Making a long-distance move is quite a bit different than moving across town or even relocating to a nearby city. When you move out of state, you’re basically upending your life and everything in it, and the process to get there requires considerable patience, planning, and preparation.
If you’ve never moved to another state before, the idea of relocating can feel overwhelmingly stressful, especially if you’re moving an entire family. At Ace Moving & Warehousing in Rochester, we’re here to help you out.
Below, we’ve outlined an out-of-state-moving checklist to get you started on making your upcoming relocation as smooth and low-stress as possible.
Take a Pre-Move Trip to Your New City
You don’t have to visit your new city before you move, but taking a brief trip there to get a feel for the area and the neighborhoods you might like is an excellent idea. Without making the trip, you’re basically moving blindly, and if you’re not familiar with the area, you could very well end up in a neighborhood you don’t like or one that isn’t super safe.
While you can certainly do some internet digging, there’s no better way to learn about your new location than to explore it yourself.
Research School Districts
If you have school-age children, finding a good school district is an absolute must. If you plan on sending your kids to public school, do some research to figure out which neighborhoods are associated with highly rated school districts.
Ideally, you should take care of school research before you make a trip to your new city. That way, you can visit nearby neighborhoods to get a feel for where you’d like to live.
Find Your New Home
If possible, find your new home before your move. While you can certainly find a short-term rental and house hunt for a more permanent place once you arrive in your new state, taking that route only creates more work (and stress).
If you’re hiring professional movers and packers (which we highly recommend for interstate relocations), they’ll only be around to unload your stuff one time. Once they get it off the truck and into your new place, they’re gone.
If you need to move out of a temporary rental to a more permanent home a few months down the line, you’ll have to tackle the process yourself or pay another professional moving company to do it for you. Either way, it’s probably more work and stress than you’d care to shoulder.
So how do you find a suitable house if you can’t be there to view it in person? Hire a reputable local realtor and meet with your agent when you make your brief visit to your new city. If you take care of this step early enough, you can probably tour a few homes during your trip.
Create a Moving Budget
Moving to a new state can get expensive in a hurry if you don’t create a budget and stick to it. To build your relocation budget, start by figuring out how much you’re comfortable spending on your move. Once you’ve landed on a number (or a range of numbers) write down all the supplies and services you anticipate needing to complete the relocation. Include:
● Professional moving company fees (base fee, distance fee, specialty items fee, added insurance costs, etc.)
● Lodging expenses if you need to stay the night somewhere during the move
● Fuel costs
● Dining costs
● Pet or childcare on truck-loading day
● Packing and moving supplies if you’re not hiring full packing services
● Truck rental and equipment fees if you’re planning a DIY move
Figure out how much each line item will likely cost and then allocate funds accordingly. It’s also a good idea to set aside a small emergency fund for unexpected expenses since they have a way of popping up out of nowhere during most long-distance moves.
Not sure how to structure a relocation budget? Check out our tips on creating a move budget that meets your unique needs.
Select a Date for Your Relocation
If you’re moving for work, chances are upper management has already decided when you need to be there. But if you’re moving for personal reasons, try to figure out a move date as early as you possibly can — at least three months in advance of when you think you’d like to arrive.
If you plan to hire professional long-distance movers, you’ll need to solidify your move date before you start calling around for quotes. Why? Because many moving companies charge different rates based on customer volume during specific times of year (summer is usually the most expensive time to move).
To allocate the right amount of money for professional moving services in your relocation budget, it’s important that you nail down a date and stick to it.
Research and Hire a Professional Rochester Moving Company
If you want your relocation to be as smooth and low stress as possible, you need to hire a long-distance moving company. If you’re looking to streamline the process as much as possible, opting for full moving and packing services is also an excellent idea.
But to find a reputable mover, you must do your due diligence. Don’t just hire the first company you run across! Start by researching moving companies online and be sure to really dig into their customer reviews. Look for licensing, accreditations, rating with the BBB, and other trust signals that demonstrate the business is legitimate and truly cares about its customers.
For helpful tips on finding high-quality, long-distance movers, check out the five traits every reputable moving company should have.
Solidify Your Travel Arrangements
Will you be driving your personal vehicles to your new home? Are you planning to fly? You’ll need to figure this out as early as possible to make the appropriate travel arrangements.
If you’re hiring professional movers, there are certain items you probably own they cannot or will not handle for legal and safety reasons. These items, referred to as non-allowables, include flammable items, batteries, cleaning solvents, and a bunch of other stuff.
Unless you plan to throw these things out before you move, you’ll need to arrange alternate transportation for them. Check out the full list of non-allowables, so you know what to expect.
Need Long-Distance Movers in Rochester? Contact Ace Moving & Warehousing
If you’re getting ready for an interstate move, let our team at Ace Moving & Warehousing make your life easier. We specialize in a wide variety of moving services for Rochester residents, including full packing services, storage solutions, custom move plans, and much more.
To get started or learn more about how we can help you, call our Rochester office at (507) 288-3341 or send us a message with your questions. Or, feel free to request a fast quote and we’ll be in touch!