Best Tips for Moving to a New State

Create A Checklist for Moving Out of State

Before doing anything, make sure the time for relocation is right for you. If there are any moments of uncertainty or red flags popping up, reconsider the process. However, you are probably reading this because the decision’s already been made and you need advice on some essential steps.

The Checklist Doesn’t Need To Be Long, But It Should Have the Essentials

When we mention relocation essentials, most people think of packing items, but it’s often more than that. Essentials are everything that needs to be done before relocating, which is why relocation starts around two months before. So, the question is: What to do before moving to another state? Well, for a start, getting to know the place you’re going to is vital

#1 Get To Know The City and Area You’re Relocating To

It’s surprising to hear that many people relocate to another place without visiting it or learning about it before they move. However, it’s understandable since people prefer to save money and get organized for relocation differently. Luckily, with all the tech available nowadays, there’s no need to even get in a car to see another place. Maps and street views available online can provide insight into the city and neighborhood. It may not be the real deal, but it can feel like that for a bit.

If you do have time, money, and the willingness to visit your brand-new place, that’s great. Checking out the streets, the traffic, the quickest routes home, and the surroundings will provide peace of mind and some experience in an unknown place.

Things to Consider When Moving to a New State

Consider how long it took to build a life at your current location. From establishing a route to work to meeting the neighbors and the neighborhood, it all has to be done again when moving out of state alone or with a family. If moving out of state with a child, you have to check how to transfer them from their old school to another one. Is there a notice period or the best time for kids to enroll in another school? Be sure to research this part.

If relocating with pets, check if the neighborhood has a dog park nearby, if it’s pet friendly, and if the neighbors have pets themselves. When relocating into an apartment, check if the landlord even allows having pets. We assume you did that before signing the rental agreement, but it’s good to be reminded. Many of these things get overlooked when the stress of relocation hits, so do it all before packing.

What Are The Qualities of the Neighborhoods?

After reading about the city, it’s even more important to do the same for its neighborhoods. If you haven’t decided which part of town to live in, make sure to research all of them. Don’t skip checking up crime rates, the quality and ease of commuting, amenities (are there bars, restaurants, and parks, or is it quieter, for example,) and neighborhoods’ demographics.

Perhaps you’ve already decided to move to the suburbs and live a more quiet life. Sometimes suburban areas have more family-friendly amenities and fewer social places like bars. For urban areas, it may be helpful to check the best time of the year to move. Perhaps spring or autumn are more convenient for relocating there, or maybe some areas have annual events (block parties or festivals) that could hinder the relocation process.

#2 Be Aware of The Cost of Living When Moving to a New State

In the case of relocating to a small town, it’ll certainly be way cheaper. Some small places are often cheaper to live in than those adjacent to big cities. For example, a suburban town in Los Angeles County called Pasadena is one of the most expensive places in California, compared to the similarly-sized city of Murrieta, which is among the five most affordable places in California.

Putting it into perspective like this may make you reconsider some decisions, but one crucial thing to remember is – if you want to live in a specific place, you can. Just because it sounds (or is) more expensive than your current home doesn’t mean it’ll make you unhappy. However, we pointed those differences out in case there are still some doubts on where to move. We also know no one wants to spend all their money on relocation, and there are ways to save.

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

You may think it’d be cheaper to do relocation alone, but it can turn out to be much cheaper to hire a cross-country moving company for their relocation services. They can also provide a high-quality packing service and save you from worrying about that, too. Relocating on your own can turn out to have more hidden costs, especially during the packaging process.

Whether it’s with East Coast movers, West Coast movers, cross-country movers, or simply with your transportation and labor, the best advice to remember is to declutter and prioritize when packing. This saves a lot of money and time. Another important bit is to research seasons in which it’s the most expensive to relocate (spoiler alert: it’s summer.)

Packaging materials can be found for free very often. Selling and donating stuff you don’t use anymore is a way to declutter. Taking a long hard look at the finances and determining a budget for relocation will encourage better decisions while relocating. If you’re relocating for work, see if the office would lighten the load of costs. If relocating with a long-distance moving company, they usually offer an insight into costs with a free quote on their websites.

How Much Should You Save to Move Out of State?

The main question on your mind is probably: What is the average cost of moving to another state? Well, according to some resources and estimates, the price of moving from one state to another is around $4000. Of course, this depends on factors such as the amount and size of the cargo, distance, and the cross-country moving services you book. You can check out other people’s experiences with relocation and funds for this dilemma, as in the video below.

