Whether you’re moving for work, personal reasons, or just because you want a change of scenery, moving to another state is stressful – but there are some steps you can take to make things easier as you make your move. Here are a few top tips from Laborjack that can help you move to a different state with less stress.
1. Work Out Employment & Housing Before You Commit to Moving
Moving to another state is a lot less stressful if you’ve found a place to rent or buy and already have a job in your new state before you move. It’s definitely possible to move without working these details out in advance – but that can be a lot more stressful.
2. Learn the Basics About Where You are Moving
You’ll definitely want to do some research about your state, city, and neighborhood, the cost of living in the area where you’re moving, the climate, the culture, methods of transportation, and other such basics. This can help prepare you for what is to come and can make things less stressful, especially as you familiarize yourself with the area.
3. Start Packing as Far in Advance as You Can
You can pack up stuff you don’t use regularly weeks or even months in advance. Pack early, and make sure you are totally ready to go on your move-out date. For larger, out of state moves, we wouldn’t recommend throwing everything into boxes the week of the move.
4. Downsize While You Pack Up Your Stuff
Packing is a great time to donate, sell, or throw away stuff you don’t need. This can save you money, stress, and hassles during the moving process.
5. Label Boxes & Make an Inventory List When Packing
Labeling boxes with what’s in them helps you unpack efficiently and creating an inventory list will help you figure out if any items have been damaged or lost during your move.
6. Make A Change of Address Checklist
Make sure to file a change of address with the USPS when you move. You should also make a list of other institutions you’ll need to change your address with, such as banks, insurance companies, the IRS, and other such companies and institutions.
7. Choose Between Renting A Truck or Hiring Movers
Renting your own moving truck saves you money but requires you to do a lot more work. Hiring a moving company is more expensive but takes some of the stress out of moving to another state.
With Laborjack, you can get the best of both worlds to help with your big move!
8. Keep Your Important Documents in One Place
We recommend keeping important documents like auto titles, birth certifications, Social Security Cards, tax information, and other documents in one place. Keep these documents close at hand when moving to make sure they aren’t lost or misplaced.
9. Figure Out What You’re Doing with Your Car
You may want to ship your car, drive it to your new home, or tow it behind your rental truck. In some cases, it may even be better to sell it and buy a new one in your new state.
If you are bringing your car along, make sure you know how long you have to re-register it and get a new drivers’ license in your new state. Usually, you have somewhere between 2-4 weeks, but this can vary by state.
10. Pack An “Essentials Box” For Your First Night in Your New Home
It’s a good idea to pack up a box with some essentials like bedding, a few pots and pans, silverware, toiletries, some clothes, and other items you may need during your first night after your move. This lets you get to bed, rest up, and tackle the rest of your move – without requiring you to dig through a bunch of boxes to get the stuff you need.
Wondering how to move to another state with less stress? Laborjack can help!
If you need help loading up your rental truck and making your move to a new state, Laborjack is here for you. We offer flat rates, excellent service, and stress-free moving to help simplify the process of moving to another state. Book a Laborjack near you now to get started!