Best Tips for Moving Out of State

If you have been following along, I am in the midst of a big move out of state. I have been through a few moves as an adult so far. First, it was moving to college. Then, I moved to VA shortly after graduating. Noah and I then moved from Virginia to Georgia shortly after we got married. We have also moved a few times since living in Savannah. None of those moves compare to moving a family of 6 out of state! We are currently moving our family from Georgia to North Carolina next week. It's been one of the most stressful experiences. So much so that I had to seek a therapist to get me through it (no shame here!) Did you know moving is one of the top stressors that a person can experience in lifetime? Right along with divorce, losing a job or loss of a loved one!

To help ease anyone that may be going through a big move like I am going through I thought I'd share some tips that has made this move easier. I hope you find these tips helpful. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments and I'll try to answer them the best I can.

1. As soon the decision has been made that your move is happening, start decluttering. It can be overwhelming if you have to think about all the stuff during the packing process. It can be rewarding too. I started to think about big items in my house I didn't want to bring with me and sell what I could in Facebook market/yardsale groups. I would get hits within seconds, those items would quickly be picked up and I would make a little extra cash. I also donated a ton of gently used clothes, books, toys and home decor. Once you start to declutter and work with only items that you're taking with you, packing is so much easier.

2.  Start saving cardboard boxes and ask around in neighborhood groups, friends, etc. for moving boxes. Most people are offering them for free so this will save you money on paying for moving boxes.

3. As much as possible, try to fit everything into a box. We used a combination of cardboard moving boxes (for glassware and dishes) and plastic storage tubs. Whether you're using a moving truck or a Pod like we did, boxes will stack neatly and you are able to pack more effectively.  You can reuse those tubs once you move to your new house to organize your garage, store holiday décor, store winter/summer clothes, etc. They will come in handy again and even if there are empty, they stack easily and can be stored away to be used when you need them.

4. You don't want to pack everything in the moving truck/pod. Keep important documents with you (i.e. birth certificates, marriage license, social security cards, etc.) Also, we have one week in between our closing on the new house so I packed us up into suitcases and used two tubs for our bathroom essentials.

5. Research. I relied on lots of blog posts to research what I needed to start thinking about when moving out of state. There is so much information out there suggesting what to prepare for and when to start doing it and it eased some of my anxiety. For example. the girls will be transferring to a new school so I researched the enrollment process and prepared all the necessary paperwork so when we do get to North Carolina I will have them all set.

6. Divide and conquer. Noah and I split certain moving duties. He took care of shutting off utilities, setting us up for internet in the new house, and getting home repairs taken care of while I looked into switching home and auto insurance, setting up last minute dental/doctor appointments, and house cleaning services. Moving is definitely a marriage tester, but try to remember the end goal and work together.

7. It was helpful for me to have a moving notebook. I wrote list of things I needed to get accomplished and there is no better feeling than being able to scratch those items off your list! It is also helpful to look back on to ensure  things have been done. I also began preparing a furniture plan so I knew which items I wanted to take with me to the new house. I have an idea of where I want to put the current items I have. This will help when unpacking the moving truck/pod because everything will have a designated  place to go.

8. You do not have to do it alone. One of the biggest things for this move was asking for and accepting help. No one really wants to be invited to a painting party or a moving party so I hesitated at first to ask for support. However, I had friends offering to help in various ways and instead of declining we humbly accepted and it helped out so much! Not only does it makes the packing process go by quicker but it help my stress level go down knowing we weren't doing it by myself.


If you are preparing for a move, congratulations! I hope my experience with moving will help you prepare for your big move. And like I mentioned earlier, if you have any questions don't hesitate to comment below or shoot me a email!