The Process Of Moving To Another State

When you transplant seedlings outdoors, you intend to provide the right environment for them to grow and develop naturally. But when you take them out of their safe shelter and plant them in the unknown surroundings of your garden, how can you be sure that they will adapt to the new conditions successfully and quickly enough? In fact, observing several simple rules guarantees an almost certain favorable outcome: let your plants adjust beforehand, prepare their new habitat properly, transplant them with care and do whatever is necessary to help the roots gain a good foothold after the relocation.

The process of moving from one place to live in another is somewhat similar – be it for better or worse, you leave your familiar surroundings and need to adjust to a completely new home and a different lifestyle. However, with careful planning, good organizational skills and a detailed moving to another state checklist to consult at every crucial step, you may feel like a flourishing sapling rather than an uprooted tree.

So, how to apply the above-mentioned life-saving rules to the process of moving home?

Phase 1: Adjustment To Change (Getting Ready To Move To Another State)

People, just like plants, adjust to small gradual changes in their environment better than to sudden drastic shifts, so take your time to develop a positive approach to the life-changing event that awaits you and prepare mentally for it.

How To Know When It’s Time To Move To Another State

Warm air and abundant sunlight are clear signs that the time to transplant your seedlings has come. The signs it’s time to move to a new city are somewhat more obscure but just as indicative of the need for an imminent relocation. Underachieving in the professional sphere you are qualified for and having no chance of career advancement and self-improvement are among the most common reasons to move to a new state – moving for a job in pursuit of better opportunities. Moving in together with your boyfriend (girlfriend) or in search of love is another high-ranking relocation initiative. Feeling that your home has become too small for your growing family comes next, closely followed by the need to downsize after your children have moved out and your place has become an empty labyrinth of memories. Not to underestimate the allure of mild climate, great educational facilities, good medical care, affordable living conditions, exciting adventures or whatever you are missing in your old place and hope to find in a new one. So, despite all the stress and hardships of the house moving process, remember that if happiness is not just around the corner, it may be in your new state.

Things To Consider When Moving Out Of State

Haste makes waste, so plan the process of moving from one state to another carefully in your head before doing things you will later regret. Many factors come into play and you are advised not to ignore them:

• Budget. Unfortunately, when the idea to move across the country crosses your mind, one of the first things you need to determine is how this will influence your financial situation. Will you be able to cover the moving expenses? What is the cost of living in your new city and how affordable are the housing prices? Have you built up sufficient savings to buy a new home or pay a rent (and a deposit) and to provide for your needs for a couple of months? Are you moving to another state for work? Have you secured a lucrative position that promises a successful career? All these uninspiring questions need a definite answer before you decide on a moving date and an inspiring moving adventure.

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  Relationships. Once you have moved to a place where you know nobody,you will probably realize how much your friends and family meant for you. You will be able to meet the people who matter in your life only on holidays or previously planned visits and you may feel nostalgic and downbeat. Moving to a new city alone may even result in a relocation depression while relocating with your family presents a completely different set of challenges – finding a new school for your children, a new job for your partner, etc. On the other hand, you will meet many new people, will join a new community and will surely make new friends. Your social network will simultaneously grow in size and lose much in terms of time spent with dear old friends and habitual fun activities

• Opportunities. You certainly have a clear idea as to what you are leaving behind, so make an effort to research what new opportunities your future surroundings will have to offer. Be active and put your creative energy at work – avail of any chances to improve your sports or arts skills, or scientific interests or whatever hobby activities you find attractive.
• Climate. The weather in your new state may be different from what you are used to. Try to locate a place where you will enjoy the climatic conditions all the year round – whether it’s delightful snow or refreshing ocean breezes, whatever you find joyful and relaxing. Be careful to land at a place that will be favorable to your own specific needs and preferences (every plant feels best in a different environment, you know). Make sure appropriate clothes have been packed to provide you with comfort and style.

Phase 2: Preparations (What To Do Before Moving To A New State)

To provide the missing link between your current daily routine and your future life, you are encouraged to thoroughly research and, if possible, visit your new surroundings. Just like you would have taken your seedling pots outside in the sun for several hours a day before finally transplanting them in the garden for good, you should spend a day or two in your new city, just to get a better feel of the unfamiliar setting and to make some important decisions (be sure to check our moving out of state tips first).

Research The Economy Of Your New Area:

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  Job market and career opportunities. Moving to another state with no job is quite a risk but even if you have a secured position, obtaining reliable information about the economic situation there is a good idea because you never know what may happen – the unemployment rate, for example, is a very important factor to consider. You need to make sure that your professional qualification is in demand in your new area – your skills will be highly appreciated and your financial status will be enviable wherever your field of expertise is thriving. If you intend to start a small business or some other independent entrepreneurship, verify that the conditions are favorable and your success is highly probable.

