Last Updated on December 1, 2022 by Madiha Saghir
While moving has seen a slow decline in the U.S. over the last five or ten years, 2021 saw approximately 27 million people move for new jobs, schooling, or just to live somewhere new. Local moves made up a sizable percentage of all moves, but millions of people moved from one state to another. While any kind of move is challenging, out-of-state moves are often more challenging. Here are eight things to keep in mind for your out-of-state move.
1. Visit First
Before you make your big move, pay a visit to the new location at least if at all possible. Online research can only tell you so much about what neighborhoods are. Apartment for rent in Macon.
A neighborhood that looks great on paper might not suit your personality. A visit lets you get a feel for a new place and may help you make some important choices.
2. Start Organizing Early
There are a lot of things you must get done before you leave for another state, so don’t put off organizing. For example, you must make sure you get copies of all of your pertinent documents, such as school and medical records. While you can theoretically get the papers sent to your new location, handling it in person is often easier.
3. Make a Packing Plan
Don’t leave your packing to chance. Make a packing plan for your whole apartment or house.
Start with a to-do list of everything you need to get done. Then, make up a schedule and put everything on that to-do list on the schedule. Front-load the schedule with time-intensive tasks like decluttering.
Also, make sure you get crucial packing supplies, such as boxes, tape, packing paper, and bubble wrap. You might also want object-specific boxes for things like dishes.
4. Find a Mover Immediately
Don’t put off hiring an interstate mover. There are fewer companies out there that handle interstate moves and they book up fast. That is especially true during the summer months when everyone wants to move.
5. Find Specialty Movers
Some people have large instruments, like a piano, or extra cars that they want at their new home. You generally want a specialty mover that handles those things exclusively.
Let’s say that you’re moving from Texas to Virginia for your new job. You want a company that offers interstate car moving, but also one headquartered nearby. For that, you might start with an online search for “car shipping in Texas” and explore their service options for what you need.
6. Locate a New Home
If you don’t have time to go out to the location for home shopping or apartment hunting, you’ll need some help finding a new home. Look for a local real estate agent to do the legwork for you.
While they can’t specifically warn you away from bad neighborhoods, you can provide them with very detailed information about what you want. That lets them narrow the search a lot and improves the odds of a good fit.
7. Destination Setup
Get in touch with the utility and service providers at your new location at least a month in advance. While internet or cable service providers often move fairly quickly, you can never know the situation on the ground. Utility companies often move slowly.
By calling at least a month in advance to set up your utilities and other service turn-on dates, there is a very good chance that you can have your utilities on when you arrive and your internet or cable within a day or two.
8. Cancel Local Services and Memberships
It might seem like something you’d never forget. Yet, plenty of people forget to tell their current utility company or internet service provider that they’re moving and need the service disconnected.
The same goes for things like gym, golf course, or country club memberships.
Surviving Your Out-of-State Move
Surviving your out-of-state move is more than a stroke of good fortune. It’s something that you can actively plan to make happen. The catch is that you have to start early and make plans. Create a moving schedule that assigns you tasks that you must finish each day. Deal with things like setting up or canceling utilities and other services early. Hire traditional and specialty movers early. If you need it, get help from a real estate agent to find a new home.
