Are You Preparing to Move?

Moving Out of State?

Are you tired of the politics in your state?

Are you ready to move from the rat-race of clogged highways, long commutes, and overcrowded cities to a more rural location where you can have plenty of room to spread your wings?

Are you being offered a better job position requiring a major move?

Are you retiring to a new area and ready to put up your feet and work a lot less?

Great! Congratulations on your upcoming move.

My intention is to provide a short series to help you determine what is necessary in order to make it a successful move instead of getting so stressed that you end up having a heart attack that throws all your plans right in the trashcan.

A number of websites provide the following statistics:

9–10% of Americans move each year.

Less than 1% of Americans move from one state to another.

Interestingly, in 2021, there are 50% less moves than there were 50–60 years ago.

And this particular site states that the average American moves 11–12 times in their lifetime.

However, what does it take to actually make a move, particularly from one state to another. This will be my focus in this article as local moves tend to be a lot easier to make. Such a move generally entails renting a moving truck or having a company like “Two Men & a Truck” come and move you.

Before we go any further, what are my credentials when it comes to knowing how to move.

First, my parents were military and during my growing up years, we lived and moved to and from 3 different countries and two continents for a total of over 20 moves.

Second, my wife and I have been married for over 30 years. During those years, we have also made major moves over 20 times in 3 different countries on 3 different continents. In America, we have moved from the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys to the sunny vineyards of California and across the USA to include 9 additional states, mostly in the mid-west or upper mid-west.

Third, we have made moves where we rented the moving truck, with others we paid a moving company, and we have also used companies that provide you with a shipping container and you pack and unpack it yourself.

Fourth, I have been in real estate over 10 years now and have helped a number of people prepare for both local, out-of-state, and even out-of-country moves.

Having also served in the military, my wife and I know the joys and the migraine headaches that come from using military provided moving firms. However, that is not an area we will give much attention to in this series.

To summarize our experience, I would have to say that we know the good, the bad, and the ugly of moving across country or from state-to-state.

Without further ado, let’s begin with what my family and I would do if we were to plan yet another move.

Paper and pen!! Paper and pen!! Paper and pen!!

Yes, I cannot stress this one enough. You have to PREPARE! To be prepared, you must use paper and pen, or a tablet, or a laptop with MS Word, or even flint rock on the walls of your cave! If you do not write down what you want to do, how much you are able to spend, what you will or will not keep, etc., you will find yourself in a world of hurt.

When we prepare for a move, the first thing we do is grab a paper notepad and a pen. We have found this easier than any other option because we can start and restart. If we make a mistake or finish with one sheet that we will no longer need, we simply throw it away.

So, what do we write down? I am glad you asked.

1. Where do we want to move?

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but any kind of move actually requires planning AND research as to where the best place will be for your family. We may look at this in a future article.

2. Why do we want to move?

If you do not have this one firmly in your mind, you will let the stress and all the minute details cloud your resolve and may not make the move.

3. How do we want to move?

This one is more detailed and will involve a separate piece of paper. While we will look at the options in more depth, research what is available in your area.

4. How much time do we have available to make the move?

If you are retiring or will be living on savings for a while versus having only 1 week before your new job starts, the time and the amount of effort you expend will depend on what happens in your new location.

5. What help do I have available?

If you are older, have no children (or little children), moving yourself may not be much of an option. The headaches that come with trying to do all the heavy lifting may preclude you from even considering what the military calls a DITY (Do IT Yourself) move. However, if you have older children or have help from friends, family, church members, etc., then you can save yourself a LOT of money by moving yourself.

6. How much can we budget for a move?

An average move by a company can cost anywhere from $4000–7000. A self-pack container move can cost $2300–4000 depending on how many you need or how much room your belongings take up in the moving container as they usually charge by the linear foot.

One company on their website states this:

“According to the American Moving and Storage Association, the average cost of a long distance move is $4,300, based on an average weight of 7,400 pounds and an average distance of 1,225 miles. This average also takes into account included moving services such as supplies and packing assistance. For reference, 1,225 miles is roughly the same distance between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Princeton, NJ.”

7. What is going with me/us?

This will take a blogpost all its own. However, knowing what is important can save you a great deal of money. When you take time to research what you actually own, you may be surprised at all the things you have accumulated through the years that you have never used (or will probably never use). Moving those items is going to cost you time, money, and space in a moving truck or container. But, more on this one later.

8. Is the family on-board with the move?

Whether you are moving by elephant across India, moving by llama across the Andes, moving by camel across the Sahara, or simply moving by pick-up truck from Tulsa, OK to Sherman, TX, your family needs to be on-board.

Yes, a child may struggle with leaving friends, family, school, etc., but it can also be the great start of a new adventure. GET THEM INVOLVED in every aspect. When we began the process of each and every move, we tried to bear the burden of the stress, but also tried to make it fun for our children.

The moves, especially overseas or across the country, allowed us to see some places and do some things that others only dream about. Whether it is your first move or your fifth or even your twenty-something move, DO IT TOGETHER.

Allow the children the freedom to make some choices on what they take or don’t take. Give them the amount of space they will be allocated for their room, but provide guidance so that you are not pulling your hair out later and so they won’t be wasting valuable time sulking in a corner while you are packing around them.

Enjoying the Move!

Mark