Moving to a new state can be intimidating. Leaving your old friends can be a very difficult thing to do as well. Once you get on the road, you might be leaving with a lot of gloom and sadness. It’s true, your friends will be connected with you for a lifetime. Especially these days, it’s more easy than ever to stay connected with each other online. We wanted to encourage you as you make a big move out of state. It’s not all doom and gloom! It’s the beginning of a great adventure and a new chapter in your life.

If you’re moving for work, looking for new opportunity, or relocating to be near family, everything ahead of you is full of hope and excitement! It’s often just a matter of perspective. There’s no replacing your old friends, but there’s plenty of room in your life for some new ones. Imagine this! You’re best friend may be waiting for you in your new town. I know it may be hard to believe, but this is how the excitement of life unfolds. Many of life’s greatest treasures lie behind the pathways of risk and change. don’t be afraid, take a deep breath and go for it!

Want an easy way to save a bunch of money on your move? Three simple words: “don’t ship junk.” There are a lot of irreplaceable family items, keepsakes and really valuable items. But there is often more junk in our homes than we realize. Before you pack up your house, feel free to throw items away, especially if they are old, worn out, or replaceable. Consider this:

• Consider the space it takes up in the truck. Often times shipping companies will charge by the foot in the trailer. If an couch takes up 4 feet at $80/ft, make sure that couch is worth more than $320. If not, consider donating the couch, selling it online and saving up for a new couch when you arrive at your new home.
• Packing up the house will expose you to a lot of unexpected and hidden treasures in your house. It will also reveal a bunch of unwanted items. Make sure you keep a trash bag handy while you pack and let go of things if you’re not sure if you want it anymore. Saving space means saving money.
• Practice generosity by giving things away that you haven’t used in a while. Think of your friends who may benefit from something you have. It’s also a great time to give away keepsakes that mean something to a close friend of yours. There’s nothing like a thoughtful goodbye present!

It may seem like a hard thing to do but if you give yourself a pep-talk, you can start throwing away the unwanted junk in your house really easily. Give it a try and you’ll see that this move might be the right opportunity to unclutter your life in ways you’ve always wanted to. Don’t ship junk! Get rid of it and start fresh.

Moving is a difficult as it is, let alone moving to a whole new state. There is a lot that goes into making a big move. We thought we could help with a checklist of tasks that you should make sure you take care of when you relocate.

1. Change of Address: This may seem like an obvious thing to do, but it often something most people forget to take care. If you don’t change your address with the post office you’ll miss bills, tickets, and other time-sensitive parcels. Make sure you take care of this as soon as you know your new address. Go to USPS.com to change your address or go here.
2. Notify your utilities that you’ll be moving and ask if they will cover your new area. When you arrive in your new area make sure you setup your new services as soon as possible.
3. Have your vehicles serviced before you leave. There’s nothing more defeating than having a mechanical failure on your big move.
4. Get a new driver’s license in the state of your new residence.
5. Let family and friends know about your travel arrangements and expected departure and arrival dates.

We know this doesn’t cover everything, but it’s a good start covering some of the vital tasks. With so many details to keep track of, we hope this helps remind you of some of the most important ones.