#3 Does Your Company Offer Relocation Benefits?

If the purpose of your relocation is work, then double-check if the firm provides any benefits. After all, they’ll most likely help out with some expenses in case of transferring at their request. However, it could be more challenging to get financial help if it’s at your request. It all depends on the business and its policies. In case of a complete office relocation, the bosses will inform employees about the process.

How to Move to a Different State With the Same Job?

Whatever the reason for relocation, it’d be a great idea to see if your firm has an office at the place where you plan to live next. If they don’t, you could submit a request for remote working, and if that doesn’t work either, it may be bad news.

However, if you’ve looked into it and saw your firm has a branch at the place where you want to live, you can ask for an internal transfer, for example. This means doing the same job at a different location. If the position you prefer isn’t available in other places, there’s an option to apply for another position within the same company.

How to Move to a New State Without a Job?

In case you’ve quit your job and decided to start with a clean slate at another location, you’ll be happy to hear that finding work won’t be downright impossible. You can apply to jobs just before relocating to get ahead. Once you arrive, look for part-time jobs online. Quite a few apps are offering quick work opportunities that could help you get by for a while.

Take a walk around the neighborhood and look at the ads on community boards or walls if you need part-time or quick work. If applying to another corporate position or firm, try to check in with your old college buddies and see if any of them have connections there. Most of these methods for job-searching work, as long as you want them to.

#4 Take Care of the Mail and Utilities Before Packing

Now is the time to consider packaging essentials and technical things. Before any packing, take time to transfer utilities and redirect mail to your other address. Utilities are everything that helps your home function properly – electricity, gas, water, Internet, and cable. These contracts need to be canceled before relocating because it’s nearly impossible to transfer them. Redirecting mail from the old address is a bit easier.

When it comes to packaging and deciding what to bring and what to leave behind, you can do these things with tips and tricks. There’s advice on how to get cheap or free relocation supplies, tips on how to disassemble furniture, so there isn’t any damage or injuries, and finally, tricks for how to pack the furniture you intend to bring along.

Moving to a New State Checklist of Packing Materials

When it comes to packing supplies and materials required for relocating, we already mentioned ways to get them for free. You can also purchase the ones not available at home. The essential list of packing materials is:

• Storage (cardboard boxes mainly, but you can also use plastic containers,)
• Padding and wrapping materials (packing paper, bubble wrap, newspapers, plastic wrap, and cotton items,)
• Duct tape (because no box can be sealed without it,)
• Tools (box cutters, screwdrivers, wrenches, all for the furniture disassembly process,)
• Markers and stickers (this is for labeling the containers after sealing them.)

These are the essential items for packaging and securing cargo. In addition, a cross-country moving company would provide blankets for wrapping, as well as other packing supplies. Now that you have a list of things prepared, you can turn to tips about packaging fragile items. If you’d like to know about health and safety, read about how to relocate safely in this period, and, finally, once you arrive, how to unpack and start the next chapter comfortably.

#5 Do Thorough Research on Relocation Companies

One more addition to the list of things to do before moving out of state is to research relocation companies. In more cases, it’s a way better idea to hire professional cross-country movers that will help you relocate safely. We already mentioned many companies offer free relocation quotes, so you can take advantage of those to compare prices and fees with every company you consider.

Another benefit of getting cross-country moving services is the option of storage service. Most long-distance movers offer free storage for thirty days, which is one more excellent way to save money while relocating. If you opt for flying to the another place but still want to have your car there, don’t worry. That can be shipped, too, since all relocation companies provide car shipping.

Whichever long-distance moving services you hire, be sure their movers will do high-quality work. They know how to handle all delicate things, load the transportation trucks, and package everything to stay safe. If anything gets damaged during transport, the mandatory relocation insurance will cover it, which isn’t a benefit you could have when relocating alone. Finally, after relocation, you can redirect worrying to tipping the movers for their hard work.

Finally, What Are Things to Do When You Move to a New State?

Now that you are starting a life in another city take a walk around the neighborhood. Visit a bar, enroll in a hobby or a skill class, drive around town and check out the nightlife, or visit the nearby dog park with your pet and learn more about the residents and the area. The opportunities are endless, and the list of things to do when moving to a new state can only keep growing. All you have to do is take the first step.