Moving To A New State Guide, Checklist & Tips

Moving to a new state can sometimes feel as if moving to a different country altogether. The very thought of having to organize and execute an out of state move can give you the chills, right? With so many things to do before moving to a new state, it’s no surprise that most home movers can get really worried about whether they will be able to manage the preparation period on their own, and then survive the actual relocation when the time comes.
As it turns out, good planning in the form of an exceptionally detailed checklist for moving to a new state will help you stay on the right track. Also, proven cost saving techniques when moving from one state to another will not only help you stay within the reasonable limits of your personal moving budget, but they will also enable you to be in control of your finances.
The following Guide to moving to a new state is exactly what you need to complete your out of state relocation with a smile on your face.
Read on to gain access to:
  • a list of things to do when moving to a new state;
  • the cost of moving to a new state;
  • what to do after moving to a new state;
  • extra tips for moving to a new state: moving with no money (is it possible?), moving alone, moving with children, moving with pets, (side) effects of moving to a new state, and more.

Checklist for moving to a new state

The moment you learn of your imminent residential move is the moment you will find yourself in need of a detailed moving to a new state checklist to keep yourself organized during all stages of your cross country move. Moving to a different state altogether requires greater efforts from you, and even a few sacrifices along the way to bring the relocation adventure to a successful end.
Planning is often the key to the successful outcome in most activities, and when it comes to moving hundreds or even thousands of miles away to another part of the country, it suddenly feels like it is everything! A house move is a challenge in itself, so the happy end depends on your involvement in the process and your readiness to get things done the right way. And while some tasks seem like no-brainers, you will soon find out that having a complete moving state to state checklist at your disposal will keep your mind focused and your actions organized.
  • If possible, visit the new-state city in advance to get a taste of what to expect.
  • Research the cost of living, housing costs, and career opportunities in your destination state, and in your new city in particular.
  • Secure a place to live by exploring your renting and purchasing options.
  • Think about securing a job first unless the reason you’re moving to a new state is a job offer in the first place.
  • Research your candidate out of state movers a bit more – are they properly licensed to operate by the Department of Transpiration? Check to see if they have a valid USDOT number.
  • Discuss with your movers the additional moving services – what type of services you really need and how much each of them will cost.
  • Compare carefully the received relocation offers, including the offered additional services, and make your choice.
  • Request all the move related paperwork in advance in order to avoid unpleasant moving day surprises. Never sign any blank or incomplete documents either.
  • Once you’ve selected your relocation partner, it’s time to start working on the tasks in your personalized and prioritized moving calendar.
  • Did somebody say packing? Packing up and moving to a new state is always more complicated than you think. The packing job will be the most arduous and time-consuming one in your personal packing timeline, so get down to it immediately.
  • Don’t forget to prepare a few Open First boxes to help you survive until you have access to your belongings once more.
  • Decide what you will do with the items that you are not allowed to move to another state for safety reasons. Here you will find all you need to know about the so-called non-allowables, including good ideas about how to get rid of them.
  • One of the things to do before moving to a new state is to decide how to transport your pets (read on to learn more about this) and move your plants so that you guarantee their safety.
  • Moving to a new state checklist
    Your animal friend will soon sense that something big is going on.
    Learn how to pack up your home in exactly 60 steps!!!
  • Did somebody say pre-move organization? Obtain the required documents and certificates from your family physician and vet, as well as your child’s or children’s school records.
  • Cancel your current subscriptions to utility providers and services prior to moving day. Arrange for the disconnection of the main utilities (water, electricity, gas, Internet, etc.) and transfer them to your new home.
  • Change your postal address shortly before moving day to keep receiving your mail without any problems.
  • Compile all your copies of the paperwork and keep them safe in a special binder for references and possible moving tax deductions.
  • Are you ready to greet your Big day in style? Take a look at what essential things to have on Moving day.
  • When preparing to move to a new state, have some cash handy on Moving day to tip your movers if you end up being happy with their work.

