Is Moving to a New State Something to Be Afraid of? Not if You Prepare Properly

After you counted in all the benefits of relocating and decided the best time to move, you should start planning and organizing the whole process. A stress-free relocation isn’t a myth, and you can achieve it, but there are some things you should learn and keep in mind. Whether you’re relocating for love or have other reasons for moving cross country, you’re probably wondering what to do when long-distance moving to a new state. Don’t worry – we prepared a list of things you should do and prepare yourself for the next step in your life.

What to Do Before Moving to Another State – Find a Job

Getting a job in the future city should be one of the things you have to do when you start thinking about the move.  However, the first thing to do is notify your current employer and ask if your current company can cover some relocation expenses or find you an apartment.

If not, the one question that comes to mind when thinking about long-distance moving is whether you should find a job before relocating to another state or leave this as one of the things to do after the move. The best scenario is to explore the job market and find who you will work for before the relocation. That way, you don’t have to stress about your monthly incomes and how you will pay your rent.

Create a Moving to a New State Checklist That Will Keep You Updated

The key to every successful move is knowing the best tips for organizing the relocation and planning it right after you decide where to move. Exploring the job market is very important, but moving to a new state checklist should also be your priority. Take some of your free time to create a relocation binder where you can store your relocation to-do list and all other lists.

You probably think there is no need for all of those lists, but you’ll be thankful later because they will keep you updated during the whole relocation process about tasks you have already done and those that still wait in line.

So, the essential thing is to avoid last-minute moves and to create all the lists of tasks you have to do, no matter if you are planning to DIY or you’ll hire a relocation company that will provide you with reliable cross-country moving services.

How to Move to a Different State – Plan Your Budget and Know How Much Money You’ll Need for the Move

When planning the relocation, some questions should be answered, like how much should you save to move from state to state and what is the average cost of moving to another state. To answer this question, you need to set the budget and know how much each company and service will cost you. That’s why you can put on your relocation checklist items like storage service or if you need it, auto shipping service. So, start saving some money before the actual move and figure out how much everything will cost.

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

If you were looking to save some money in this process and were wondering is it even possible, the answer is yes. There are some hacks and tricks you could learn and save extra bucks. The most important thing to know is that it doesn’t necessarily mean it will cost you less if you do not hire a professional relocation company. In fact, in most cases, you’ll spend more money if you decide to DIY the whole move. However, there are some tasks you can do and set aside money for other things. Let’s check them out:

• Decluttering – the fewer items you have to move, the cheaper the relocation will be.
• Pack some stuff on your own – pack your shoes and stuff like that by yourself or call family and friends to help.
• Clean your home – if you started planning a couple of weeks before, you would probably have some spare moments for the cleaning part. We all know how important it is to clean your future house, but it is also essential to clean your old apartment before the move.

Start on Time and Pack Your Belongings Smartly

The most tedious task you have to deal with in the whole relocation process is probably protecting your items and packing them. Luckily, some packing tips and tricks will help you save some free minutes for other tasks you have to do. The golden rule when it comes to putting your items into boxes is to pack room by room.

That will save you after the relocation when you start unpacking because you’ll unpack room by room as well. Another piece of advice that will help you once professional cross-country movers unload all your belongings is to label each box and write exactly what is in it.

If you decided to do the packing part on your own, make sure you have enough packing supplies. Here are some of the materials you’ll need:

• Boxes,
• Bubble wrap,
• Packing paper,
• Tape,
• Markers.

If you are relocating on a budget, you can find free supplies on FreeCycle or just use what you have at home. For example, clothes and sheets could be great protection when thinking about how to pack fragile items.

Declutter Your Home When Long-Distance Moving From One State to Another

If you are wondering what to keep when relocating, there is one step you should take before you start packing – declutter your entire house. It will take you a bit of time, but once you finish, you’ll have much fewer items to pack and unpack.

After decluttering, you can make a household inventory list and create a plan where you will put each piece of furniture and other smaller items. On the other hand, you can donate or sell things you decided not to bring.

If you never decluttered before or want to speed up the process, watch the video below for some awesome tricks and hacks.

One of the Things to Do When Cross-Country Moving to a New State – Update Your Address

The smallest thighs we tend to omit are often the important ones. So, do not forget to change your address and personal data before relocating to your future home. This step is crucial because if you don’t, you won’t receive your mail and bills. If you think you have to wait in lines in the Post Office, you are wrong. Just go online and fill out the forms on the USPS website. Do it a few weeks before, and you won’t have to worry about how to stop getting mail from previous residents.

Don’t Forget to Transfer Utilities When Moving Cross-Country

Among all the things you have to do and each company to call, it is completely normal to forget who to notify when relocating. This is why you should make a list of tasks before, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything.

So, when creating a timetable, dedicate a slot to turning off or transferring utilities to your future home. The best way to do this is to call all the providers two weeks before the relocation day and arrange to transfer utilities on the day you move into your future house.

Consider These Things to Do When You Move to a New State

In all the chaos during the move, there are other things you should do before or shortly after you move in, besides the utilities. Notice that all these things you can do online in just a couple of minutes:

• Update all of your subscriptions,
• Register your car,
• Update driver’s license,
• Renew your voter registration.

Explore the Future City and Neighborhood When Wondering How to Move to a New State

If you’re wondering when is the best time to move, many would say summer or spring. Yes, the weather is great, but what about possibilities and the housing market? So, think twice and choose to relocate in winter because you’ll have a wider range of options for buying or renting a house.

The best way to make sure your house and neighborhood have everything you want is to visit the place. However, we all know how that can be hard and pricey. Luckily, you can use the power of the internet and search online the sites, reviews, and comments of the city and neighborhood you are relocating to.

One of the things to do before moving across the country with a child is to check if the future place has good schools and educational facilities. Count also proximity to parks and green places if you’re relocating with pets.

Additional Things to Consider When Moving to a New State

Searching for the perfect place isn’t always the easiest thing to do. However, if you have a clear plan of what you need and want from the city, everything will go smoother.

This is a big step in the whole process, and after deciding where you will move, you’ll have to do some additional things to make sure your relocation goes as smoothly as possible. Here are some other steps you can take:

• Get familiar with the tax regulations – there are only a few states without an income tax, but if you are relocating from or to one that has, be sure you are familiar with all regulations.
• Protect and pack every important document – having your documents organized and in one place before and after the move will help you find each document easily. If you are relocating with pets, be sure to bring their papers as well.
• Get the insurance – obtain the insurance when relocating because no one wants to find their belongings broken once they started unpacking.

Last but Not Least – Hire Cross Country Movers to Help You Start Over

Certainly not the last step in the whole process, finding reliable and professional long-distance movers that will handle your relocation effortlessly is essential. You can ask for a recommendation from your family and friends, but you can also check online for a business that is in the relocation industry for years and that can offer you, for example, a packing service.

Getting help from professionals with packing glasses or with protecting and packing dishes will let you have some more free moments for deep breathing because you are going to need it. Those professionals could easily be us – Cross Country Movers. We’ve made it our business to improve people’s lives by providing exceptional cross-country moving services.