Moving is hard enough, but relocation across state lines can be an even bigger challenge. Here is a complete moving out-of-state checklist to help you with your upcoming journey!
At A Glance
- Eight weeks leading up to your moving day should be focused on planning the logistics of your upcoming move
- Six weeks before moving day, find the moving company that’s right for you (and keep preparing!)
- One month out, you can start to do things like declutter and pack unneeded items
- With two weeks to go, there are still a few smaller items that need to be taken care of, such as changing your address with your bank
- One week before moving day should be spent on finishing packing and taking care of the details of your interstate travels
- On the big day, make sure your house is ready for your movers to come, it’s cleaned, and you do a final walkthrough
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#1. Eight Weeks Before Moving Day
Now that it’s time to prepare for your upcoming move, you might feel like there’s too much on your plate to handle. Moving can be stressful, and it can be challenging in and of itself to find ways to manage said stress.
Plus, moving across state lines adds another aspect to your upcoming adventure. The more distance you’re relocating, the more difficult it can be.
But one surefire way to help fight that overwhelming feeling is by preparing well in advance. Organization and preparation are key to any successful move, and you should ensure they’re at the top of your list of priorities.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a checklist of everything you’ll need to do before locking up your old home to make your way over to your new residence.
Starting As Early As Possible
Don’t underestimate how long it will take to prepare for your move. Sometimes, people think all they need to do is pack up their stuff. But your responsibilities will go much deeper than that.
It would be best to prepare for your out-of-state move at least two months in advance. Honestly, the earlier, the better.
This time should be set aside for planning in general. Ensure you have a game plan for everything ahead of you. Here are a few things that will help you out.
Planning Your Move The Right Way
Let’s take a trip back to high school. Fashion yourself a handy dandy moving binder to keep everything straight and organized. This will be a great place to keep all your important documents in place.
Feel free to print out any information, terms, or documents you need as you prepare your move. Or, if you want to cut back on your paper usage, you can also make PDF copies of things and save documents online. Then, create a folder in your cloud and keep it all there.
Collect documents like birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, titles, deeds, and medical records. Put them in your new binder so you can hold onto them as you move. Keep an eye on them, so you don’t lose anything or accidentally pack them in a box.
One thing we do recommend printing out is a comprehensive moving checklist. A visual representation of everything you need to accomplish will definitely help in the long run.
Stock Up On Moving Supplies
You can never start buying packing supplies too early. What’s the worst that can happen?
In fact, this can save you a lot of heartache down the road. Too often, the seemingly simple tasks get put off until you’re racing against the clock.
Especially if you’re packing everything yourself, get things like moving boxes, packing paper, and tape now.
Set A Moving Budget
Moving won’t be free. Even if you do everything solo without a moving crew or fancy moving supplies, it can be expensive to trek you and all your belongings across the states.
Creating a budget now can help you later on. Take your time to include everything, and set aside money for emergency expenses.
#2. Six Weeks Out
As it nears your moving day, you should hopefully have your moving date picked out. This will be essential as it will be the foundation for all your planning.
Finding The Right Moving Company For You
Around the six-week mark, you should focus on finding the right moving company. It will be essential to find a team you can see yourself working with in advance so both parties can successfully coordinate your move.
Do plenty of research beforehand on prospective movers so you can find a professional moving company you trust. Don’t settle. After all, they’ll be helping you move your entire life!
A Team You Can Trust
Here at The Movers Moving And Storage, we’ve made a name for ourselves as movers families can trust. We’ve been operating in the state of Florida for years, and we’ve helped countless people move, pack, and store their belongings.
All of our movers are completely qualified and licensed, so you can feel at peace knowing only the best of the best will be handling your items. Whether you’re moving down the street or across the state, we can take care of the hard parts so you can focus on enjoying your new home.
Keep Planning Your Move
When you’re six weeks out from your moving day, ensure you complete the following tasks:
- Secure housing if you haven’t yet
- Decide what to do with your car if you’re not driving it there (selling, shipping, etc.)
- Buy plane tickets (if you’ll be flying)
- Schedule your utility shut-off date at your current residence
Before you can start packing, you’ll need to declutter. Start deciding what you want to get rid of before you move. Then, donate or sell what you can.
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#3. One Month Before Your Out-Of-State Move
By now, a great deal of the planning should be figured out. However, your long-distance move needs plenty of attention, and you can’t let up now!
