The Secrets to Conducting a Successful Interstate Move From NYC

Relocating from NYC to another state is a very challenging and potentially very stressful process. No matter where you plan to relocate to, there are a million little things to consider and prepare for. The secret lies in knowing what you need to do before you need to do it. At Roadway Moving NYC, we strongly believe in the power of being prepared. That is why we have prepared this article for you, where we will share all the “secrets” to conducting a successful interstate move from NYC. This small guide will be comprised of three parts, each focusing on a distinct segment of your interstate relocation. After you finish reading, the interstate moving process will hold no secrets for you!

Table of Contents

Conducting a Successful Interstate Move From NYC Part 1 – NYC

The best place to start is your current hometown, NYC. As you might already be aware, NYC is quite unique. There’s no city like it in the entire world. There must be things that you’ve always wished to do in the city yet never found the time for. This is the time to do all those things. Try to take some time for yourself and your family before the relocation tornado catches up to you. Because once you get into relocation tasks and issues, it never really stops. At that point, you may have neither the energy nor inclination to explore the city and try out new things. And that would be a real shame.

Thus, before you start the moving preparation phase, try to enjoy NYC while you’re still there. Even though you might be hiring long distance movers to help you relocate, you may simply not have the time once the relocation effort begins in earnest. There is so much to do and it always looks like you have so little time. You can also think of this as a sort of “bucket list“. Create a list of things that you absolutely have to do before you leave, and then do them!

Conducting a Successful Interstate Move From NYC Part 2 – Preparation phase

At this stage of your relocation effort, you will mostly be doing research and calculations. One thing to point out is that the sooner you start with this phase, the better. The reason for that is that you can always do a bit more research. And since most of your research is going to involve money in some shape or form, it can pay off! For example, if you need to hire white glove services to transport your delicate items, your budget will thank you for that nifty tax deduction you figured out. All in all, there are too many things you can research for us to list them all. We will, however, list the most important things:

• Visit your new home area
• Do some research online
• Check the difference in living costs
• Take note of tax changes
• Find new health professionals in your new area
• Find a school for your kids

As you can see, some of these research topics can be quite extensive. Take taxes, for example. You can literally spend all your time before the relocation just poring over the differences in taxes between the two states. But the trick here is not to research everything to the fullest, but to take note of what interests you the most. For example, when calculating living costs, you don’t need to check the difference in price between every single item. In other words, try to be efficient and not waste too much time on research. You will need the time to plan the moving process, as well.

Visiting your new state

If you can, make sure to visit your new state at least once prior to the move. This will allow you to get a feeling for the state with your own senses. While you can get most of the information about your new state from one of the interstate movers NYC has on offer, it is simply not the same. You need to be there to truly know how it is.

The importance of online research

Even if you do visit your new home area in person, you will still want to conduct at least some online research. These days, you can navigate your new city via Google Earth, figure out how navigable the place is on foot/bike/public transit, and even meet your new neighbors online! Basically, you can know more about the city in a couple of days doing research than someone who has lived there for generations. That is the power of the internet, and it is frightening at times. Conducting a successful interstate move from NYC is going to be a lot easier if you do your research properly. Just don’t spend too much time on this part, the next one might be more important.

Make sure to figure out your new living costs

Coming from NYC, pretty much any other place is going to have lower living costs. While this is mostly good news, you will still want to know about the difference. Will you be able to afford new things, and if so, how many? All in all, if you want to make the most out of your moving budget, this is the part where most of your time will be going toward.

Let’s say that you are moving to California, San Francisco specifically. San Fran has similar costs to NYC, and some expenses might be even higher. But it may be cheaper to hire one of the interstate moving companies California has on offer, who also work within NYC, instead of NYC-based ones. To make your research a bit more focused, you will want to narrow it down to your largest sources of expenditure. For example, if your major monthly expense is dining out, focus your research on restaurants in your new area.

