Tips for Moving to a Different State

Most people hate moving. There’s a lot of planning and expenses, and then you still have to individually box up every item you own (or there’s always the classic “toss all my clothes in a heap in the back of the hatchback because #aintnobodygottimeforthat” approach). Do you hire movers and hope your stuff actually gets to the new place in one piece, or bribe everyone you know with the promise of pizza and make best friends with the only guy you know with a pickup truck? Either way, it’s a stressful event.

If moving across town seems daunting, moving to a different state can see downright impossible. Never fear, though! We have some great tips to relieve some of your moving jitters and make the event a little less stress and a little more, “Yes!”

1. Don’t Worry – I’ve Got a Plan

Before you rent anything or pack a single box, make a moving plan. Doing your research beforehand can save you lots of time, money, energy, and struggle in the long run. First and foremost, establish a budget. This will determine what moving method you can afford, in addition to how you split your cash between gas, food, and lodging on the way from State A to State B. Recording your costs in a spreadsheet can help you budget ahead of time so you don’t come up short along the way.

Next, determine your timeframe. If you’re moving to start a new job, make sure you aren’t missing your first day at the office, even if the move takes longer than expected. Your selected moving method may also impact your timetable (more on that below). Creating a timetable and working backwards also gives you an idea when to shut off/turn on utilities. There’s nothing worse than having the lights shut off while you’re still packing. Knowing key dates when certain things need to be packed or how long you have to fill your storage will also help you know when to get started. Moving is stressful enough. Give yourself enough to pack without pulling three all-nighters before driving across the country.

Finally, let the timetable guide your strategy. Anything that needs to travel first needs to be packed first. Something that needs kept near the front of the truck/storage container needs to be packed last. If furniture needs to be out by Wednesday and dishes by Friday, worry about packing the glassware after the furniture is ready to move. If friends are helping you move and/or pack, schedule them to come by at the date and time that wastes the least amount of their time. Asking your buddy to help you move your boxes at 2pm and not having them ready until 6pm just makes for disgruntled helpers.

Keep in mind, there will be surprises along the way, no matter how much you plan. Build some flexibility into your strategy and if you can, overbudget. It’s always easier to put the money back in the bank than having to find some you don’t have.

2. The Upside of the Downsize

You never realize how much you’ve hung onto until it’s time to move. Use packing as an opportunity to downsize. It’ll mean less to pack and unpack, and frees up space when you get to your new place. This is especially critical if your new home doesn’t have as much storage space as your current residence.

Clothes you haven’t worn in the past year? VHS tapes you own on DVD or Blu-Ray (or both)? Donate them. Shoes so worn out you can see the color of your socks? Pitch them. If it doesn’t have a place in your new home, it shouldn’t have a place in your moving truck. Consider holding a yard sale. It’ll help you slim the herd and put a little cash in your pocket.

It’s important to downsize food, too. Put the brakes on the grocery shopping and use up what you have, even the non-perishables. Same goes for household cleaning products. They might not keep in the move, and some movers won’t even let you bring them (it can be a hazardous material risk) so use them up or give them away.

Don’t pack up everything, though – be sure make an essentials bag with key items you will need when you arrive at your destination. These include a week’s worth of clothes, shoes, toiletries and medications, and jewelry or other irreplaceable keepsakes. You can’t be sure when your belongings will arrive, particularly if you use movers, so it’s best to be prepared.

3. I Like to Move It, Move It

If you choose to spare your friends and family and hire movers, there’s a lot to consider before they ever pull into your (current) driveway. First, you’ll need to know how big a truck to hire. Trucks are measured in cubic feet, so you’ll need to know the size of your large furniture and roughly the volume of your boxes (length x width x height for each box, times the number of boxes). Math just not your thing? Always overestimate – it’s easier to have empty space than leave your entire bedroom set on the curb.

If you are hiring a mover, find out if they will subcontract your move to another company. Subcontracting means your stuff will be split up across multiple trucks. It really saves time and money for the movers, but it means you might end up getting all your old baseball cards that first night and have nothing to sleep on for days. This is another reason why the essentials bag can be a big lifesaver.

Another thing to keep in mind is most movers pack multiple people’s belongings in a single truck (again, it’s way more cost effective for them, making it way more cost effective for you). Great news for your wallet, but maybe not for your timetable. Movers who do this will give you a “delivery spread.” It’s the amount of time (typically 1 to 14 days) when they expect your stuff to arrive at your new home. The spread can vary based on distance, season, and how much stuff you stuffed into the truck. Trick to speeding up the process? Moving more stuff = you fill more of the truck, so there’s less stops, and you get your belongings in a much shorter time frame.

If subcontracting and delivery spread don’t scare you, the quote might. The easier it is for you, the more expensive it will be. In other words, if you have movers load, transport, and unload your belongings, get ready to pay. Too steep for your blood? Try renting a storage container. The container company will drop it off at your current home a few days early, and on your move date, they will load the storage container onto a truck and ship it to your new place. They drop it off and let you unpack, so it can be more cost effective.

While moving to a different state can, at times, be stressful and trying, always remember the reason behind your decision to move: the dream job, the change of scenery, reuniting with family, your next big adventure! Soon enough, you’ll be unpacked in the new place and starting a new chapter in your life.