As you hit the one-month mark, you might be feeling a bit more nervous. But if you’ve been preparing adequately, that stress won’t be so daunting. So here are the rest of the things you should be taking care of with one month left to go.
- Contact utility companies at your new home and give the providers your move-in date so you can ensure everything will be in operation when you arrive.
- Need to store some items? Rent a storage unit if you need and ensure it’ll be the right size for your belongings.
- As you declutter, don’t forget to declutter your food. Try to eat up anything perishable that you won’t be able to bring with you. You can either bring your non-perishables with you or donate them to a food bank.
- Make a packing plan, so you’re prepared for those boxes. It’ll be less of a hassle when you decide to pack.
- Schedule cleaners for your old home after you move out.
Around this time, you should also start to pack. It may seem a bit premature, but we promise you, it’s not.
Start packing early to get ahead of the game. But make sure you do it mindfully. You want to avoid taping up anything you’ll need before getting to your new home – so start with the non-essentials first!
You should only be packing things you rarely need. For example, seasonal items like Christmas decorations or skis can be safely packaged. Anything else you know you won’t need for a while can also find a new home in a moving box.
#4. Two Weeks Before Moving Day
The pressure is on now that you’re past the one-month mark and only two weeks from making your move. But, hopefully, you’re not feeling too much stress.
At this point, all your preparation will start to save you. Of course, anything you forgot or neglected to do early on will pile up.
But as long as you’re prepared, even the two-week mark will feel like a breeze!
Here’s what you should do now:
- Update your address. Anywhere that has your old address should be updated to your new location. For example, your bank, financial institutions, cell phone provider, and credit card companies should be updated on your address.
- Confirm with your moving company. Make sure everyone is on the same page about the date of the move and the services you need help with.
- Transfer your renter’s insurance policy if you’re renting.
- Set up trash and/or recycling at your new home.
You can also keep packing. As the date gets closer, pack more and more items that you won’t be needing anymore.
#5. One Week Away From The Day
With one week to go, it can feel like the big day is right at your doorstep. Luckily, you have a little bit of time left to get everything sorted out if you haven’t yet already.
First of all, don’t forget to keep packing. Try to pack as many items as you can during this last week, so everything is packed at least two days before you move.
As you’re packing, remember to set aside items you’ll need while traveling to your new home. For interstate moves, you might need certain belongings for multiple days while you survive out of hotel rooms when you’re not on the road.
Make sure you pack a bag or suitcase with the essentials like clothes, toiletries, documents, and snacks. If you’ll be driving, creating a survival bag may also be helpful. You never know what might happen, and it’s always better to be prepared.
In addition, pack a box of things you’ll need as soon as you get to your new home. Items like dishware, silverware, laundry detergent, extra clothes, toiletries, or scissors should be put here.
Here are a few other smaller items you can take care of during the last week:
- Set up a change of address with USPS. It’s easy to do online!
- If you don’t have professional cleaners coming, start to clean the hard-to-reach areas like the fridge, freezer, baseboards, and behind the toilet.
- Get some cash for the move. Having spare emergency money might help down the road (pun not intended.)
- Take care of your car. If you’re planning on selling it, this process should be finalized by this point. If you’re driving, give it a deep clean, making your move more enjoyable.
#6. On The Big Day
Now that the big day is here, it’s time to see if all your planning has paid off. (Spoiler: we already know it has!)
Either the day before or on moving day, everything should be finalized. Your house should be deep cleaned and ready for a final walk-through. The moving boxes should be packed and prepared for the movers to take away. And your car should be full of snacks for the road!
Before the movers arrive, ensure you have a planned path for them. Make sure you can prop the door open and be ready to move those boxes.
Once everything is out of the house, do a last check and walkthrough. Ensure nothing is left behind or missing. Check out often-forgotten areas like the basement, attic, garage, the entirety of the front and back yard, cupboards, and closets.
Ready to move? Take a breather before you hit the road or hop on that plane. You just did a lot! And now, the best reward will be settling into your new home and welcoming in the new possibilities.
You’ve got this!
Keep Reading: How To Choose A Reliable Moving Company Based On Your Needs
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The Movers Moving & Storage has been a family-owned and operated moving company for 40 years and across three generations. Serving areas in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Bradenton, Spring Hill, Lakeland, Wesley Chapel, Brandon, and Clearwater in Florida, our simple approach to moving has not changed since the day we opened. We treat our customers like family and their belongings like our own. For more moving facts and information, follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
