Moving out of state is a delicate matter that requires exceptional levels of preparation and planning. You definitely don’t want to greet Moving day without a clear plan of action. Why?
Because, unlike a local move across town, or a move to a neighboring or intrastate town or city, moving to a new state is the type of residential relocation that will bring a number of challenges to test your overall preparedness.
Will you be one hundred percent [100%] ready to move out of state?
Follow the preparation steps to moving to another state and you will be. Also, we’re offering a number of cost-saving tips for moving to a new state that will give you a clear advantage during the important pre-move stage of your long distance move.
But first, consult this moving to a new state checklist and see what it has to say about your out of state moving options and finding one of the best out of state moving companies in the country.
Out of state moving options
Just think about this: a local move will give you a couple of relocation options – hire movers or move on your own. It’s always a good thing to have various options and alternatives in any given situation so that you can make the best choice after conducting a careful analysis of the presented circumstances. The problem here is that you could end up with the wrong decision.
As a rule of thumb, choose to organize and execute a self-move only if
- you’re moving locally within the same town, city, county or state (short distance),
- you’re moving a relatively small number of household items that should fit into a standard rental moving truck,
- you’re NOT moving any special household items that require professional packing and special handling during the move (antique furniture, pianos, pool tables, hot tubs, grandfather clocks, heavy safes, etc.),
- you have moved house before, so you know how to plan, organize and pull off a self-move,
- you have reliable friends who will give you a hand when you need assistance the most.
On the other hand, the moment your long distance move becomes merely a matter of time, the first thing you should bear in mind is that the greater move distance will narrow down your choices.
Let interstate movers handle the details of your long distance move.
In the majority of cases, the cross-country moving phenomenon proves to be a blessing in disguise because you won’t lose precious time analyzing whether you can move to a new state on your own, or not. Instead, you can concentrate on getting ready for the arrival of your state to state movers.
Also, your valuable household items will be in safe hands during the long haul between Point A (your current home) and Point B (your new house or apartment). Choosing professional packing services for some of the more expensive and fragile items you own will guarantee their survival during the long distance move.
Without a doubt, the best way to move out of state is to hire the services of a cross-country moving company. The wide range of professional moving services you will be offered by the pros will give you the chance to select the type of expert assistance that you really need, thus enabling you to save on your upcoming move.
In addition to packing and unpacking, the best full-service moving companies in the country can also offer disassembly and re-assembly of large furniture, handling of specialty items, custom crating of precious items, hoisting of oversized items through windows and balconies, temporary storage and warehouse handling, and so on.
When hiring professional movers for your approaching house move, make sure you understand your options when it comes to Valuation and Insurance so that you can pick the best protection for your prized possessions.
Good to know: How much does it cost to hire movers?
How to find the best state to state moving companies
Before you can begin the actual preparation to move out of state, you need to be sure that you’ve already secured the help of a professional long distance moving company that will protect, transport and deliver your household items to the new-state home without problems or issues of any sort.
Follow these 5 steps to find a reliable out of state moving company:
- Step 1. Get free moving quotes. How much does it cost to move out of state? The very first step is to receive price estimates from long distance movers that service your state to state route. The cost of the move will be one of the deciding factors when comparing various out of state movers and deciding which one to hire for the job.
- Step 2. Request in-home surveys. The moving quotes you will receive can only be accurate enough if they are issued after an on-site survey inside your own home. Representatives of various state to state moving companies should inspect the things you plan to move and assess potential moving day problems that may affect the final price. Stay away from companies that refuse to visit your home as part of the pre-move cost estimation stage.
- Step 3. Read customer reviews. You need to know a bit more about the nationwide moving companies that have provided you with moving cost estimates. Visit several reputable websites that offer customer reviews of long distance movers and read what people had to say about those professional organizations. As a rule of thumb, you should stay away from movers with too many negative moving reviews.
-
Your state-to-state movers need to know exactly what you plan to move in order to give you an accurate price estimate.
Step 4. Research the movers. Customer reviews will give you a general idea of what to expect from your cross country mover but you’ll need to dig in a bit more so that you make the best choice. Check the legitimacy of your potential relocation partners with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), their membership with the American Trucking Association (ATA), and any complaint history at the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
- Step 5. Compare the estimates. Once you’ve made sure the state to state moving companies are as reputable and dependable as they can be, the choice of a good out of state mover comes down to comparing the estimates you have received. The price is important, of course, but do pay attention to all the accessorial moving services that have been included in that price. Also, don’t forget to trust your feelings when reaching the final decision.