How much does it cost to move to a new state

Our moving to a new state guide continues with the issue that is probably troubling you the most when you’re facing a long distance move across the country – the final price you will pay in the end. And that, of course, is perfectly understandable as no one wants to see their savings disappear due to a scheduled cross country move.
All in all, there are several important points to be aware of when it comes to the average cost of moving to a new state. Unlike a local house move where the moving price is calculated on an hourly basis, the cost of a cross country move will be estimated on the basis of a few relocation parameters: the move distance, the number and weight of the items for transportation, and the number and nature of additional services you have requested.
  • Average cost of moving to a new state
    Time does fly, but money can fly away too if you’re not careful enough.
    When relocating to a new state, the exact distance from your old home to your new residence does matter as far as the price of your out of state move is concerned. This should come as no surprise, and neither should the direct ratio between distance and price. And, even less surprisingly, you can’t really lower the moving price by shortening that move distance either.
  • The number and weight of your household items will have the greatest impact on how much you will pay for their transportation. So, what to consider when moving to a new state? Do consider decreasing the number of the possessions you are taking with you. To make this happen, your best bet is to create a complete house inventory and then decide to take only the things you will use in the near future.
  • It’s relatively easy to figure out that each additional service will add to the final moving price. Besides being extra careful about what household items you move with you, one of the best advice on moving to a new state is to pay special attention to those extra services that you will be offered by your long distance moving company. A few examples of such extras include packing and unpacking, post-move disposal of packing supplies, disassembly and re-assembly of big furniture, hoisting (if at all necessary), shuttle services, and so on.
IMPORTANT: The case-by-case nature of moving to a new state makes it fairly impossible to calculate the moving price on your own – only your long distance movers can do that for you with any kind of satisfactory accuracy. Still, to be at least a little bit prepared for what’s coming, have a look at some example costs of moving to a new state.

What to do when moving to a new state: Top 5 post-move tasks

And now that you know the major principles of how to move to a new state, let’s focus our attention on what you should do once the cross country move is complete.
So, here are the top 5 things to do after you move to a new state:
  • Get a job. Moving to a new state with no job secured is a fairly risky endeavor, which means that you are expected to turn it into a risk-free one as soon as you can. Job hunting is never much fun but it’s a thing you should do to survive in the town or city you just moved into. Start work on your resume, prepare recommendation letters from previous employers, and use the Internet (The Department of Labor is an excellent first stop) as your aid in helping you find a decent occupation.
  • Look for health care providers. Your recent move to another state means, among a score of other things, that you will have to find a new family physician for all members of your family, including a licensed veterinarian for any pets you may have taken with you. The type of health care provider (a primary care doctor or a specialized doctor) you choose will largely depend on your long term medical needs. Start your hunt for a new specialist with the help of recommendations from your old doctor or friends, and make sure you have all the necessary documents and medical records to sign up with your future health care provider.
  • Vehicle registration in a new state
    In addition to having to register your car when you move to a new state, you may also need to transfer your out-of-state driver’s license.
    Register your car. Should you happen to be wondering, “Do I have to register my car when I move to a new state?”, you should wonder no more because registering a car after moving to a new state is a must-do task. The bad news is that you can’t do that online, so you need to find time in your busy post move schedule to head down to the local DMV office and take care of that job. It’s not a good idea to postpone your car registration either as different states impose different deadlines (for example, Florida only gives a 10-day window for vehicle registration). You’ll be asked to present a car insurance policy bought from the state you just moved to, and a bunch of other documents such as a title in your name, a certificate for a passed emissions check, and so on. Contact the new-state DMV office before you visit it to learn what other paperwork you will need to complete the registration.
  • Get to know your new home. The logic of residential relocation is hinting that if you have followed the steps to moving to a new state, then you will also find yourself in a new home. And that alone opens up a brand new world of essential tasks for you to take care of one by one. The immediate period after a house move can be rather overwhelming and confusing for most people, so it’s never a bad idea to have an outstanding list of things to do after moving into a new house. One of your very first jobs? Take an exploratory tour around your new home, locate your fuse box and main water valve in case of emergencies, look for signs of pre-existing damage or pest infestation, check for possible problems, and make sure your residence is as secured against unauthorized access and forces of nature as possible.
  • Unpack. Just a quick glance over the endless piles of freshly delivered moving boxes is enough to give you a good idea of what’s ahead of you. Unpacking! It’s like packing but with some good news glued to it – unpacking after a house move is generally faster and you can finish it on your own terms. However, even though moving day is already behind you and you won’t have to feel stressed out to fit into a tight schedule, you should still get down to the time-consuming job of unpacking without too much procrastination. Where to begin the unpacking process? Which rooms to unpack first? What unpacking mistakes should you avoid at all costs? Check out this special selection of unpacking tips that just work like a charm.

