Moving To A New State Checklist

For all of the excitement that comes with it, moving always tends to be a pretty stressful experience.

I've moved a few times in my life before - between my family moving to a new house and moving to various apartments for college. Even though college was out of state, since it wasn't long-term, I didn't have to worry about a lot of the things that I'm finding on my plate with this move.

Being as OCD as I am with my lists, Tyler and I made it a point to site down, do some research and create a comprehensive checklist of everything that we needed to do when moving to a new state...

Moving To A New State Checklist:

• Research Your New Home City - Start getting familiar with the area. Google, Facebook and blogs can really help you to start getting a good idea of your new home.

• Visit Your New Home - If you are able to, I cannot recommend actually physically visiting the area. Seeing it in person really makes a huge difference. Although it's good to start learning online, nothing beats being there in the flesh.

• Schedule Hangouts - Make sure to schedule all of the last hangouts with friends and family before you leave. The time goes by so fast that I found if it wasn't on the calendar it didn't happen (maybe it's just me).

• Check Out Cost Of Living Differences - Get familiar with the cost of living difference from where you're coming from. You'll most likely have to adjust your budget depending on where you're moving to/from.

• Find And Secure An Apartment/Home - Check out this blog post I did on The Complete Apartment Hunting Checklist for more details!

• Figure Out Moving & Storage Options - You'll have to figure out how you're gonna move everything to your new destination. Then, depending on your timeline, you might need to figure out a storage situation.

• Set A Moving Budget - If you don't want to blow through an insane amount of money, set up a budget... very important.

• Buy Plane Tickets/Ship Your Car (If Applicable) - Depending on where you're moving to, you may decide to ship or sell your car and fly. If that's the case, you'll have to get that sorted out as well as buy your plane tickets.

• Decide On What You're Going To Bring/What You're Going To Throw Out/Donate - Go through all of your stuff (and if you're up for the challenge, I mean everything . Every single paper, nicknack, etc) and decide what you absolutely need to bring, what's worth shipping and what you can throw out/donate.

• Pack Up Everything And Clean - Once you've gone through all of your stuff, you're gonna want to clean.

• Do One Final Check Before Moving Out - Before you leave for good, make sure you do one last walk through. You don't want to forget anything important.

• Make A List Of Everything You'll Need To Buy When You Move - There is an inevitable list of things that you're gonna need when you move into your new place (shower curtain liner, cleaning supplies, etc). Start making that list early, you'll thank yourself later.

• Power Down/Up Utilities - Make sure you power down your old utilities (If applicable) and fire up your new ones.

• Figure Out Your New Healthcare - You'll have to check with your insurance and find providers that are in network in your new area to get service. Better to do this before you actually need to go!

• Get A New Driver's License - You'll need to become an official resident (depending on which state to move to, you might only have anywhere between 10-30 days to do this. You also may need to retake the written driver's test, just a head's up).

• Get New License Plates and Update Vehicle Registration - You're also going to need to update your license plates and vehicle registration (depending on which state to move to, you might only have anywhere between 10-30 days to do this).

• Update Your Address - You're gonna need to update your address on any important forms or accounts once you move.

• Register To Vote In Your State - You'll need to register to vote in your new state - this is important to do before any elections come up!

• Get Familiar With Your State's Natural Disaster Risks - Different states have different risks - get familiar with them and how you can protect yourself in case of an emergency.

• Collate Official Records (Passport, Birth Certificate, SS Card, deeds, titles, medical records, pet documents, etc) - You are going to need to have all of your important paperwork on hand when needed and secured when not. Don't forget them!

• Transfer/Set Up Renters Insurance (if applicable) - Depending on your situation you may need to transfer or set up renters insurance.

• Move In, Have Fun and Enjoy Exploring Your New Home - The most important part of the journey!

One thing that I've really been starting to internalize over the past year is to enjoy each and every day - no matter how stressful. We can only control what we can control. Your moving day will come no matter if you stress about it or not, so why not enjoy every moment? Make a plan, stick to it and take on each day with a smile. It's easier said than done, but one of the most rewarding things you can do.

I hope this helps you on your moving journey - present or future. I'm praying for you and wishing you all the best!

Sending love always,

J.S.