• Real estate market. The housing costs are of primary importance when you are looking for a new home, so try to locate a city where you will be able to purchase your dream house and furnish it to your liking. Remember to look for a residence that corresponds to your lifestyle (a large house with a spacious yard, or a modern condo, etc.) and to provide for any desirable renovation projects and stylish home décor.
• Overall cost of living. Taxes, utilities, transportation, entertainment and many other factors determine the overall cost of living in a given area – don’t forget to collect all the relevant information before making a final choice.

Choose A Good Neighborhood:

You will need to find proper soil for your young plants – the right place where they will grow problem-free. Respectively, you will need an appropriate environment for your new home so that you live in peace and coziness.

• Decide what you are looking for. Whether you need a child-friendly environment or want to live in the very center of night entertainment activities, set your priorities and search for the right neighborhood. Mind the infrastructure of the place, the crime rate, the proximity to amenities, green areas, medical and educational facilities, attractions, etc. You will need a safe and comfortable home, preferably close to your work place, with shopping centers and recreational activities available in the vicinity, so research thoroughly and choose prudently.

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  Decide what you want to avoid. You will certainly want to stay away from gunshots and derelict buildings, beggars and drunkards, smoking and fighting teenagers, garbage and broken fences, and many other warning signs of a bad and dangerous neighborhood. But you may prefer to avoid noisy markets and popular casinos, for example, too, so plan accordingly.

• Explore the place and talk to the locals. If possible, visiting your future city and locating all the important places there will help a lot. You will be able to observe the overall spirit in the vicinity and to ask your potential neighbors what they like and dislike about the area – this inside information will be invaluable for your final decision as to where exactly your future home should be located. If visiting your new state at the other end of the country is not an option, at least take advantage of Google street viewer to get a realistic idea of what the place looks and feels like.
• Find a home and create a floor plan. When you have selected the best neighborhood for you, find the residence that will be your new home, based on appropriate location, size, price and current condition, as already discussed. Then create an accurate floor plan to know which larger furniture and bulkier appliances you will be able to take from your old home and what new items you will have to buy. Devise a charming, convenient and stylish home design to speed up the moving process (you will be able to instruct your movers to position your household items directly at their most suitable places) and to delight your senses, making the unfamiliar surroundings feel like home.

Phase 3: Transplantation (How To Plan A Move To Another State)

Taking a living being out of its surroundings and moving it someplace else is always risky and difficult. This is why seedlings should be handled with great care when being transplanted. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that your children and pets, as well as your cherished possessions should also be treated with great care during a relocation period. How long does the process of moving house take and how successful it will turn out to be in the end depends mainly on its proper organization. Your moving process timeline needs to be meticulously planned and every aspect of your move carefully organized to avoid major slip-ups.

Set Your Moving Budget

Finding the cheapest ways to move to another state requires a skillful strategy on your part. You can use our free moving cost estimator to get a rough idea of how much money you will need for your interstate move and then follow several proven tips to considerably cut down on your moving costs:

• Sort your things and get rid of all the items you no longer need to avoid spending money for their relocation;
• Organize a moving sale or sell online all your belongings that are in good condition but you will not use in your future home;
• Get several binding moving estimates and pick the one that offers the highest quality services for the most reasonable price (watch out for moving fraud!);
• If possible, set a moving date on a weekday in the middle of a month during the off-peak season;
• Book your movers early enough and ask for discounts;
• Find out what the hidden moving costs could be in your case and try to avoid as many of them as possible (disassemble your own furniture, pack your belongings, reserve the elevator and a parking spot for the moving truck in front of your property, etc.)

Hire Trustworthy Cross Country Movers

Moving from one state to another by yourself would be too difficult to organize and perform and probably much more expensive than hiring a moving company, not to mention that the risk of damaging your possessions increases in direct proportion to the long distance. Relying on professional services is your safest and most logical option but to ensure your peace of mind, you need to find honest and experienced state-to-state movers. To schedule a move so that you will have nothing to regret:

• Visit the websites of moving companies that support your route and read carefully the available information – services, prices, specific conditions, options, available moving vehicles and crew, etc.;
• Make sure the movers that seem to meet your requirements are rightfully licensed – check their electronic record with the US Department of Transportation (verify their USDOT number), see if they have been registered with the BBB and if they are properly insured;
• Ask for recommendations and read moving reviews and testimonials left by customers, see if any claims were made against the company and how the disputes were settled;
• Request visual in-house estimation – make sure representatives of at least three reputable moving companies that topped your list for best cross country movers available come to your place and provide you with a written binding estimate for the final moving cost (specify all your needs and desires, as well as the requested services);
• Compare the offers you received, pick the one that best suits your requirements and read the fine print carefully before signing the Bill of Lading. Take the necessary precautionary measures to avoid moving scam.

Take Care Of All The Paperwork

You will have to contact several institutions and inform them about your move in order to get all the required paperwork in order.

