How to prepare to move out of state?

Moving to another state of the country requires careful preparation and meticulous planning so that your out of state move can be crowned with the type of success you would love to achieve. If you want things to go smoothly from start to end, you can’t just plan out the entire move randomly and act it out by improvising the preparation steps as Moving day draws nearer and nearer. Actually, you can do it, but then you run the risk of facing the consequences of a chaotic, stressful and overly expensive move to another state.

Have in mind that the easiest way to move out of state is to follow highly logical and consecutive steps which will get you 100% ready for the upcoming interstate relocation. And then, when you know that you are well prepared for the big day, you will be able to reduce significantly the harmful levels of moving stress during that unique transitional period.

So, how to get ready to move out of state? Pay attention to the following moving out of state tips arranged in 7 preparation steps to move out of state and be as ready for your long distance relocation as ever.

1. Prepare a moving calendar

It’s not a coincidence that our moving out of state checklist kicks off with the very first and arguably the most important preparation task ahead of you – the creation of a relocation calendar. Think of that calendar as a detailed out of state to-do list because that’s exactly what it is.

How you organize your pre-move time is crucial for the outcome of your relocation journey, so make the most of it. Fill in your personal calendar with all essential tasks you can think of, then make sure you personalize them in accordance with your needs and prioritize them according to how much days you have until Moving day.

2. Create a moving budget

Can you guess what the first page of your relocation calendar says? That’s right – create a moving budget. Having a realistic moving out of state budget at your disposal will enable you to monitor how your money is being spent during the different stages of your interstate move.

In most cases, the out of state moving company costs will be your biggest expense, but you shouldn’t forget to include all the non-obvious and even hidden expenses when moving to another state, such as additional services (packing, unpacking, disassembly and reassembly of large furniture, temporary storage, etc.) and extra charges and fees (flight charge, long carry charge, extra stops fee, fee for handling of bulky items, etc.).

3. Find a reliable out of state moving company

What is the best way to move out of state? Practice shows that attempting a long distance DIY move will rarely end up being cost-effective due to the greater distance and the numerous hidden costs of self-moves. Therefore, your best chance of finding the least expensive way to move out of state is to find reputable moving companies that move you from state to state.

Initiate the search for the best out of state moving company by asking friends or colleagues if they can recommend you a trustworthy and affordable state to state mover. Next, spend some time reading genuine moving reviews and ratings left by customers to get a better idea of what to expect from your professional partner. And then, before you contact top rated state to state movers for in-home price estimates, check their licensing information at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

SEE ALSO: What are the benefits of hiring reputable state to state movers?

4. Inventory your home for moving out of state

One of the most important things to know when you move out of state is that the distance to your new home and the weight of your household items will determine the price of your out of state relocation. And having no control whatsoever over the distance as a defining factor, what you can actually do to lower your relocation cost is to lower the number of your possessions to a minimum.

Inventory your entire home to determine the present status and amount of your earthly possessions. Moving experts are unanimous that if you haven’t used an item in over a year, then you can easily do without it. Save hard earned money by moving only what you will need and use in the near future.

5. Start packing the right way

While preparing to move out of state, you shouldn’t forget about the most arduous and time-consuming task during a house move. Yes, packing for an interstate move is never to be underestimated but before you can even start placing your belongings in boxes, you will definitely need to procure quality packing materials for the marathon ahead of you.

• Initiate the packing project as early as possible;
• Pack up your storage areas first and move to the rooms you use on a daily basis;
• Pack and protect your large and heavy household items first and then move on to boxing your smaller items;
• Make sure you pack a moving out of state survival kit for surviving the last days in your old home or the first ones in your new state residence;
• Pack your valuables separately and don’t even think about entrusting them to your out of state moving company.

SEE ALSO: Where to get moving boxes for free?

6. Change address and cancel subscriptions

Our moving out of state checklist continues with a series of pre-move tasks that will guarantee the smooth transition between your two homes. While planning to move out of state, make a mental note that your address will be different the moment Moving day is over, so be pro-active and change it officially in advance.

Head down to your local postal office to fill out a change of address form or do it online to save precious time. As a consequence, your address change will trigger 2 other immediate tasks you should also take care of:

• Give your new postal address to close friends and important businesses and institutions;
• Cancel your current subscriptions and paid services, and consider transferring them to your new state home if applicable.

7. Disconnect and reconnect home utilities

Obviously, you won’t be short of things to do before you move out of state during the preparation stage. While some not-so-urgent tasks can wait until you reach your new house or apartment /finding a health care provider, registering your vehicle, securing your new home, etc./, others such as disconnecting the major utilities in your old home and re-connecting them in your new residence should be done at all costs, preferably a few days before Moving day.

Get in touch with your principal municipal service providers /electricity, power, gas/ and arrange for their timely disconnection and consequently their reconnection so that you don’t arrive in your new out of state home and find it in the dark.

SEE ALSO: What to do after moving to a new state?