8 Tips for Moving Out of State Alone: A Step-by-Step Guide
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Last Updated on May 15, 2023
Taking the plunge to make a big move by yourself? These tips for moving out of state alone will guide you in everything you could possibly need to make it happen!
If it’s your first time moving out, or your first time making a major move, you might be a little confused about the huuuuge array of things you need to do to make it happen. Moving out of state alone can be daunting! Through my experience moving cross country to a new city, I learned A LOT and took several necessary precautions to make it happen. In the end, it turned out amazing! Now, I get to share these tips for moving out of state alone with you.
I moved from San Diego, California where I was raised for most of my life to Champaign, Illinois to move in with my long-distance boyfriend of two years to close our distance. That, and I had been wanting to get out of San Diego forever (I know it might sound crazy, but it’s just better as a tourist rather than a resident!). Here’s how I did it!
This post is all about tips for moving out of state alone.
1. Research the area in the new city you’re moving to
I know this might go without saying, but I’ve heard of people completely skip this step when researching tips for moving out of state alone.
You’ll want to research:
- The population – is it too small, too big, or just right for the size of town you want to live in?
- The crime rate – and therefore, the safe/unsafe neighborhoods. This is extremely important. You might have found an apartment with super cheap rent, but if crime is a regular thing, it is so not worth it. You can check on the crime in any state, city, or zip code here. I found that the southwest side of my town was the safest, so that’s the area where I apartment-hunted.
- Nearby shopping, restaurants, etc. – If you hate driving, you might not want to live twenty minutes from the center of town.
- The market rate for rent – to determine if you’re overpaying in your area and how to best formulate your budget. You can compare different rent prices on apartments.com
- Kind of random, but check on the internet/cable providers your apartment allows. Apartments often limit you to one or two providers to choose from, and sometimes these options can SUCK. They may only offer local companies with bad ratings. Ask apartments what they offer. It is a good idea to aim for a nationally recognized provider like AT&T or Spectrum.
I don’t necessarily believe that you *need* to visit the town you’re moving to before you move if you do thorough enough research. It’s nice if you’re able to, but I don’t think it’s worth spending a plane ticket on. I didn’t visit Champaign prior to moving here, but I did utilize Google Maps to look at the street view all over town to get a feel for the area!
{RELATED POST: Here’s What To Look For In Your First Apartment}
2. Plan out your road trip stops (if you’re moving via car)
Depending on how big your move is to your new city, the drive is going to feel so long, boring, and never-ending if you don’t have places or landmarks to look forward to along the way. I took the I-15 and I-70 for a large portion of the trip, and it brought me through some very scenic places.
This was a 29 hour long drive, so I planned out two overnight stopping points at the 12-hour marks. One was in Grand Junction, Colorado and the other was in Kansas City, Missouri. I utilized shared Airbnbs to keep costs down, which I highly recommend!
My favorite parts of the trip were going to the Seven Magic Mountains just outside of Las Vegas, driving through the canyon lands of Eastern Utah, and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado! Since you almost never get to see these sights at any other time, make sure you don’t miss out!
3. Define your moving out budget
Below are some different factors to consider when laying out your budget to ensure you have enough funds to make moving out of state alone happen. Budgeting is one of the most important tips for moving out of state alone.
- Moving costs:
- U-Haul rental (if applicable)
- Moving dolly rental (if applicable)
- Cardboard boxes and bags
- Shipping tape
- Gas (if you’re taking your car)
- Car maintenance to be done before you embark on your trip
- Rent, as well as…
- Security deposit and “first and last” (your first month’s rent and last month’s rent, due typically at lease signing. Some apartments require this. Mine only required a security deposit of $500.)
- Water, electric, gas, trash (if applicable. Some apartments cover certain utilities, some do not. Check with your new apartment first.)
- Pet deposits or pet rent, if applicable
- Internet and/or cable
- Renter’s insurance
- Parking (this may be a monthly fee, or it may be free)
- Estimated Groceries
- Apartment Furniture
- Kitchen Cookware and other supplies
- An emergency fund – or at least $1,000-$2,000 in your savings as a buffer, and probably even more than that. I would consider that the absolute bare minimum. You would not believe the kind of expenses that crop up completely unanticipated!
Need some help getting your budget, your packing, your PLAN and everything else together? You should check out my FREE moving checklist!
4. Downsize your belongings, especially if you’re trying to avoid hiring a moving company/U-Haul
After comparing rates for U-Haul, U-Box, and other services to assist with my cross country move, I saw how insanely expensive they were and was determined to avoid them! Of course, if you have furniture and many items that you’d rather not part with, then you’ll just have to bite the bullet. Make sure to take your belongings into consideration as you read these tips for moving out of state alone!
Since I was moving out of my parents’ house, I could leave whatever I didn’t want to take with me in my old room, so it’s not like I had to purge all my sentimental items from childhood. I planned to buy furniture after my move. I took a minimalistic approach and decided to bring only the most important things that could fit in my car, or on top of my car in a cargo topper.
