The Ultimate What to Do When You Move to a New State Checklist

After you choose the best time to relocate, you have to organize, and you’re probably asking yourself What is the first thing to do when moving to a new state? The most effective method is to create a list of things you should do before the relocation. That way, you can track your tasks and be updated on every upcoming task you’ll have to do. To make your move stress-free, we’ve created a list of things your checklist should have.

Step-by-Step Guide to What to Do When You Move to a New State

The key to any successful move is having good organization and planning in advance. You surely won’t just remember everything when thinking about what to do when you move to another state, so set aside a couple of hours to create a relocation essentials checklist. Write down every single task and step you can remember. If this is not a last-minute relocation, start a few weeks in advance, and don’t panic on the relocation day. If you have to move in a hurry, it might be more stressful, but with good planning and organization, everything is possible.

Get to Know Your Future Neighborhood

Regardless of your reasons to move, choose a home that satisfies your business or family needs, depending on if you’re relocating with kids or you’ve found a great job opportunity.

We all know it is hard to travel to another state just to check your future neighborhood, but nowadays, that shouldn’t be so hard. You can go online and check the reviews, sites, and forums of the place you’re relocating to.

Make Sure Your New Home Has Everything You Need Before Moving

Searching for the perfect place you’ll live in should be on the top of your checklist because it is time-consuming and, let’s be honest, exhausting. You shouldn’t expect to find your next address in two hours. This takes time, but once you find it, trust us, it will be worth it. That way, if you’re relocating with kids, find a place with good schools that are near, with parks, and if you’re relocating with pets, be sure you have enough green places nearby.

Plan the Whole Relocation Process on Time

The one question that keeps recurring during the whole relocation to the new home is What do you do when you move into a new place? The answer is to start on time, gathering all the documents, supplies, and helpers to relieve the relocation stress. One of the essential tips is not to omit the smallest things like changing your address, because often those things become the biggest problem when relocation day comes and other tasks occupy your mind.

Don’t Forget to Transfer Utilities

In all the chaos during the relocation, you could forget the basic things like the internet, water, and electricity as well. You surely don’t want to move to a place without them, and that is why you should have a separate section on your checklist with this task and make sure you do it on time. Call your provider and make arrangements with them to turn off the utilities in your old home and turn them on in your future one.

Plan How Much You’ll Need to Relocate – Set the Budget

Once you’ve decided where to move, the next item in your what to do when moving to a new state checklist is the budget. Write down every service and all the companies you’ll have to hire in the long-distance moving process, and don’t forget to explore and calculate the cost of living in the future address. If you’re wondering: How can I move to another state with no money, we’ll have to disappoint you because it is borderline possible. You need to have some savings aside for cross-country movers and other services that will cost some money.

You can save some money on the things you can do by yourself. If you start planning weeks before the move, put the following things to DIY on your list:

• Cleaning your old and new place,
• Decluttering,
• Packing your things,
• Unpacking once you move in.

There is another thing that could slip your mind in the relocation process. Only a couple of states don’t have an income tax, so choose wisely and get to know both states’ laws before relocating.

Hire a Reliable Long Distance Moving Company

Another essential step when getting organized for a move is to find reliable cross-country movers. You probably want to avoid any additional stress because the whole relocation is already challenging. This is why you shouldn’t think you have to do the packing, unpacking, loading to the truck, and disassembling bulky furniture all on your own. A professional long-distance moving company can do it all in no time. All you have to know is how to choose a relocation company and avoid scams. Make sure long-distance movers provide moving services that also include packing services. Don’t forget packing supplies and, if possible, full-coverage moving insurance for your precious belongings.

Ask for a Free Quote for Different Cross Country Services

Every trustworthy company will give you a free quote for your relocation. All you need to do is create a household inventory list, and you’ll know how much you’ll have to pay and how much all the additional services if needed will cost, such as auto transport, or even a storage unit if you’re relocating to a smaller home. They should also offer insurance for your items. If not, don’t forget to get more information about it. A steady professional company should have all the services covered, from insurance to auto transport.

