper materials, and your stuff will be well protected

#6 Update Your Address and Transfer Utilities Before You Move

Once you know the move is happening and find a suitable home, you can slowly start transferring your utilities. You should also change your address by filling out a USPS form online or at the closest Post Office. Once you set the dates for your move, you’ll make sure that utility bills and other mail from that date go to your new address.

A mailbox in front of a house
You should change your address in advance as well

#7 Prepare a Box With Essential Items

One of the last but not the least important things to do when preparing for a move is to pack a box with essential items. You should keep this for the last day before the move, and the box with essentials should contain all the things you use until the very last moment at your house, such as:

  • Chargers,
  • Medicines,
  • Toiletries.

You should also pack some fresh clothes, towels and bed sheets so that you can easily reach them once you get to your house. This can also be very helpful if you have to wait for your other thing to arrive. You’ll have everything you need to spend a night at your new house and wake up fresh and ready to start unpacking after the move

Box with relocation essential for cross-country moving
Preparing a box with essentials can be very helpful

Now That You Know All the Essential Moving Interstate Tips, Your Adventure Can Begin

Moving cross country will be much easier and less stressful now that you’ve read all the tips on moving to another state. Just follow our guide to relocating to another state, and you’ll save yourself from making silly mistakes. At the end of the process, you will only feel silly for not trusting yourself from the very beginning.

Anastasia Hill

Apart from being the next fashion icon, Anastasia is also a freelance writer and expert on moving (and packing clothes).

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