11 Smart Tips for Moving out of State

By Alyssa Laffitte on May 17, 2018

Moving out of state is an exciting adventure! It requires a lot more patience and planning than an in-state move, though, so let’s talk about tips to make moving out of state easy.

Image via Isorepublic.com

Give yourself time

Moving out of state is a time-consuming process. If you plan to move out of state, you need to give yourself an appropriate amount of time to get organized and to plan for this move. It is a good idea to give yourself around 6 months to one year to prepare for your move, as this will give you enough time to have everything ready by the time you leave. When you move out of state, the last thing you need is to be scrambling to get yourself organized on moving day. The more time you give yourself, the better! Now, let’s discuss what you should do while planning for your move.

Get rid of any items you don’t need

When you have lived in a place for a long time, you tend to accumulate unnecessary items. Now that you are moving out of state, it is time to get rid of those unnecessary items. They will just become more things you will need to pack, and the more things you pack, the more expensive your move will be. Why spend the money and effort to haul all those extra items across the country? Wouldn’t you rather focus on moving the stuff you actually need?

Especially for an out of state move, the movers will charge you based on the weight of your items and on the distance of the move. You can’t control the distance of the move, but you can control how much your items weigh. The movers will charge you less if you have less items, which is another reason to get rid of the things you don’t need. Save yourself the time, money, and energy of moving things you won’t use.

Take a look at your house/apartment/room, and decide what is absolutely essential and what you can live without. If you can live without something, consider donating it or giving it to a friend or family member. Leaving the stuff at a local Goodwill or even a shelter is a good idea. You could also host a moving sale. A moving sale will help you get rid of your unnecessary items while making some much-needed money. That’s a win-win situation! Now that you have purged the items you don’t need, you can focus on packing your essentials.

Do a “farewell tour” of your current city

If you are moving out of state, you probably won’t be going back to your current city for a while. Because of this, you should take advantage and make memories in your current city while you still can. Visit your favorite park or ice cream shop for the last time. Try the restaurant you’ve always wanted to try but never got the chance to. Of course, take pictures as you are doing this. This will give you a sense of closure, and it will also allow you to do the things you want to do in your current city before it’s too late. You will be glad you visited your favorite places in your current city for the last time.

Say goodbye to your friends

Similarly, before you move out of state, you should say goodbye to your friends in your current state. Again, you might not see them for a long time, so try to make as many good memories as you can with them before you leave. You could visit them (or have them visit you) one by one, if you want things to be more relaxed. You could also throw a “moving away” party, if you want to gather all your friends in one place and say goodbye all at once. Parties are expensive and require work, but they are a lot of fun, so you should consider that, too. You might not see your current city friends for a while, take the time to say goodbye to them.

Infographic by Alyssa Laffitte

Create a budget

Now it’s time to start thinking about the logistics of your out of state move. It’s no secret that any move is expensive, but an out of state move is even more expensive and might involve more hidden fees/unexpected expenses. Be sure to have a reasonable budget and allocate a certain amount of money to each part of the move.

For example, you probably will not want to move out of state without professional help. Professional movers will help you pack up your items and drive them to your new home. Of course, this will be a huge cost, so you will want to allocate a good portion of the money to this part of the move. You also have to account for how you yourself will get to your new home. Will you take a road trip or will you fly? How much money are you willing to allocate to gas or to a plane ticket? Research these options to help you create a reasonable budget.