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  Change your address with the US Postal Services – this is of primary importance because your address is referenced in a variety of important documents and, besides, your need to have your mail forwarded to your new residence;

• Transfer utilities – pay your bills and arrange to have all your utilities disconnected on move-out day (if possible, schedule them to be running in your new place upon arrival). Inform all your service providers of your move and make the necessary arrangements. Don’t forget to cancel your subscriptions;
• Visit your doctor, your dentist and your vet and retrieve all your medical records. Ask for recommendations concerning good medical care providers in your new state and have your prescription medicines transferred, if applicable;
• Visit your child’s school and obtain the necessary academic records along with any other relevant pieces of information or documentation;
• See if you will need to update your insurance, your car registration, your driver’s license, etc. and make sure to prepare any required documents to be issued at your current city.

Sort Your Belongings

As already mentioned, you are advised to only take with you items of high sentimental and monetary value that you will actually need and use in your new surroundings. Having created your floor plan, you will know which larger furniture will fit in your new home and what bulkier items are worth taking. Sorting carefully all your smaller possessions, such as clothes, books, tools, toys, pieces of art and others, will allow you to donate or sell whatever you will not need at all, to pre-pack the ones you will not need before Moving day and to organize much more quickly and efficiently the process when moving house.

Some things are really very difficult to move, so decide the fate of each of your possessions wisely and make the necessary arrangements.

Tips For Packing To Move Out Of State

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  Provide sufficient and appropriate packing materials – whether you buy new boxes, borrow them from friends (colleagues or neighbors) who have recently moved or get them for free from local supermarkets, make sure you have enough of those in various sizes, all of them clean and sturdy. Get hold of lots of packing tape and packing paper, furniture blankets and rolls of bubble wrap (you can use towels, sheets and other available materials for padding, of course, but some delicate and fragile items need better protection). If needed, provide special packing items, such as wardrobe boxes or crates for art pieces, etc.;

• Start packing several weeks before Moving day – begin with the storage areas and the rooms you use the least but keep your boxes organized and out of your way. Pack an item as soon as you realize you will not use it before the relocation, just make sure you don’t wrap nicely and put at the bottom of a large box something you may actually need;
• Take lots of pictures – you will have evidence regarding the condition of your items before the move (very handy in case of damage claims). Your photos can also serve as a visual diagram of the way cords and devices were connected, as a reminder of your household arrangement and as a keeper of precious memories;
• Label every single box in as many details as you have the time to – contents, destination room, handling instructions, whatever will help you find a specific item and unpack it in an easy and systematic manner later on;
• Don’t pack non-allowables – ask your movers for a list of all the items they will not move for you and decide what to do with them (use them up, donate them, move them yourself, find a specialized shipping company – you have several options depending on what exactly the item is and what your intentions are);
• Pack last what you will need first, or at least place these items on the top of the respective boxes of similar pieces;
• Pack a “survival kit” – everything you can’t do without even for one day: documents, basic hygienic items (towels, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, toilet paper, etc.), medications (first-aid kit, prescription and allergy medicines, pain relievers), a change of clothes (underwear, sheets and pillowcases, slippers), essential tools (box-cutter, bottle-opener, pocket knife, screwdriver, hammer, adhesive tape) and other life-savers;
• Transport your valuables yourself – your documents, your expensive small electronic pieces and your jewels should never leave your side, as well as anything that has really high sentimental or financial value.

Organize Moving day

So, the culmination of the entire moving home process has finally come. Play your cards strategically and stay alert – provided that you maintain your focus and avoid simple mistakes at this moment, your success is guaranteed! Start early, don’t rush things, take precautions for the safety of children and pets, do your best to prevent property damage and damage to your belongings, get along well with your movers – give them clear directions and assist them as much as possible, provide for refreshing drinks and some snacks, try to keep your good humor and positive attitude. If a problem occurs or your movers are late, or something doesn’t go according to plan – don’t panic, think logically and come up with the best solution. Most probably it will be only a temporary setback and then everything will go smoothly again. When you see the moving truck departing, properly loaded with your household possessions, the time has come to leave your old life behind and move on to a new state and new adventures.

Only a few words remain to have the entire house moving process explained:

• If you are moving to another state with a child, everything becomes much more complicated as many additional factors come into play. Check our extensive step-by-step guide on moving out of state with children for practical tips to help you relocate successfully with your young ones. Moving house affects children’s development but with proper preparation, adequate care and gentle love, the effect might be a positive one;
• If you need to ship animals to another state, follow the recommended safety tips for moving out of state with pets and make sure your friends survive the change in good health and in high spirits.

Phase 4: Adjustment To The New Environment (Important Things To Do After You Move To A New State)

The last step when transplanting seedlings is to protect them for a while until they gather the strength to develop independently. In a similar manner, after your relocation, you will probably need some time to get back on your feet. Your new home and the ability to recreate your old surroundings and to stay in touch with your old friends will provide this required initial “protection”. But then, you will have to venture out, explore your new city, befriend your new neighbors and put down new roots.

The process of moving to another state ends when after unpacking and arranging your new home, you finally manage to settle in. Remember to spare several minutes of your time and write a moving review in order to rate the moving services of your chosen company and to share your overall relocation experience. After all, a successful and trouble-free relocation is quite an achievement. So, happy transplanting!