Must-read info: How to find a reliable moving company in 7 steps
10 Preparation steps: Preparing to move out of state
It’s important to understand that the success of your out of state moving project will depend on how well you get prepared for one of life’s most stressful events. In fact, the earlier you start getting ready for your upcoming long distance move by completing task after task, the better your chances are of having a fairly problem-free relocation across the country.
We’re going to highlight the top 10 preparation steps you simply must complete prior to Moving day, and then advise you to consult our interactive moving checklist that lists approximately 50 essential things to do when moving out of state.
Step 1. Pick a state to state mover
Now that you know how to find the top-rated cross country movers, it’s time to pick the state-to-state moving company that has offered you the best deal in terms of price, services, and conditions.
Hopefully, it won’t be a hard choice to make. Don’t forget to book your long distance move with your mover as soon as you’ve made up your mind.
Step 2. Set a moving budget
You’re strongly advised to set a moving budget that will enable you to monitor your moving costs and expenses more closely. Naturally, the price you pay the out of state movers should be your biggest expense, but there are also a number of other not-that-obvious expenses that can be the difference between a cost-effective move and a costly one.
Be extra careful with the additional moving services and the extra fees and charges.
Step 3. Inventory your entire home
Get rid of excess stuff and save big on your upcoming out of state move.
Moving to another state is not the right time to move all of your household items and belongings because 1) you won’t need all of them, and 2) you won’t like the transportation cost.
Find time to inventory your home and make important decisions regarding which things you will be taking with you and which ones you’ll be leaving behind. Be ruthless as it’s your money that’s on the line here.
Step 4. Remove any excess items
The best way to relocate to another state is to take only the things you intend to use in the foreseeable future. The home inventory list will help you reduce the number of items to move, and, of course, that purging process should be completed before commencing the packing job.
Sell online or at a garage sale the unwanted stuff to pocket valuable cash. Also, consider gifting to friends or donating to charity still usable items.
Step 5. Start packing up your home
Keep in mind that packing for a move is the task that will take the longest time to complete. Therefore, it’s vital that you start boxing up your things as soon as you can. There isn’t any time to lose, so get down to it.
Follow a good packing checklist and don’t forget to prepare an essentials box a day or two before Moving day itself.
Step 6. Obtain medical records
When you’re preparing to move out of state, you shouldn’t forget the strictly organizational tasks either. Living in a new town or city in a new state means that you will have a new family physician.
Obtain your and your family’s medical records from your current doctor so that you can register with a general practitioner or specialist once you arrive in the new state.
Step 7. Change your address and cancel any services
Planning a move to another state is all about being a few steps ahead. A new home does mean a new address so if you don’t want to lose important pieces of mail during the cross-country move, you’d better change your address with the USPS shortly before you move out.
Also, cancel any home delivery services and subscriptions or memberships to clubs, organizations, and so on.
How to change address when moving home
Step 8. Transfer the home utilities
Your new house or apartment in the destination state will not only have a brand new postal address, but it will have a different set of utilities supplied by different utility companies.
This being said, it’s time to schedule the disconnection of the home services in your current home (a few days prior to Moving day) and arrange for their re-connection. Contact the corresponding utility companies and make sure you have electricity, water, gas, phone service, cable TV, etc. at the new address when you arrive there.
Top 10 things people forget to do when moving
Step 9. Prepare your children and pets for the move
Do not neglect your pets’ needs when preparing to move out of state.
How to move out of state with children and pets? One thing is clear: you’ll have your hands full while overcoming yet another challenge of your cross-country move.
Your priority when moving with children and pets to another state is to guarantee their safety, especially on Moving day itself. Also, try to minimize the disruption their set routines. Tailor your schedule to respond to their needs and do everything in your power to calm their fears.
33 moving mistakes to avoid when moving
Step 10. Prepare your own trip
The long distance moving company you have selected will transport your things for you. As a result, it’s time to think about how you will reach the new home as well.
Plan well your car trip if you’ll be driving across the country, or arrange the flight details if you intend to catch a plane to the destination state.
Must-read info: Interactive checklist for moving to another state
The cheapest way to move out of state
The home moving process can turn out to be rather expensive so your genuine efforts must go into using various cost-saving techniques to keep more money into your own pocket.
The following 5 extra tips for moving out of state will enable you to save money on your move (sometimes a lot of money!), so pay close attention. When combined, these money-saving tips represent the cheapest way to move to another state.