Commute expenses

If there is one thing that you simply cannot afford to overlook, it would be commute expense. It does not matter if it is by car, by bike, public transport, etc. What matters is that you know how much you will be paying for it on a monthly basis. You will also want to know city-specific facts for this one. If you are moving to Los Angeles, for example, you may want to contact some of the long distance movers Los Angeles has to offer and ask them about traffic, school zones, etc. The reason why you are contacting movers is that they have to know about those things, it is their job. The quality ones do, at least.

Conducting a successful interstate move from NYC – Accounting for tax changes

Every state has its own tax system. Regardless of which state you are relocating to, you are going to need to adapt at least a bit. You will be paying taxes in two states for the year of your relocation, after all. Unless you are moving to a state that does not collect income tax, such as Florida. Even so, you will still need to at least familiarize yourself with property tax rates and state-specific tax deductions. You may even want to ask one of the interstate movers Florida has on offer about taxation. You would be surprised at how tax-savvy professional moving companies are!

Finding new health professionals

No matter where you are, you are going to need health care services at some point. This is the time when you get to choose them. Changing pharmacies and doctors can take quite a while, as well. Therefore, the earlier you “fixate” on them, the better. To make it easier on you, try asking your current health professionals about recommendations. And while you’re there, ask them about any moving day safety tips that are specific to you. You can never be too safe!

Researching schools

If you have school-age kids, this one is a no-brainer. But don’t underestimate the time it takes to find a decent school for your children. Depending on your specific needs, you may have to search for quite a bit before you settle on the best school for your kid. For example, let’s say that you are moving from NYC to LA and want to find a similar school to your old one. Since the two cities are so different, culturally speaking, this might be a tall order. Basically, the more “picky” you are, the more time it will take. Account for that.

Conducting a Successful Interstate Move From NYC Part 3 – The moving process

After you are done with your preparations, it is time to look at the moving process itself. Here are some of the most important things you will want to do prior to the moving day:

• Plan a moving budget
• Declutter
• Find a legitimate and reliable interstate moving company
• Create a master moving checklist
• Make a separate packing plan
• Set up utilities and notify the post office
• Update vehicle registration and get a new driver’s license

Creating a budget

The first thing you will want to do is figure out how much money you can afford to spend on your relocation. This is the most important step, as it will dictate your options. Creating a moving budget is one of the biggest challenges of long distance relocation, as these moves can get rather costly. Also, it is always best if you can “overbudget” to account for any unforeseen expenses.

Declutter

Before you start talking to professional movers, you will want to declutter your home. The reason for doing so is that the fewer items you are taking with you, the lower the moving cost. Alternatively, if you don’t mind working with incomplete information, you can declutter while packing.

Create a packing plan

Speaking of packing, you will want to have a plan in mind before you start. You will also need assorted packing supplies. If you have time, you can try obtaining them cheaply or for free by scouring the internet. Your local convenience stores are also a great source for cardboard moving boxes. Alternatively, you can purchase all the necessary packing supplies from your movers.

Conducting a successful interstate move from NYC – Finding a reliable mover

When you search for a moving company in NYC, you will be presented with so many choices it might make your head spin. Some companies will try to scam you and others will deal with you in good faith. As the representative of the latter, Roadway Moving NYC is your go-to choice when it comes to interstate relocations. But feel free to research and compare as many moving companies as you can. Get quotes from multiple companies and be wary of any “red flags” such as lack of licensing or insurance. Also, if a deal is too good to be true, chances are that the moving company in question is trying to scam you.

Create a master moving checklist

This step is rather easy, whenever you think of a task that needs doing and it pertains to your relocation, write it down. Update your master moving checklist as you finish tasks and think of new ones. Make sure that the checklist itself is easily accessible and in a prominent position inside your home. Sticking it to the door of your fridge is an all-time favorite.

Set up utilities and notify the post office

One of the most important things to do when conducting a successful interstate move from NYC is to set up your utilities on time. Depending on where you are relocating to, you may even need to sign up for new utilities. But simply transferring utilities takes time. Best to do it sooner rather than later. Also, set up your new address with the post office prior to the move. At this point, you may also want to notify your bank, credit card company, insurance provider, etc.