Bonus tips for moving to a new state

Is moving to a new state a good idea? It’s nobody but you who can answer that question with a good degree of accuracy. There are plenty of reasons to move to a new state: from the number one reason to relocate to another part of the country (employment), through downsizing, retirement, changes in marital status, health issues, tragedies, and all the way to simply pursuing a dream.
If you feel like it’s time to move to a new city in a new state, then you should take notice of the following bonus advice on moving to a new state.
  • No money. One thing is certain – moving to a new state with no money is no joke. Before you even attempt to do the impossible, you need to re-evaluate your options and choose the path that will best work for you. In reality, there are several good options for you to choose from – find all of them in our unique 5 Step Survival Guide on how to move without money.
  • Alone. Moving to a new state alone is another relocation scenario that is not particularly fun to do. On top of that, if you happen to be moving to a new state without knowing anyone there, that may further complicate things. So, how are you supposed to cope with that challenge on your own? Luckily, we happen to have a few good answers.
  • Children. If you’re planning on moving to another state with a child or children, be ready for a real challenge regardless of their age group. Moving house is tough as it is, even without any additional stressing factors, right? Our Guide on moving with kids will help you survive your cross country move with special emphasis on the safety and well-being of your little angels.
  • Dealing with moving to a new state
    Let your new-state life be filled with unforgettable adventures.
    Pets. Pets can be great but when it’s time to move to another state altogether, then they can easily become just another thing to worry about. Whether you’re moving with dogs, cats, fish or other types of pet animals, then it’s your duty as a pet owner to make sure their immediate needs are met and that they make it to the new home in good health. Follow the relevant links above to learn what you should do to keep you lovely pet happy through all stages of the long distance move.
  • Side effects. The side effects of moving to another state cannot be successfully predicted as each individual and each family will feel the impact of that big change differently. Some people tend to breeze through the adjustment period after a house move while others have it much rougher for a long time until they can feel right again. Stress, anxiety, and fear of moving to another state can all take their toll on a person’s psychological equilibrium. However, the trickiest period comes right after the move is over in the form of a true phenomenon known as separation anxiety. Be sure to know how to identify and cope with relocation depression before things get out of hand.
  • Did you find your cross country movers yet? By now you should know perfectly well that moving to a new state is a difficult job that should be left to trained and experienced professionals. In other words, your cross country move is definitely not the right time to prove to your friends that you can move all by yourself. The truth is that there are many top-rated national moving companies that offer excellent moving services, specifically tailored to meet the requirements and expectations of their customers – 1) starting from free pre-move in-home surveys and issuance of accurate moving cost estimates, 2) through professional packing and unpacking, disassembly and re-assembly of large furniture, and handling of bulky or super-heavy household items, 3) all the way to safe temporary storage, custom wooden crating for extremely valuable things, or even hoisting of extra big household items through windows or balconies. No matter how you look at it, the success of your interstate move depends on selecting the professional relocation partner that’ll be the right one for you. So, do the sensible thing and follow this one-of-a-kind 31.5 step guide to choosing a moving company.

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