25 Things to Do When You Move to a New State

You don’t want to make it too obvious that you don’t know your way around when you are new in a place. And this is exactly what you will end up doing when you just pack up and arrive without going there first.

Arrive a month in advance and spend at least a week in a cheap motel or AirBnB and use the time to navigate the area familiarizing yourself with all the important landmarks and places of interest to you. When you eventually move in, you won’t stick out like a newbie.

You might find our articles on What to pack for a 5 day trip checklist and What to pack for a 7 day trip useful for your short trip to the new State.

4. Get your accommodation and furnish it and have it prepared before making your move.

This goes hand-in-hand with visiting the place at least a month in advance. Find your accommodation before you make the trip so that you know how to navigate your way around from your new place to the places of interest and the likes.

For a helpful list of stuff, you can buy for your new apartment, check out our resourceful article on Gifts for new apartment owners.

How to successfully move to another State – 5 checklist for moving to a new State.

The easiest way to move to another state is to have these 5 items ticked off your checklist.

5. Where you will be staying.

The decision of which part of the State you will stay in will ultimately depend on your budget and how much you can afford to spend on accommodation, especially if you are moving out of State on a budget. Metropolises and cities are always a little pricey than other parts of the State. Small towns are usually more affordable.

If money isn’t an issue then it will boil down to your preferences. Some people like quiet places and neighborhoods, while others do not mind living where the hustle and bustle of the city is.

6. The location of where you will be staying from your place of work.

And then, of course, you don’t want to stay so far away from your place of work so that you are not spending a long time commuting. Even if you have to find accommodation outside the city, look for the nearest town to your place of work.

7. The proximity of where you are staying to all the important stuff (banks, hospitals, the police, malls, schools, religious places of worship).

This is another important factor you want to have on your checklist. It is important to know all these so that you know how to deal with emergencies when they arise for instance. It will also be good to then get the contact numbers for the police and hospitals for example.

8. Where the leisure spots and the likes are.

All work and no play makes anybody a dull boy/girl. Google normally has answers to the top things to do in any place in the world you find yourself.

Our article on Fun things to do in a small town with friends has a list of items if you’re moving to a small town in a State.

9. How will you get to the new State and how will your things get there.

Will you be road tripping or flying to your new place? And will you take your things yourself or save yourself the hassle and use a moving company instead? These are important things to also check off your list as you plan your move to another State.

What to do after moving to a new state – 10 Things to do when you move to a new State.

Now that you have successfully moved to another state, here’s a list of 10 important things to do when you move to a new State.

10. A job.

Unless of course, a job is a reason why you are moving to a new State in the first place, you will need a job to sustain your livelihood in the new State. It’s probably a good idea to have the job lined up before you move. But where this isn’t the case, then you should make it your number 1 priority once you’ve moved.

11. Voter registration details.

Unless you plan on voting by mail, it is important to attend to transferring your voter details to the new State where you reside. This is because usually, your voter registration details will be in the place where you last voted in person. And unless you apply to have it transferred to your new location, you will then need to travel to your last location if you plan on voting in person and not by mail.

12. New schools for the kids.

If you have a family and are moving with your family, this is another important thing to get sorted out when you move to a new state, unless you want to home-school your children. Whether your preference is a private school or a public school, it will be good to enroll them right away into school so that they don’t miss out on too much.

You may also like this article on Gifts for kids starting school for ideas on what to buy for their school supplies.

13. Updating vehicle license documents and number plates.

Traveling with your old number plates isn’t a problem at all although of course it immediately announces that you’re from out of town. Check that your vehicle license as well as your driver’s license and other documents are up to date and do the needful if you have to.

Check out 19 Essential gifts for guys who drive a lot.

14. A good doctor.

Find a good physician that you can always go to especially for unexpected emergencies. It is a good idea to have contacts for one or two who can do house calls. Have a general physician as well as a specialist doctor if you have medical needs that require special attention.

15. Be sure about the security of the place you are staying in.

You can add extra layers of security to the place by reinforcing the locks all around the house and surveillance cameras at strategic locations if you can afford them.