This waterproof cargo topper got me through 2,000 miles of high winds, rain, and mountain terrain without any trouble!
***Keep in mind: if you’re using a cargo topper when your car DOES NOT have a roof rack, you will need these ratchet tie down straps to keep it in place.
Taking only what could fit in my car probably saved me up to $2,000!
5. Once you sign your lease, change your address EVERYWHERE!
There are so many address changes you have to make when moving out of state alone, from the DMV, to banks, to the USPS.
This moving checklist from DMV.org (not .gov) allows you to type in the state you are moving from and the state you’re moving to, which then provides you accurate information on deadlines for address changes and other components like your driver’s license, car registration (this process requires A LOT of documents, check further with your new state’s DMV or Secretary of State Office for more details), and more.
Side note: Any DMV-related deadline is extremely important, as you can face fines for not completing certain actions within the allotted time. If you are bringing your car, please be sure to get it registered within the deadline, as registration is already SUPER expensive as it is! (Registering my car for the first time in Illinois, with no late penalties, was $300).
Here is a basic list of the places in which you should change your address ASAP:
- USPS (USPS offers mail forwarding for free, which you absolutely want to set-up prior to your move-in date)
- Banks, credit unions, credit card companies
- Car insurance (you will need to set up a new policy or have your current policy transferred to your new state, as well)
- Loan providers
- Your employer (if you’re keeping your job)
- Federal and state tax agencies. The IRS has a form for this here.
- Gas, electric, water, internet, and any other utilities (get these services in check in advance, so you don’t move in with no running water or lights! A lot of companies allow you to set a start date for when you want services to begin)
6. The packing process for moving out of state alone
Start this early! Depending on the amount of belongings you’re packing, I would say one month in advance is ideal when you’re preparing to move out of state alone.
Pack lesser-used items first, so that you aren’t digging essential items back in and out of your boxes. I packed all of my most-used items within one week to a couple days prior to the move.
The biggest life-saver is to buy vacuum sealed bags! These save so much space for any clothing or bedding you plan to take. If your goal is to save space, like in my case where I was trying to fit everything in my car, I tried to utilize trash bags and vacuum sealed bags for everything I could, while limiting the amount of boxes I used.
If you are moving many things that come from several rooms, it is always a good idea to organize your belongings by room. Also, write down the contents of the box or bag by labeling them. This helps when it comes time to unpack it all.
{RELATED POST: 8 Reasons Why You Should Move Away From Your Hometown}
7. Once you are moved in, get ready for a big shopping trip for all your essentials!
I spent SO MUCH money at Target the first day I moved in, because I planned to buy a lot of my home good items after the move. (Still less than if I hired a U-Haul to bring a bunch of items I already had, however!)
I recommend the Dollar Tree for basics such as organizer caddies, storage, and cleaning supplies. Definitely take a trip to Dollar Tree first before heading to Walmart, Target, or other larger stores and see what you can get there.
Apartment Essentials:
Bedroom:
- Mattress and box spring
- Sheets, pillows, blankets, pillow cases
- Nightstands
- Curtains
- Dresser
Bathroom:
- Small trash can
- Shower curtain and shower hooks
- Toilet paper
- Bathroom cleaning supplies
- Hand soap
- Bath towels, wash clothes, hand towels
- Bath mat
Kitchen:
- Trash can and trash bags
- Dishes (plates, bowls, cups, mugs)
- Cutting boards
- Utensils and utensil organizer for your drawer
- Good set of knives
- Dish soap
- Sponges
- Oven mits
- Cookware set
- Mixing bowls
- Tupperware
- Cooking utensils (spatula, ladle)
- Baking supplies (cake pan, measuring cups, measuring spoons)
Living Room:
- Couch/lounge chair
- Coffee table
- TV and TV stand
- Wall decor
Office:
- Computer
- Printer
- Office Desk
- Wi-fi router (if not provided by your internet provider)
- Desk lamp
- Indoor plant
- Wall art
- File organizer
8. Enjoy your new place!
After all that hard work is done, appreciate having a new space of your own! Moving out of state alone is a BIG adventure that takes a lot of time, effort, and money to make happen, so it’s always a good idea to prioritize relaxation once everything is all squared away. Embrace this new chapter of your life, explore your new local area, make new memories, and pat yourself on the back.
Learning how to prepare for a cross country move is A LOT!
Phew! That sure was a lot of information! Hopefully you picked up a thing or two from these tips for moving out of state alone! There is definitely a lot of prep work, but this guide should help prevent you from overlooking the essentials!
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Alexa this is a useful guide to help in the process of moving for anyone especially for beginners! It takes the worry out of thinking am I missing anything!!
It also covers the adventure of a an exciting road trip along with fantastic pictures of your traveling.
Terrific article.
Alexa, this is a useful guide for anyone preparing to move. It is especially nice to see your road trip scenic photos along your travels!
Proud mother.