Moving can be a challenging task, and it can feel especially difficult depending on how far away you’re going. Although the prospect of moving to a new state is exciting, the process involved to get from point A to point B can be very stressful and draining. All the worries may make you believe that a stress-free long-distance move simply is not possible. However, with the right out of state moving tips, you can easily accomplish the goal of an easy interstate move without much trouble. Interested in figuring out how to move to a new state without all the hassles and headaches? Find out the best way to orchestrate a stress-free interstate move with our seven simple steps.

How to Plan an Interstate Move?

• Visit your new home

Before you decide to move (or soon after your decision), take a visit to the city you’re planning on moving to. Taking a trip to your new home can be helpful for a few reasons. First, it can allow you to make sure you like the area. Being there in person helps to give you a feel for the personality of the town. Additionally, this trip can be useful in assessing which neighborhoods you like best. If you’re looking to be close to a school or if you want to be in a quiet area, going there and seeing what the atmosphere is like can be a great way to make sure you actually like the place you’re moving to. You may even be able to chat with locals to see what the best spots are and get the inside scoop on what people think about different aspects of the city.

• Plan ahead

The sooner you start planning an interstate move, the better. Getting a headstart on this process can ultimately reduce your stress and make your move go a lot more smoothly. It’s ideal to organize yourself by creating a to-do list. For any items that need to be finished by a certain date, be sure to clearly note that on your checklist. Alternatively, you can use a calendar format to mark off specific due dates for your tasks. Either option works well to keep track of what you need to get done. Allow yourself plenty of time to get everything finished so you don’t need to rush through any tasks; rushing will create feelings of stress and anxiety. Plus, since you’re moving to a different state, it will be helpful to get your travel plans figured out sooner rather than later.

Another great way to plan is to create a budget for your move. Moving expenses can easily rack up, so it’s useful to be prepared for the many costs you’ll incur during this process. Try to estimate how much you’ll be spending, and consider all aspects of your move. It’s wise to allot extra funds for any emergency situations that may come up.

• Declutter your space

Before any move, it’s helpful to declutter, but for a long distance move, it can really be effective in reducing your moving costs. Because long distance movers will charge by how many items you have and how far they need to travel, it’s helpful to cut down what you can – in this case, the number of items you have. By doing this, you will also be able to have a clean slate in your new place, ridding yourself of any clutter you have in your current home.

To successfully declutter, you will want to divide your items into four categories: donate, sell, trash, and keep. Donating and selling can be a very effective way to repurpose your items, passing them along to someone who will be able to get good use out of them, rather than just throwing them away. If you decide you have a lot of items to sell, you can easily sell many at once by organizing a garage sale. If you’re looking to donate instead, many second-hand stores will gladly take your inventory. As you’re sorting through your belongings, try to be honest about what you actually want or need to keep, rather than holding onto them unnecessarily.

• Find a quality moving company

One of the biggest forms of help you can have during a move is the assistance of a long distance moving company. Start your search by looking for moving services in your area that can meet your needs by working interstate. When you’re searching for different companies, make sure to look through the reviews to properly assess if the company is trustworthy or if their customers frequently have issues with the quality of their service. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few dependable options, reach out to these companies to receive a quote. Ideally, these companies should be providing you with an in-home estimate in writing to give you the most accurate quote possible. You can then move forward getting the best price possible. Just be aware of any estimates that seem too good to be true – they often are.

• Pack properly

Packing your items correctly is crucial to your interstate move. Your belongings will need to travel a long way to arrive at your new home. In order to ensure they don’t get damaged in transit, it’s important to pack everything neatly and in an organized fashion. The key is to minimize the amount of movement that can occur within the boxes. To pack properly, you will want to have plenty of boxes, packing tape, permanent markers, bubble wrap, packing paper, and any other items that you need for the task. As you pack, you don’t need to fill your box to capacity if it makes the box too heavy. If your box is only half full and already starting to get too uncomfortable to lift, you’ll want to fill the empty space with something lightweight. This can be bubble wrap or packing paper, or you can repurpose other items like towels and blankets.

You’ll also want to make sure everything remains organized as you pack. Each box should only contain items from one room, rather than mixing together belongings from multiple rooms. This makes the unpacking process easier since you won’t have to go searching through various boxes to find what you need. Additionally, you’ll want to properly label everything – again, this makes everything much easier to find in the long run.

• Contact the right people

Before you move to your new address, you will want to contact a few important places to make sure your information is up to date. These places include the IRS, the postal service, your bank, your employer, your insurance provider, and your (or your child’s) school. Also, you will want to reach out to your current utility providers to let them know that you will need to terminate your service. Notify them of the date when these services will need to be turned off (ideally, the day of your move or the day after). These utilities may include water, gas, electricity, internet, and trash pick-up, among others. Remember to reach out to your new providers and get all of your utilities in order before you arrive at your new residence.

• Bring an essentials bag

Finally, it’s critical to have an essentials bag for the first day or two of your move. Especially because you are moving long distances, you may be spending a lot of time in transit or overnight in a hotel. It’s important to have any necessities such as toiletries, medications, changes of clothes, valuables like your electronics, and anything else that you may need as you travel or on the first night at your new home.

Plan your interstate move easily!

With these tips and tricks, you can handle your big move with ease. Looking for a reliable moving service to help you during this hectic time? Consult Cord Moving and Storage Company for all your relocation needs. For over 100 years, we’ve committed ourselves to provide our customers with the highest caliber of service. Find out what we can do for you, and request a free quote today!