What I learned Moving Cross-State
It’s that time again, I’m packing up and preparing for another move, and this time I thought it would be helpful to share the moving tips & tricks I’ve picked up along the way.
For little background, I’ve moved about four times over the last 10 years, including a big cross state move from New Jersey to Florida. And now… plot twist: the Sunshine state and I are parting ways, and I’m officially heading back to Jersey!
Do I have mixed feelings? Absolutely. I mean, who wouldn’t love basically year round sunshine, warm weather and the biggest winter outfit decision being which sweatshirt to throw on because the AC is blasting? But every chapter comes with its own season, and I’m excited for what’s next. (And more excited about eating Jersey food again iykyk).
Anyway, you’re not here to hear me ramble about my moving emotions. You’re here for the good stuff. So let’s get into my best moving tips and tricks to help make your next move a little smoother (and hopefully a lot less stressful).
Start with a moving plan (before you pack a single box)
First things first: create a flexible game plan. You don’t want to be packing things willy-nilly and tossing random boxes into a the back of your car hoping for the best. (Trust me, future you will not be thrilled when you’re standing in your new home surrounded by 50 mystery boxes).
As soon as you know your move our date, I recommend taking a good look around your home and creating four categories: keep, donate, sell, and toss. You’ll be amazed at how much stuff you accumulated over the years.
Honestly, even clearing out my storage unit this time around shocked me. Somehow we managed to collect an impressive amount of “stuff” in only two years. Moving has a funny way of making you question every single item you own, like.. do I actually need this? Or have I just been storing it because I forgot it existed or will need it “one day”?
For smaller items like clothes and home goods, my go to selling platforms are Mercari and Poshmark. When it comes to furniture that I need gone quickly, I always turn to Facebook Marketplace. It’s definitely evolved over the years, and the ability to rate buyers and sellers make the process feel a lot safer and easier.
I like to start selling and packing at least two months before a move, but that’s just my personal preference.
My favorite packing tips to make moving easier
My biggest packing tip? Don’t wait until the last minute.
I like to pack about one box a day so the process feels manageable instead of completely overwhelming. A little progress every day adds up faster than you think.
This might be personal preference again, but I always choose heavy duty boxes over the standard ones from Lowe’s of The Home Depot. As someone with a lot of kitchen gadgets, I am absolutely not risking a move destroying my favorite kitchen finds.
Another little moving hack: use what you already have! Kitchen towels make amazing extra padding for fragile items, and they save space because you’re packing things you already own instead of buying more supplies.
Also, label your boxes! I know, I know, it sounds obvious, but future you will be incredibly grateful. Most boxes have a section where you can write down what’s inside, and I highly recommend actually using it. There is nothing worse than moving into your new home and searching through a sea of boxes trying to find something simple like a blender.
Long distance moving tips: What I learned from moving states
On my first cross-state move, my husband drove the U-Haul while I followed behind in our Jeep. Honesty? It was a great experience and taught us a lot.
HOWEVER… if you ask me if I want to do that again, my answer is a very strong “No, thank you.”
This time around, we decided to use U-Haul Moving Containers, and the funniest part? It ended up being cheaper than what we paid to drive the truck ourselves. Shocked would be an understatement.
One of my biggest recommendations for any big move: hire the movers!
They don’t need to pack everything for you, but having them load the truck is absolutely worth it. I’m relatively active and fully capable of lifting boxes… but there in no reason for me to be moving heavy furniture, lifting awkward items, and playing a real life game of Tetris right before an 18 hour drive.
The movers are 100% worth it. Your back will thank you.
There’s no way around it, moving is stressful. But hopefully, this guide makes the process feel a little less overwhelming. Now let’s talk about that final week (and those first few days) after a cross state move.
One of the last boxes I always pack is my “essentials” box - the box that gets me through those first few days in my new home before everything is unpacked. Think toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, trash bags… the true bare bone necessities you don’t realize you need until you really need them.
Next up: your toiletry bag. Because there is nothing more humbling than realizing you forgot toothpaste on a road trip and having to brush your teeth in front of a Target at the butt-crack of dawn. Trust me, you do not want to spend any part of your moving journey hunting down the nearest drugstore because you forgot a non-negortiable like toothpaste, deodorant, or even a toothbrush.
And finally: pack snacks. The drive will be long, it’ll probably be boring at times, and you’re almost guaranteed to hit a few pockets of traffic. Having snacks on hand makes the journey feel a little easier (and yes, I fully believe mindless snacking helps pass the time). Normally, I’m not here to encourage eating out of boredom, but if a snacklebox is getting me through the next three hours of highway traffic.. sometimes it’s just want needs to happen.
After all, this is Wandering Cravings and every adventure needs good snacks!