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How to Help Your Family Make an Interstate Move

June 14, 2022

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Moving can be quite a memorable experience, especially if the location you’re relocating to is somewhere you’d love to live. And preparing your family for an interstate move isn’t just telling everybody to pack—it requires careful planning, and that’s why this post will guide you on how you can help your family make an interstate move. 

Making an interstate move – what you need to know

How to Help Your Family Make an Interstate Move - family unpacking after moving

Determine the Exact Place Where You’re Going to Stay

One of the biggest challenges of interstate moves is finding a place to live in your new town or city. This can be quite hard since you can’t just go house hunting in person. Whether you’re buying or renting, it’s advisable to work with a local agent who is familiar with the locality and can guide you in the right direction. 

Begin the search early to get sufficient time to research and compare the available options. Be wary of rental scams, as individuals searching for homes in another state are scammers’ top targets since they’re likely to send money before viewing the house. Following this, working with a rental or real estate agent is important. 

If you can’t visit before signing, you can opt for a short-term rental and make a permanent decision after settling in. 

Determine Transport Logistics

The budget you set will determine how you move your family and belongings. You can either choose the DIY route, bring in professionals to help you move, or get moving containers. You’ll also have to inquire about the cost of hiring a reputable moving company and compare it to the cost of a DIY move. 

The DIY method involves hiring a moving truck or trailer for your family’s interstate move, which may be cheaper than hiring removalists. There’s a price disparity depending on who you hire or rent the moving truck from and if there are any promotions you can score. 

Moving containers enable you to pack and move your items at an affordable price. This is great if you want to save cash and avoid driving a moving truck from one state to another. 

The easiest way to move your family interstate is to hire removalists since they will do the packing, transportation and unloading. Muval’s interstate removalists are professionals who will help your family have a smooth interstate move. 

How to Help Your Family Make an Interstate Move - happy couple with laptop sitting on couch in new house

Make a Moving Budget

Setting a budget is essential for an interstate move. Since this isn’t a cheap endeavour, setting the cost expectations is critical to avoid being hit with surprises. 

Use a moving cost calculator to determine the overall estimate of how much money your family will need for an interstate move. When setting the budget, ensure you include all the extra costs you may tack on to the total. For example, if you ride a motorcycle, you may also require motorcycle shipping services. Moving costs include supplemental insurance or liability coverage, packing services and supplies, storage, and travel fees. 

The more items you need to move, the more it will cost. This is constant whether you use a rental truck or hire removalists. Consider moving with fewer items to spend less. 

You can sell, donate or responsibly dispose of items you don’t need or the things that’ll be cheaper to purchase in the new state. This will cut down the overall spending and make the interstate move cost-effective. 

Come Up with a Packing Plan

There’s barely any time to waste when making an interstate move since you can’t run back and forth to get your belongings from one point to another. You’ll have to pack up everything and get them ready in time before the moving day. Additionally, you’ll have to ensure you’ve donated, tossed or sold all the items you don’t plan to move. 

Begin by collecting your packing supplies. You’ll have to figure out how many supplies (packing paper, tape, and boxes) you need. It’s advisable to get extra supplies than you anticipate using since it’s better to get a use for additional supplies than to go to and fro the store. 

In addition, ensure you pack an essentials bag with everything you’ll need to access quickly and instantly after your move. The bag should include items such as basic toiletries, chargers, some clothes, medications, and important documents. Ensure the kids and pets in your family have their own essentials bag. 

How to Help Your Family Make an Interstate Move - little girl playing in a box

Set Up the Utilities

Before moving, you’ll have to cancel the existing utilities and create new ones. Even though you can transfer utilities from your old home to the new one, it’s slightly complicated when it comes to interstate moves. Most utility providers are locality-specific; therefore, your current home’s water, gas or electricity provider might not operate in your next state. 

Research to find out what’s available. You’ll have to look for new alternatives for the utilities you’ll cancel. Consult your new landlord or Realtor about the utility services they recommend. 

Then inquire about pricing and decide on installation dates using the new address. In the meantime, contact your current utility firms and notify them of the dates you’ll cancel their service. Leave heat or AC and electricity for move-out day. 

You may easily transfer services like TV and Internet compared to other utilities. Remember that pricing may differ significantly from one state to another among these kinds of providers, even for an identical package. Ensure you compare costs to avoid overspending

Bottom Line

Interstate moving involves more than just preparing and packing your belongings and hiring removalists to do the heavy-liftings. This kind of move takes knowledge of the logistics and locations. The tips above will help your family have a hitch-free interstate move. 

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