How To Move Across The Country: Your Step-By-Step Guide

So, you’re planning on trekking across the country to your new home? What an exciting journey that awaits you. Purchasing a new home for yourself (and your loved ones) often represents a new chapter in your life, with endless possibilities. And buying a new home across the country is like writing an entirely new book.

As wonderful and exciting as this is, let’s be real, it’s a big live event. Moving within the same neighborhood is filled with a bevy of logistics and checklists and tasks. Moving long distances multiplies all those things quite a bit. It’s pretty normal to feel anxious about a move like this, but fear not, we got you covered. Hopefully this guide about how to move across the country will help put your mind at ease.

Getting Ready To Move Across The Country

This guide will focus on the actual moving process, but a lot comes with a relocation of this magnitude. So, before we get into the nuts and bolts of moving, here are just a few suggestions on finding your perfect new place to call home.

• If possible, visit where you’re moving to. This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but sometimes circumstances (like a job relocation) make a pre-move visit tricky or not possible. If you can, take a tour of your new possible location (or locations) to get a sense of what it might be like living there. Check out the restaurants, parks, entertainment venues and other places you might be spending your time. Moving to a new place across the country can be pretty daunting if you are going in blind, so to speak.
• See if anyone in your network (personal and professional) has any insights about the area. Seeing a place is one thing, knowing a place is a whole different story. Check with people that have lived in the city or town you are moving to. If you can, rely on people who have lived there for a long time, as they will have a better sense of the pros and cons of calling that place home. Don’t know anyone in the place you are moving to? The internet is your friend for research about any place in the country.
• Research the cost of living where you’re going. Everyone runs the numbers on how much house they can afford in their new area. Not everyone remembers to look into the cost of living. In addition to housing, things like food, utilities, health care and transportation can vary greatly in price depending on location. Just because you can afford your new house doesn't mean you can afford your new locale.
• Be sure to consider what this move will mean for your career opportunities. If you are relocating for a job, that’s pretty clear. However, you still might want to know what type of job sectors thrive in your new location. After all, your current job might not be your last. If you are leaving a job in your current home without a new one lined up, this is even more important.
• If you have children, look into the potential schools in the area. Friends and family are a good source to get the lay of the land school-wise. A number of online resources that rate schools are available as well.

Don’t feel overwhelmed, as it’s not necessary to figure out every aspect of your new life before making a move. These tips can lead to a smoother transition, though. Planning is key, but leaving a little mystery in your future can keep the adventurous part of your journey alive.

Steps For Successfully Moving Across The Country

Once you’ve selected your new location and abode, it’s time to start planning your move across the country. Here’s an in-depth look from start to finish including setting a budget, making a checklist, logistical decisions, scheduling the move, updating utilities and other info, packing, cleaning out your old home, getting to your new home, unpacking and enjoying your new life.

1. Set A Moving Budget

Don't make the mistake of shelling out cash without planning how much to spend on your move first. The costs can add up, so you want to make sure your plan of action is in line with what you are willing to spend before taking any other steps. Setting a budget will inform many logistical decisions that need to be made. How much stuff you have, how much it weighs and how far you are going will play a big factor in your moving costs. On average, moving across the country is going to set you back between $2,406 and $6,869. That's a pretty big range, so decide what you can/want to spend and then plan accordingly.

2. Create A Moving Checklist With Deadlines

Develop a moving checklist and make sure it has clear deadlines. The checklist can be as detailed or vague as  you want to fit your personality and needs. For example, “pack” could be a task with a deadline or “pack kitchen” and “pack bedrooms” could be separate tasks with different deadlines. The level of detail is entirely up to you. If you are moving with other people, be sure to assign tasks so everyone knows what they are responsible for.

3. Make Logistical Decisions

There are more than a few ways to move across the country, so find the plan that’s right for you (with your budget in mind). Will you hire professional movers? Will you use PODS? Do you want to rent your own truck to drive across the country? Will you be driving your cars to your new home, or do you want to ship your vehicles? The more you do on your own, the less expensive it will be. That said, hiring professionals can sometimes be well worth the investment. Price is usually the key factor when people decide on their logistics, so let’s take a look at some price ranges

The cost of getting a PODS storage container delivered to your old house so you can pack it and then having it transported to your new place for unpacking is based on size and distance. For example, moving furniture in an average 3-bedroom house from New York to Florida will cost you roughly $3,400. That same trip will cost you about $4,700 for full service movers. If you rent your own truck and move everything yourself, you are looking at a bill of about $1,400.

Think about how you are going to get to your new home. Flying or driving? How are your pets going to get there? Is it necessary to book hotels for the trip? Be sure to include all of these costs into your moving budget.

4. Schedule The Move

Once you know the plan, it’s time to get to scheduling everything. Whether it’s a PODS storage container, a truck rental or full-service movers, get on the phone or online and start setting everything up. Make sure all the vendors you are hiring understand their timeline and make sure you understand how each individual timeline fits into your overall plan.

5. Notify Service And Utility Providers and Update Personal Identification

You are probably going to want the lights to work when you arrive at your new home. Afterall, no one likes unpacking in the dark. In addition to making sure the electric company has your info, here are a few more things to think about updating when it comes to your new address:

• Bank and credit card companies
• Post office
• DMV
• Voter registration
• Cable, internet company
• Gas, water, electricity companies

6. Pack

The best rule when it comes to packing is that it’s never too early to start. Many people find that inventorying all of their belongings, packing them up in boxes and getting them out of the house takes longer than they thought. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Use sturdy boxes and packing materials
• Label boxes clearly
• Load furniture with lightweight items
• Consider shipping some items
• Get a storage unit near your new home so you can move things before your move-in date
• Purchase moving insurance

7. Clean Out The Old Home

You want to leave your old home in nice condition for the people who bought it. After all, isn't that how you want the sellers of your new home to leave it for you? In addition to being considerate, cleaning out your old home benefits you as well. You never know what you might find when cleaning. Sometimes you can find things that you would have regretted leaving behind. Oh, and if you are moving from an apartment, cleaning it out helps the chances of getting your security deposit back.

8. Get To Your New Home

It’s time to hit the road toward the next chapter of your life … exciting times! You have already divided your mode of travel at this point and made the necessary arrangements, so all you have to do is pack a bag to get you through the trip and bon voyage!

9. Unpack And Enjoy

You made it to your new abode! Assuming your stuff made it there at the same time, it’s time to unpack. You probably have included a plan for this when you made your moving plan, but consider checking out this new house checklist for tips. Don’t feel like you need to unpack everything right away. Take your time and think about where you want everything to be in your new home. Going slow also gives you a little time to breathe, as it has been a lot of work to get this far.

FAQs: How To Move Across The Country

Hopefully you feel a little more prepared for your move across the country now, but let’s look at some frequently asked questions in case you are still searching for some answers.

Should I hire professional movers for a cross-country move?

It usually comes down to cost. If you can afford it, most people find the convenience and stress relief of hiring professional movers is usually worth it.

What is the cheapest month to move across the country?

Winter. Moving in the warmer months is typically more desirable, especially if you live in the northern part of the country. So, if you are looking to cut costs, consider moving in the colder months when demand and  prices might be lower.

The Bottom Line: The Best Way To Move Across The Country Is To Take Things One Step At A Time

Understanding how to move across the country takes research, planning and execution. Feeling overwhelmed? Just take that first step of setting a moving budget and you’ll find the next steps will fall right in line. It can definitely be an emotional time though, so it’s a good idea to learn more about handling the emotions of moving before you get started.