When it comes to moving out of state, there are so many different factors to consider. And if you aren’t careful, the stress of the process can get to you. The key is to have a proactive plan in place.
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The Biggest Challenges of an Out-of-State Move
Moving down the street or to the other side of town is stressful enough. Moving 1,000 miles away to another state does nothing but multiply the pressure. Challenges include:
- You have to sell your home within a specific window of time (otherwise, you’ll own a house in two states, which is not something that anyone would recommend).
- You have to pick a moving company that’s able to move you across the country.
- You have to say goodbye to friends and the comforts that you’ve grown accustomed to over the years.
- You have the stress of a long trip.
- You have to deal with all of the changes that come with switching your state of residence (including driver’s licenses, voting registration, tax forms, etc.)
- You have to learn to navigate a brand new city.
There’s so much to deal with! And while many of these challenges are just part of the journey, the actual process of moving – you know, packing, loading boxes, transporting, unloading, etc. – doesn’t have to be as frustrating as you think. It’s all about how you approach it.
5 Tips to Make Your Interstate Move Easier
To make your interstate move less stressful, we recommend implementing the following tips:
1.Declutter
The first step is to declutter your possessions. Go through each room in your house and sort items into three piles: keep, donate/sell, trash/recycle. Every item must go into one of these three piles. Only the items in the “keep” pile can move with you.
2. Pack Well
Once you’ve whittled your possessions down to the items you need/want, you can begin the packing process.
The key to good packing is to sort well and label well. Every box should have a specific room tag (kitchen, master bath, garage, etc.). It should also include a simple description of some of the items packed inside. This will help you organize boxes when unpacking. It also prevents you from unnecessarily opening every box to find the coffee maker or TV remote.
3.Hire the Right Moving Company
You might think all moving companies are created equal, but think again. There’s a huge difference between the best long distance moving companies and the average ones. The good ones have years of experience and can provide white-glove service that ensures your items show up on time and in perfect condition. They’ll even provide detailed inventories, a guaranteed delivery window, insurance, and more.
4. Get Paperwork Squared Away
Upon arriving in your new home, you’ll want to get your paperwork squared away. Go ahead and begin the process of getting a new driver’s license, switching over your mailing address, registering to vote, etc. These are boring but necessary tasks – get them knocked out ASAP so that you can begin thinking about more exciting things.
5. Learn About Your New City
Hopefully, you’ve already done some research about your city. If you’ve already purchased a new house, then you probably looked into school zones, local amenities, and other basics. But now’s the time to dig even deeper. Sit down with your family and create a bucket list for your new city. Pick out the restaurants you want to try, the events you want to go to, and the experiences you want to share together in this new place.
By learning about your new city, it becomes easier to get excited about the move. Rather than being someplace that you don’t know much about, it becomes a new destination that you get to explore. This exercise is especially helpful if you have kids who are hesitant to embrace the move.
Enjoy This New Season of Life
Moving to a new state might be something you’ve dreamed about for years, or it could be a surprise that was unexpectedly forced on you as part of a corporate relocation. Either way, it’s something you should walk into with open arms. This is an exciting new season in your life – make the most of it!