16. Familiarize yourself with the important places – hospitals, emergency services like the fire department, banks, schools.

Know all the important places that you should be aware of such as the bank, hospitals, schools, and emergency services like the fire department. This will come in handy when you need to make use of any of these.

17. Familiarize yourself with your neighbors and get a general feel of the neighborhood.

It’s never a good idea to not be acquainted with your neighbors. They are the ones that will help you with keeping an eye on your property especially when you have to travel out of town. It is therefore important to get to know who they are and establish a cordial relationship with them as soon as you are settled in.

Beware of stalking neighbors. Our article on 13 Worrying signs your neighbor is stalking you is illuminating on how you can figure out a stalking neighbor.

18. Check-in with your old friends and family regularly.

You don’t want to be that friend who ghosts all their friends because they moved to another State. Remember that they were the ones there for you when you needed them and the fact that you’ve moved to another State does not mean you will stop needing their help. It’s never a good idea to lose any of your good friends. As much as possible, call them to check in and just keep the relationship alive.

Check out this article on The 4 Important benefits of surrounding yourself with good friends.

19. Immediately start to explore all that the State has to offer.

What’s the fun in moving to another State if you won’t explore the State and all that it has to offer. Start checking out all the cool spots in your new locale and who knows what new hobbies you may find yourself picking up in the new State.

How to move to another State alone.

Moving to a new State alone can sound like an uphill task, but it doesn’t have to be. To make the move seamless and less stressful for you, consider taking the following steps before your move, in addition to the things listed in the section before this section.

20. Visit the new State at least 2 months in advance of your move and spend a few days.

This is even more imperative if you plan on moving alone. Spend a little more time in the new place getting to know the place a little before you make the final move alone.

21. Do some research about the place on Google or other sites where you can find reviews about the place.

This helps you with getting an idea of what the place may be like and whether you will like it as much as you hope you will.

22. Ask your friends and family what they know about the new place.

When all is said and done, the best reviews are from people who have first-hand experience of a place. And so, if you have friends or family who live there or have either lived there before, why not ask their views about the place beforehand. This will help prepare you well enough before you make the move.

23. Find out if you have friends or family in the new State and establish a connection with them early enough.

Maybe you want to stay alone in the new State but there is nothing wrong with having family or friends that can occasionally check in to see that you are doing alright. If you have such friends and/or family in the new State, reach out to them and establish a connection.

The fact that they know you are around doesn’t always mean they will bother you by coming around. And even if they do, you can always politely tell them that they cannot stay in your house. Check out our article on How to tell someone they can’t stay at your house for helpful insights on how you can do this.

24. Make a list of the important places and their location in the state.

You don’t want to get stranded or lost without knowing the nearest place to go to for help. Map out where places like hospitals, banks, and emergency services are and their proximity to where you stay. Also have their contact numbers handy for a rainy day.

25. Move in first and settle down before moving all your things to the new State.

This is also very important. Moving houses within the same State is hard work already, not to mention moving to a new state altogether. Get to the new State first and settle in, then move your stuff. Or time the arrival of your things to come a week or two after you’ve settled in.

Frequently asked questions.

1. What is the easiest way to move to another State?

Traveling to the new State in advance and getting things settled and sorted out in advance is the easiest way to move to another State. Once you’ve done this important pre-preparation then it becomes easy to just move in as if you’ve always lived in the State.

2. What is the best way to move to another State?

All the steps listed in this article are the best ways to move to another State.

3. Should I move out of State?

Well, this is a question that only you can answer. If however, you are looking for a change of scenery or just want to start afresh on a new slate for whatever reason, then moving out of State is not a bad idea. Just ensure that you get all the steps listed in this article sorted out before uprooting your life to a new State.

4. I am planning to move to another State. Do you have some helpful tips for moving out of State for the first time?

Yes indeed. All the tips listed in this article are helpful tips for moving out of State for the first time.

Conclusion.

Moving to a new State can be pretty exciting and thrilling. Get the most out of your moving experience by following all the helpful tips listed in this guide to moving out of state. Whether you are moving out of State for the first time or moving to another State alone or on a budget, this article provides all the useful insights that you need.