Relocating can be a challenging project, especially when you move out of state. There are a lot of tasks to accomplish and things you should know before embarking on an interstate move. The farther away you’re planning to go, the more details you’ll need to worry about. Before you move out of state, use this checklist to get organized.

1. Make a Budget and Timeline

Moving out of state can be more expensive and time-consuming than you expect. Knowing how much money you have to spend ahead of time can help you make better decisions throughout the process.

As soon as you know you need to relocate, create a budget for expenses like moving supplies, having your car shipped to your new home and hiring an experienced moving company. If your move will take more than a day, don’t forget to factor in the cost of hotel stays and meals. Plus, you’ll also need to account for any expenses associated with getting comfortable in your new home, such as fees to set up utilities like electricity, water and internet.

2. Research Your Destination

If you’re not very familiar with the area where you’re planning to move out of state, it’s worth your time to do some homework and figure out what the quality of life there is like. What are the weather conditions like? Who will your elected officials be? What’s the average cost of living? Can you find a good job in your desired field?

Ideally, you’ll have enough time to spend a few days visiting your new neighborhood in person before you move there, getting an idea of what amenities and necessities are nearby. If that’s not possible because you’re on a tight budget and schedule, you can use tools like Google Street View to do a virtual tour.

3. Start Decluttering

You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s worth repeating – the less stuff you have to move, the more money you’ll save on your relocation. Go through your home one room at a time and do a clear-eyed assessment of your belongings. Generally, if you haven’t used something in the past year, you don’t need to keep hanging on to it.

After you decide what stays and what goes, you can evaluate the items you’ve deemed as clutter and determine whether you should throw them out, or if they’re in good enough condition to donate or sell.

4. Use Up Your Food

The kitchen can be one of the most challenging rooms to pack because it has so many fragile items like dishware. Save yourself some time before you move out of state by planning meals that use up perishable items, frozen foods and non-perishable goods like canned, dried and boxed foods.

Start Planning Your Residential Move Today

An interstate move can be a massive project to get your arms around, especially if you’ve never moved out of state before. Save yourself time, hassle and headaches by hiring the friendly, professional team at Fox Moving and Storage. As a full-service moving company, we can handle everything from packing to white-glove delivery. Best of all, we can be ready within an hour’s notice. Contact us today for your complimentary in-home estimate.