Tens of millions of Americans move house every year in the US. Yet only a small fraction of them travel out of state! A more significant and involved process in every way, it’s natural to feel daunted by a move of this magnitude.
After all, you’re traveling far from your current residence to a place with brand new laws and customs to learn. Everything from the weather and education system to the job prospects and cost of living might be different! Throw in the financial expense of shifting your worldly possessions around the country and the whole experience can seem overwhelming.
Know the struggle and want some expert advice to settle your nerves and simplify proceedings? Well, you’re in the right place! Today we’re going through 7 top moving tips for anybody relocating to another state.
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Plan Ahead
Failing to plan’s like planning to fail, right? With that in mind, be sure to sit down well in advance of your moving date to formulate a thorough plan of action. Make a list of what you need to do and when, including key tasks such as hiring a moving truck, booking professional movers, and organizing moving insurance.
Try doing some research into your new state and neighborhood as well. Look into the best schools in the area, the crime rates, transport networks, and so on. Trust us, the more you know in advance, the easier it’ll be to settle in when you arrive.
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Secure a Job
Moving out of state is far more stressful when you don’t have a job already lined up. The whole experience can seem like a greater risk! You might worry about money, what’ll happen if it takes ages to find work, and the impact it could have on your savings.
With any luck, the very reason you’re moving interstate will be because of a job, meaning you won’t have to think about this at all! For everyone else, though, put some effort into securing a new role before you leave. Even if you don’t find anything, you’ll gain a better understanding of the local job market.
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Declutter Your Home
Moving house is an amazing opportunity (and incentive) to declutter. It’s a chance to take stock of everything you’ve accumulated and decide whether or not you still need/want it. By sorting through your stuff and selling/discarding as much as possible, you’ll simplify the moving prep by cutting down on how much you have to pack/transport.
Oh, and you can make some money in the process! The old clothes, furnishings, electrical goods, games, and sporting equipment that’s been gathering dust for so long could be worth thousands of dollars. Whether you sell it online (via eBay, Craigslist, and so on) or through yard sales, you may earn enough to offset the cost of moving.
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Call the Pros
People can and do take a DIY approach to a big move out of state. They pack everything up, load it into a hired truck, make the long journey to their new house, and then unload and unpack it all over again! If that sounds like too much hard work, then we recommend hiring a reputable professional moving and storage company instead.
It might cost more upfront, but it’ll make your life ten times easier at every turn! Depending on the level of support you need, they can handle everything from the packing and heavy lifting to the transportation and unpacking of your possessions. This will take the pressure off your shoulders as a result, allowing you to turn your attention to more important matters.
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Pack Early
Last-minute packing might be fine when you’re going on vacation. But it’s a recipe for trouble when you’re moving your entire life out of state! Wait too long to begin this part of the process and you can expect both stress and mistakes to occur.
Do yourself a favor and start months before you’re due to leave. Acquire the necessary supplies, declutter your home, and put your unessential items into boxes. Not only will you feel less overwhelmed as the big day beckons, but you’ll also avoid issues with the moving company who were expecting you to be ready (and who may charge for any delays).
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Keep an Inventory
It’s hard to keep track of everything you own when you’re packing possessions into boxes for a cross-country move. Things get misplaced, left behind, and lost in transit all the time. That’s why we recommend creating an inventory of everything you plan on taking to the new place.
You’ll be able to tick each item off as you pack them into boxes and load them into the moving truck. Then, upon arrival, you’ll be able to unload it all and see whether or not everything’s still there. This list will prove useful for the moving company too, who always like to know what homeowners plan to transport.
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Think About Budget
Moving house is never cheap. But the costs involved in moving out of state (versus locally) can be astronomical– especially when you’re taking lots of items with you. That’s why it’s important to:
- Stick to a budget,
- Have access to emergency funds, and
- Make cost-effective choices whenever you can.
Each of these steps should protect your bank balance from dwindling too low! Of the three, though, the emergency funds are arguably the most important. All sorts of expensive setbacks can occur on these moves, so factoring unexpected costs into your budget is sure to make a difference.
Remember These Tips for Moving Out of State
Moving out of state? Well, with long distances involved, big changes ahead, and endless tasks on your to-do list, you’ve definitely got your work cut out. Thankfully, approaching it in the right way is sure to minimize the stress, challenge, and effort involved!
We hope the tips in this post will help you do exactly that. Keep them in mind and your move should proceed smoothly from beginning to end. Browse the ‘Home and Garden’ section of the website to read more articles like this one now.