Helpful Packing Tips and Tricks

Probably the most exhausting thing in this journey is packing your whole house into boxes and deciding what actually to bring with you. However, there are tips that can help you with boxing up, and you’ll save some extra minutes for other tasks. The golden rule when it comes to packing is to pack room by room and label each box. Write down the room on each box, and the unpacking after you move in will be a breeze. You won’t have to rummage through boxes for utensils, for example. So, the best way is to have boxes with kitchen stuff, boxes with bathroom stuff, bedroom, and each room separately packed. This is a very good strategy if you’re packing for a relocation in a hurry.

Another important thing is to prepare a backpack or suitcase with the essentials for the relocation day and the day after. Lastly, one of the most effective tips is to create a packing list, stick to it, and don’t leave everything for the last day, especially packing.

Get Enough Packing Supplies

If you plan to pack your items by yourself, get as many packing supplies as you can. The right materials for moving are essential if you want to have your stuff in one piece when you come to the future destination. Here are the materials you’ll need:

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

If you’re on a budget and want to save money, you can check out FreeCycle for some free supplies.

Clean the Old Place and Declutter Will Save Your Life When You Start Unpacking

The cleaning part can easily slip your mind among all the tasks you should do before and after the move. Put it on your checklist because you certainly want to leave the old place in the same shape as when you first moved in. It is completely understandable if you can’t do it yourself, so you can hire a cleaning company, as well.

Decluttering is the most effective method when it comes to making some free space in your boxes and truck. Declutter room by room, and all the unwanted things can be given away or you can sell them online. That way, you’ll avoid thinking about what not to pack when moving. Here’s a video of things you should get rid of:

Put Job Research on Your Checklist

No matter if you’re relocating to another state alone or for love, you could use some tips on how to find a job. Searching for a job is something you just can’t avoid, so you better start in advance by navigating on the internet. LinkedIn is a platform that can help. The best solution would be to find a job near your new home – that way you’ll avoid a long commute to and from work.

Gather Important Documentation in One Place

When the relocation day comes, you will want to have your important documents organized. You won’t need to worry about whether they are protected and in one place. So, collect them all in one pile and wrap them in protective plastic pouches. Here are the important documents you shouldn’t forget:

• Medical records – if you’re relocating with kids and pets, also include theirs,
• Insurance,
• School reports,
• Property documents,
• Driver’s license.

What to Do After the Relocation

When you have it all written down, and you’re reassured that professional movers will deal with the most demanding things, it’s time to think about How do you cope with moving to another state? Handling relocation depression is not something you should do on your own, so making friends in the state you moved to should help you adjust faster. However, there is some stuff you’ll have to do after the relocation, as well. Here are some of the most important you shouldn’t forget:

• Make sure you inspect and clean the new place before you move in,
• Change the locks on your front and all the other doors,
• Babyproof and pet-proof the house if needed,
• Check if the security system and smoke detectors are working properly,
• Find out when the garbage days are.

Unpacking After the Move Will Be Smoother With Some Helpful Tips and Tricks

After all the work before the relocation, you might think you can finally enjoy your new home. However, there is one tedious thing left, and it is unpacking. But don’t worry, with a guide on how to unpack after the move quickly, you’ll be thrilled to step into this adventurous and challenging period in your life. So here are some tips that will save you time and energy:

• Start unpacking the bathroom because it is probably the first room you’ll have to use,
• Then unpack the kitchen, since you will probably start preparing meals right after you relocate,
• When you finish unpacking, give the final touch to your new house by decorating it,
• Dispose of all the leftover materials by recycling them or giving them to someone else to use for their relocation.

After all the hard work, you deserve to give yourself a rest. There is no better way to do it than in your own house after all the tasks and responsibilities you had to do to get here. It might take a while to get used to the new environment, but as soon as you get that much-needed rest, you can start a new adventure in the state you moved to.