1. Find a low-cost interstate moving company
Fill in the moving cost estimator at the top of the page and get in touch with top-rated interstate movers.
Request in-home surveys and get accurate moving cost estimates.
Compare those estimates and choose the one that fits your budget.
WARNING: If a moving quote is much lower than the rest, it could be a sign of moving fraud.
How to find cheap movers near you
2. Schedule you move the smart way
Summer is the peak of the moving season and that is why most cross country movers charge more during that high season. If possible, schedule your move during the off-season (September – May) to get a better deal.
Also, try to avoid scheduling your move on weekends and on the beginning and end of the month.
3. Move only the things you need
Unless it has sentimental value for you, moving old furniture long distance is seldom worth it.
As explained above, more household items and personal belongings to move will mean higher transportation costs for you.
Purge your home of anything unnecessary to save BIG when moving to a new state
Organize a moving sale to earn extra cash and get rid of your unwanted stuff.
How to get rid of stuff when moving
4. Find moving boxes for free
Packing boxes are usually a substantial expense when packing a home for moving. The good news? You can find cardboard boxes for free.
Ask friends, colleagues, and neighbors if they have moving boxes they no longer need, and then make them yours for the asking.
Still, your best bet to finding free moving boxes is to visit the large businesses around your city and ask them for the cardboard containers they are required to recycle anyway.
Free moving boxes? Wait, where’s the catch?
5. Pack by yourself (whatever you can)
One of the things to do before moving out of state is to try to pack your things on your own.
Professional packing services can be expensive, and you should resort to hiring the pros either when you don’t have time to do it yourself, or when you plan to move a number of specialty items.
When you are planning to move, make sure that all your things are fix and hire a company that can give you discounts in a cheaper price, but make sure that the company you’re hiring has a good reputation in the business.
My name is Poinciana Wallace and I really need to talk to someone that can give me some pointers on where to move to because I need a new start. thank you
Thank you for these tips. I feel like Long Distance Moving is the most difficult type of moving and should be approched carefully and thoroughly.
Hello Poinciana,
You can find many city moving guides here. On this link you can read information about the city and how to move there. Keep checking this article often as the database is increasing constantly. Thank you.
Kind regards,
Pamela
Moving out of state is really very difficult, but you have done a great job by providing the suggestions regarding moving safely and cheaply.
Hello, I am Robot N. Noyce. Moving out of state is difficult because you are leaving a whole state and move to a new state. So thank you for giving the valuable tips and this tips is really helpful for me…
Hello every one, Nice to meet you. There are moving tips is very good. These tips are helpful for the moving for one place to another place. Thank you very much…. bye see you later….
Moving to state to another state many people get disappointment because in this situation weather mostly participate big role. that’s why people have different issues about transportation services.
Hi Anthony,
You almost covered every aspect of out of state moving. In my opinion, one of the biggest hurdle is to move personal vehicles from one state to another. This is a concern that bothers almost everyone who is moving out of state. People usually make mistakes with this. I recently wrote a blog on why professional help is mandatory for vehicle shifting.
What do you suggest for this.
Regards
Preeti
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the great tips. I’m really glad however, that you touched on moving fraud. Sometimes choosing the lowest priced mover you find is a bad idea. They could be very unreliable, potentially not have the correct insurance, and have hired less the desirable employees to drive their price down. All of these factors can lead to a horrible and stress filled moving experience. This is especially true for moving across the country, as these deficiencies get amplified.
Thanks again,
A-Jay
Thank you for these tips. I would like to tell people that once you move, you’ll need to establish legal domicile for tax purposes. If you’re moving to another state permanently and making it your main place of residence, you’ll need to establish legal domicile for tax purposes.
Moving out of state is a little hectic task as you are moving far from your original place. Try to focus on the tips mentioned in the article so that you perform well during your move. If you are planning for a move then you should hire the moving services by visiting this portal:
It is always important to save money during your moving where ever it is possible, this article has given such amazing information which has helped me to save money and I thanks the writers of this article.
Moving out of state should be well planned in advance so that you can carry a smooth and stress-free move.
Another excellent strategy to save money on your Packing and Moving is to be as organized as possible when the movers come. All of your belongings should be packed and ready to travel. Items may be taken down the stairs, out of the attic, closet, or basement, and positioned near the entryway or garage to be loaded simply onto the truck.
Thanks for sharing information !
Impressive post. I have found this post really helpful.
This is an informative post. Got a lot of info and details from here..Thank you so much for sharing.
This is an informative post. Got a lot of info and details from here..Thank you so much for sharing.