By choice or by force, you’ve decided to move out of state! A new home and job in fresh surroundings sounds exciting, but the steps to reach that final destination can be demanding. As you prepare for your big move to another state, here are a few tips to put things in focus and make the move as smooth as possible:
1. Formulate a Plan
A great deal hinges on how much you plan to spend on your move. When considering your moving budget, consider whether you prefer renting a truck a soliciting help from family and friends to do the move yourself. When considering a DIY move, you’ll also need to factor in the time you’ll spend packing, on the road, and unpacking at your new home. Or perhaps, you have a more generous budget, and can hire professional movers to do the work before you. Whether you decide to do-it-yourself or hire a moving company, make sure you book your truck or movers as early as possible to ensure lower rates and availability. Once you have a date set for your move, it will be easier to determine the timing for the rest of your moving to-dos.
2. Select Movers Carefully
Just like any other industry, the moving industry has its fair share of bad apples. Interstate movers are governed by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Any moving company transporting household goods across state borders must be licensed with FMCSA and adhere to the DOT’s standards. These Philadelphia movers recommend that you always make sure the mover you hire is qualified for your move by asking whether they adhere to these FMCSA standards:
- Motor vehicle insurance, worker’s compensation and liability insurance.
- Up-to-date registration
- An ID for tracking inspections and reviews, or a U.S. Department of transportation number.
You can check a mover’s standing with the DOT by looking up their registration information here.
3. Minimize
An old saying says there is nothing like a flood or a fire to pare a person down to their basic needs. A move may just fall into that category as well. Before you begin packing those moving boxes, look around and see what really needs to come with you on your cross country move. Use the pack, purge, or donate approach. Do you really need that collection of outdated encyclopedias or that bike you haven’t ridden in five years since the chain broke? Consider selling these items on eBay or at a garage sale, or get a tax deduction by donating them to a local non-profit.
4. Plan for the Delivery Spread
A moving company will provide you a ‘delivery spread‘ which will indicate about when your goods will arrive at your new property. The spread will likely span from 1-14 days.
Why? Big movers move multiple customer’s goods, like a bus moves people. it would be prohibitively expensive to take your furniture only and cruise across the country in a huge moving van. Make sure you’ve planned for the lag time between moving out of one house and into another. While you wait for your things to arrive, you may need to use a blow up mattress or make alternative sleeping arrangements with family, friends, or in temporary housing.
5. Don’t Forget the Car
You will probably need to move at least one car by shipping it. Auto transportation across country can take 1-2 weeks, so you will need to coordinate shipping the car with your arrival date. That may mean you will be without transportation for a few days before you move, so you may need arrangements to get to appointments or work.
6. Prepare for an Unexpected Event
Though moving companies make every effort to deliver your belongings on time, there are sometimes unforeseen circumstances, like bad weather, that may cause a delay. To prepare for any situation, it’s best to pack some of your most essential items and carry them with you. At a minimum, carry at least 1-2 weeks of clothing for every member of your family, important documents, and medicine. Additionally, you may want to consider packing some pots, pans, and other kitchen necessities so you don’t have to keep eating take-out while you wait for the rest of your belongings. You should also prepare your body for additional sleep if you are moving across several time-zones.
7. Turn on the Utilities
With so much to get done just to move out of one house, it can be easy to forget things that need to be done at the new place. Make sure you’ve coordinated with local utility providers to have your electricity, water, gas, and other services connected prior to your arrival at your new home. A hot shower or a nice warm meal can make all the difference when you’re trying to relax after stressful days of relocating.
Planning and perseverance will make your out-of-state move smooth and – maybe even fun!