Simplify Your Move to Another State

Turning your new house into a home can be a dream, but it takes time, effort, and a little sweat to make your dream a reality. Before your big move to another state, a lot of planning is involved: leaving your old place; setting up your new home; and all the financial details in between.

About 40 million people in the United States move each year. Moving comes with a healthy amount of stress, but when you have to relocate to another state, things get a bit trickier. Here’s some helpful info on making your out-of-state move a little simpler.

Calculate Exact Mileage

Before you hire a moving company, it’s important to calculate the exact mileage between your current home and your new home. Long-distance movers charge by the mile and can provide more accurate estimates when you have this information. Using an accurate mileage estimate when you move to another state will help you budget for the move. 

Start Shopping for Pro Movers

Planning a move isn’t complete without hiring professionals to handle the work for you. 

The United States Movers Association (USMA), American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), and Better Business Bureau (BBB) are all solid resources when you’re vetting pro movers. 

Find long distance movers that can tackle the move to another state with proper care and planning. Schedule at least three phone, online, or in-home consultations to learn more about potential companies and get estimates. By doing an in-home consultation, you will get the most accurate estimate because the company can see your entire inventory of items.

Look for companies that offer binding estimates, which means they will move your items at the quoted price. If your estimate doesn’t have the words “binding estimate,” this means they can increase the cost of the move at any point.

Be sure to also inquire about a moving company’s valuation policy, which should include some basic coverage if items get broken or lost during the move. Even though you can obtain moving insurance through a third-party, most moving companies will offer various valuation coverages for an additional fee. Valuation coverage is more limited than insurance and refers to the company’s policies on reimbursement or replacement of lost or broken household goods.

Moving between states or long distances will cost about $5,000, on average. Make sure the price quote is itemized so you know exactly what you’re paying for. 

Create a Spreadsheet and Plan Ahead

It’s important to control what you can during the planning process. Research has shown that moving is even more stressful than getting a divorce. 

Plan your moving day weeks in advance to curb some of the stress. Hiring movers is the first task, but you still have to pack, clean, and prepare for travel. 

Make sure vehicle maintenance is up to date so your cars are ready for the long haul. Prepare to turn off utilities, subscriptions, and home services and set up new services for your new home. Find out the approximate dates that your household items will arrive. Be sure to understand that the day and time your items arrive is dependent on the speed of the truck, how far it has to travel, and the number of other households that are packed and loaded onto the truck.

Plan on how you and your family will get to your new out-of-state home and make travel arrangements. Mentally prepare for the move and make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before. Free up a few days so that you don’t have to immediately rush back to work following the move. 

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Learning how to move to another state and planning its execution takes the guesswork out of a potentially stressful situation. Just be sure to follow these tips, save all of your receipts, and keep detailed records of your household inventory. Please feel free to share any other moving tips you have with us in the comments!

I hope this information makes your move a breeze!

Happy Travels!

Julie