When your new home is hundreds of miles away, there’s little room for last-minute decisions. Alongside arranging to hire Chicago interstate movers, you’ll need to think about packing, travel, and the possibility that you may need temporary storage. While interstate moves share many basic steps with local moves, crossing state lines brings further planning, licensing, logistics and cost considerations. Here’s a look at what makes interstate moves different, and how to make yours easier.
What Makes an Interstate Move Different?
Moving across state lines is a different experience than moving down the street, whether you’re headed to a neighboring state or far across the country. The distance can mean your belongings spend several days in transit, rather than arriving on the same day that you do, so you may need a plan for the days in between. Movers crossing state lines are also held to different licensing and regulatory requirements than local movers.
6 Tips for a Hassle-Free Interstate Move
It’s true that interstate moves can be more challenging than most local moves, but you can still enjoy a comfortable relocation with adequate preparation. Use the following tips to plan your next move out of state.
1. Build a Moving Timeline Around Your Lease or Closing Date
Planning for an interstate move is easier when you know the fixed dates you need to work around. Write down the date you must leave your current home, and the earliest date you can access the new property. You can then work backwards to schedule packing, decluttering, hiring movers and other key milestones.
2. Set a Budget and Understand Your Interstate Moving Estimate
Interstate moves typically come with additional costs. Full-service movers simplify an interstate move by providing a complete moving quote. However, you also need to consider your travel costs to a new state, meals, and temporary accommodations when applicable.
3. Verify Your Mover’s Interstate Licensing and Coverage Options
Check that your interstate mover has a USDOT number registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Then look it up on the FMCSA’s website to confirm the license is active, and view the company’s safety record. Basic liability coverage is required (and built in) by default, but it pays out based on weight and not value. Full value protection costs more, but covers your belongings at their actual worth.
4. Declutter Based on Moving and Replacement Costs
Decluttering early-on can pay off later, as interstate movers typically price by weight and distance. Furniture usually offers the best opportunity to cut weight. For example, if a couch or dresser is easier to replace than move, it’s often cheaper to sell or donate it locally than to pay to ship it across state lines.
5. Create an Inventory to Stay Organized
Keep a list of the items you want to move to your new home. If you’re opting for do-it-yourself packing, or choosing partial packing, you’ll need to label the boxes and mark their destination room at the new property. You can also note on your inventory any delicate or high-value items such as art and antiques – these may need specialty packing or handling on moving day.
6. Pack for the Journey and the First Days in Your New Home
If your belongings won’t arrive ready for your first night at the new home, make sure you have bedding, toiletries, medication, phone chargers, bottled water, snacks and a change of clothes close by. Your long-distance moving service can provide an expected delivery window, so you’ll want to plan around the projected arrival of your belongings.
Speak With Chicago’s Trusted Interstate Movers
New City Moving has provided top-quality moving solutions for homes and businesses since 2009. If you’re preparing for an interstate move to or from the Chicago area, contact our moving specialists for expert help. Call 872-314-2148 or schedule your free quote online.