Moving Out Of State With a Successful Plan
Moving Out of State With a Successful Plan
Sometimes life circumstances put you in a position where you need to have a plan for moving out of state or to another country. There are countless of reasons that one decides to make the decision to move sometimes is a job opportunity, looking for a new beginning or change, or you were a victim of a crime. I want to help make the experience of moving out of state easier by being prepared. There are different things that one should do to make the process easy:
- Out of state address
- Decide where are you moving out of state
- Types of transportation services
- What to pack when moving out of state?
- Places to call before moving out of state
- Research the new place where you will be moving
(This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure.)
Out of State Address
Two weeks prior to your set moving date you need to inform the United States Postal Service that you want all your mail to be forwarded to your new address. You do not want to lose important documents that some companies send you through the mail. There are two options to make the change of address
- Online- all you need is an email address and a payment of $1.00 for identity identification. They need to make sure it is really you and not someone else trying to get all your personal mail. The benefit is one less trip and they provide a discount for mover companies which is not bad information. Click here for the Official USPS Change of Address
- In person- simply fill out a form and wait about 5 days to receive a letter in the mail confirming the address change. The benefit is that there is no fee needed to make the change in person since they will check your identification. Click here to Find the nearest location
Decide Where are you Moving Out of State
There are so many different places that you can plan to move like with a family member or friend, a new home, or a rented apartment.
Family, relative, or friend– I encourage you to talk about privacy, where will you have your belongings, if you will have your own temporary room until you find a job position to move on your own. I am sure you would like privacy sometimes because is their house they will enter the room without knocking the door, explain to them why it is important. It is normal for people to want their own quiet time alone in a small space after a long stressful day perhaps in a new job position. Talk about the money expectation for the time staying in their house. Think about the rent, utilities, food, and cleaning. It is really sad to end up having a bad relationship due to a misunderstanding. If you have children explain to them that little kids are messy and just want to have fun. Do not assume that this person where you will be staying at is okay with watching the kids for free. Also, you might be disappointed by habits that the family, relatives or friends is used to do and hard to give up.
Your own new home– Congratulations you have a new house. The first thing you need to do is make sure that the light, electricity, heat, and water are working before the day you move. Call the utility companies to make sure that everything is activated. Make sure to have ownership costs taken care of like property taxes, maintenance, and insurance
A rented apartment is similar to having a new home, the only difference is that at this point in life you are not able to afford to own a home. It is fewer responsibilities in terms of ownership expenses.
Types of Transportation Services (to move your belongings out of state)
A full-service move is when the movers will do all the job themselves from packing everything, disassembling furniture to fit in the truck, driving, to unloading and reassembling in the new place all except the boxes they packed.
Self-move is when you will do everything from choosing the type of truck, supplies, loading, driving, unloading to handling fragile boxes.
A hybrid move is when you choose the transportation that works best it can be a portable storage container, or freight trailer.
If you choose a portable storage container the company you choose will drop a container in front of your house and leave it there then you will be responsible to load everything. Once you are done you call the company they will pick up the container and the movers will drive it to your new home, or to a storage location. You are basically paying for the storage and prices vary depending on the size.
A freight trailer service can be compared to the self-move option I mentioned earlier the only difference is that the company has a person that will drive to the new location and not yourself.
What to Pack When Moving Out of State?
A great time to declutter and decide what you really need to take with you, donate, give away to a close friend/neighbor, or sell. Take into consideration the time invested to perform let’s say sell items you no longer need. Only if the item is in good condition it may be worth to sell it. Remember people who buy used things tend to want stuff for a low price. A good example is a stove I recently bought that cost about $400 with taxes and delivery charges. There is no way anyone will pay the same amount I pay for the stove, instead, I am mentally prepared to sell it for at least $150 which is a reasonable price for a gently used stove.
Consider classifying items to make the process easier.
Things I absolutely need (when you are in the new state you will need right away)
Clothes (to last a week so at least 7 outfits)
Shoes (two pairs)
Books (you child school books and or your books if you are attending college)
Things I don’t need
- Even if you do need the items listed below you need to find out if the other place that you are moving to include the appliances.
- Also is it worth the price to move the items or would it be more affordable to sell them and invest a little in buying the items.
Refrigerator (some apartments include a refrigerator)
washer (some apartments include a washer)
dryer (some apartments include a dryer)
dining table (you need but can buy another one in the new state or country you are moving)
living room set (you need but can buy another in the new state or country you are moving)
Things I want to keep (but don’t really need)
- If the item has not been used for a long period of time, it is time to let go of it.
- If it still has value and you think other people will buy it at a reasonable price sell it.
- If not donate it there might be other people who can find an item you no longer need or use and make use of it, perhaps give them to a close neighbor or friend.
Remember if you donated some things keep the receipts since they can be deducted when filing your income taxes.
Places to Call Before Moving Out of State
Do not leave the phone calls to the last-minute start calling the companies that supply services in your house at least a month before your moving date. These companies need to know that on ________ date is your last date living there. I would not like to pay for services I am no longer using at my old house. Those places include the following:
Electricity Company,
Light company
Phone company
Cable
Internet
Research the New Place Where You Will Be Moving
Sometimes we might have a ________ state or ________ country set in our minds and you say “that is my new destination” It is great to be precise but remember to do your research you do not want to be surprised in your new location. There are some important things you can consider researching:
Cost of living- how much do you need to pay for rent or the price of a house. What is the percentage paid in taxes in ________ place? What is the minimum pay range for a job position? Is there medical benefits offered if so are those a good fit for your prescription needs, like glasses or regular checkups.
Climate-Is the weather nice and warm all year long like Puerto Rico where you won’t notice the season changes. Perhaps is like New York city where you can see all four seasons change. Then you need to plan to buy certain clothes for every season or do you just need to prepare to have a wardrobe in a light cotton material.
Communication is the main language spoken English or do you need to learn a new language. There are some places like New York where people are mainly outgoing and friendly depending on the area while there are other places like Chicago where there is slower people, and there is no rush to get anywhere and most people speak Spanish since the call it the sanctuary city. A sanctuary city is a place where people hide as refugees or go to for safety. In Chicago, after 8 PM every store will be closed while in New York you can find stores open until 12 midnight.
Schools
Research new school’s options (for the children). Look at new universities opportunities.
Time Change Be prepared for a time change because you currently live on central standard time does not mean that when you move to let’s say, New York, it would be the same time because it would now be eastern standard time usually one hour ahead.
I tend to feel more comfortable when I know what to expect in a new state or country. There are so many things that you need to consider before you make the big move. I hope that you find the information helpful and that by knowing what to do you will not feel overwhelmed and lost. Remember your mental health is the most important part of your life if you are not healthy mentally you will not be able to do anything else. Once you have checked off the things to do, you should consider networking with people at the new location from your current location like agencies, employers, and other people who can give you hand. Catch their attention by writing to them, communicate do not just sit back and wait instead get prepared with a plan.