Research moving companies

Expanding off the previous point, take your time to research moving companies. There are many good moving companies out there that will help you move out of state, so this search might be overwhelming. For that reason, you should give yourself plenty of time to research which company will work best for you. While you research, you should be on the lookout for movers’ fraud, which happens when a company will charge you to “move” your things, but they are actually scamming you. As you research, be on the lookout for telltale signs that a company is a fraud:

  • They won’t do inspections in person. Good moving companies will come do an inspection in person to estimate how much it will cost to move your stuff, based on the amount of stuff you have. A fraudulent company might refuse to do an inspection in person.
  • They do not have motor vehicle insurance, liability insurance, and workers’ compensation for their workers. Your movers should be insured, as you don’t want to end of paying for anything that might go wrong during the move!
  • They do not have a phone number or physical address listed on their website. Any reputable moving company should be easy to reach by phone.
  • Their price is too good to be true. If you are shopping around for movers, as you should, you can compare the different prices they offer you. If one particular company has a much lower price than the others, it might be a scam.
  • They are not certified by the US Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Of course, this is the biggest red flag that indicates you should avoid this company. If you are considering a certain company, check their licensing information on the official Department of Transportation website.

Clearly, finding the right moving company for you is not an easy task. But if you give yourself time and you know how to spot a likely moving scam, you should be able to find a reputable moving company that will help your out of state move go smoothly.

Make travel plans

Now that you know how your stuff will get to your new place (thanks to the awesome moving company you chose), you need to figure out how you will get your new place. Of course, you need to include your own transportation in the budget for your out of state move.

There are many ways you can get to your new place: by car, train, or airplane. Each has its own conveniences and drawbacks. Take some time to figure out which is best for you. A car is convenient because it is reliable and you are in control. You can stop whenever you want to, and you won’t have to deal with delays that come with air or train travel. You are also much less likely to lose your things if you drive with them. But driving to your new state can be a long and expensive process, as you need to pay for gas and possible overnight stays if your new state is very far. Of course, cars are also much slower than trains and airplanes, so it will take longer to get to your new home.

Taking an airplane or a train to your new state is quick, and you don’t have to pay for gas or overnight stays. However, you might have to deal with delays or lost luggage.

For example, when I moved from Florida to New York, I decided to take a plane. It was a faster, cheaper, and overall better choice than driving all the way up the east coast. But it might be different for you. A car or a train might be better for you depending on your situation.

Take some time to explore your options to determine which method of transportation will be the best for you to get to your new home.

Label all your boxes

Labeling all your boxes is a good idea for any move, whether it is an in state or out of state move, but being organized is especially important for an out of state move. Label all your boxes on at least two of their sides with their contents. Be sure to also include if the items are fragile. It will be much easier for you to unpack at your new place when you know exactly what is in which box and you won’t have to rummage through boxes trying to find certain items. You will be tired when you get there, and you will be glad you were so organized when it comes time to unpack.

Image via Isorepublic.com

Have a bag of things you will need immediately

Again, this is something you will be very thankful for once you get to your new place. Anytime you move, it’s a good idea to have a bag of things you will need immediately at your new place. The rest of your things might get to your new place later than you do, and this bag will contain the essentials that will get you through the first night or two at your new place. It should contain things like your toothbrush, toothpaste, PJ’s, a change of clothes, contact lens liquid, and other similar overnight necessities. It’s even a good idea to bring water, as you need to stay hydrated when you travel and move. Having these things on hand will make it easy to get settled at your new place, even if all your things have not arrived yet.

Change your driver’s license and other info

If you are staying permanently in your new state, you should get a new driver’s license and change your address with the US Postal Service. The process of getting a new license is slightly different in every state, so be sure to research your new state’s process so that you know what to do in your case. You should also change your voter’s registration information so you can vote in your new state. These things will help you establish a permanent residency in your new state.

Notify your utility providers (and any other subscriptions you may have) of your move

Another important step when moving is to notify your utility providers, and any other service you subscribe to, that you will be moving. They will disconnect their service at your current home and reconnect it at your new home. It’s a good idea to let them know a few days before you move. Letting them know in advance will ensure that you won’t arrive to a dark new house without running water, cable TV, or Internet. When you first move in, you will be thankful you called all these services in advance!

Moving out of state requires a little more preparation than moving within the same state. Still, with a little planning and preparation, you can have a successful out of state move.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format