So, you’re moving to Washington? This can be one of the most exciting adventures of your life, but there’s no denying that there’s a lot of planning involved.
Of course, this is true for most moves, but there are a few extra things to keep in mind when you are moving to somewhere like Washington. While everyone should plan their house move in whichever way works for them, you may feel a bit overwhelmed, which is why we’ve put together this list of a few things to keep in mind when planning your move to Washington.
Hire the right movers
When it comes to moving house, one of the big decisions you will need to make is whether you will be moving your own belongings or hiring a moving company to do it for you.
While the first option may be cheaper and a valid option for small, local moves, we’d definitely recommend sticking to professionals when it comes to a big move such as moving to Washington. This will take a big weight off your shoulders and allow you more time to focus on other things. Have a look at these movers in the greater Washington area to see how they can help you.
Find a place to live
Of course, if you are moving anywhere, you need to make sure that you have somewhere to live. This doesn’t mean that you need to buy your dream house in Washington immediately, but you should have somewhere lined up – even if it’s just a small apartment where you can live until you’ve settled enough to buy a home.
Luckily, the Washington real estate market is booming, so you’re bound to find accommodation that suits your needs, whether you’re in the market for long or short-term accommodation.
Set up a budget
Any big financial commitment requires a budget, and moving to Washington is no different. The things you include in your budget will depend on your personal situation.
Of course, some obvious things you need to budget for include your new house as well as the move itself and all related fees, but you may also want to budget for additional things such as home renovations or an initial scouting trip – which we’ll discuss soon.
Figure out the dates of the move
It’s one thing to know that you are moving to Washington, but not much can be done until you know when you will be moving. After all, you need to know when you need to move out of your current place as well as when you can move into your new home in Washington, and you also need to know the dates of the move so that you can make arrangements with a moving company and take time off work for the move.
Plan the trip itself
If you are moving from a different state or city to Washington, the chances are that you will be partaking in a relatively long-distance move. Any big trip can be stressful, and this is even more true when you are moving house.
Therefore, you need to plan the trip to ensure that things go as seamlessly as possible. For example, you need to decide whether you will be flying or driving. If you end up driving a long distance, you should make sure to properly plan your route and also take the necessary steps to prepare for your road trip. For some road trip tips, give this post a read.
Get the logistics out of the way
There are a lot of big things that go into moving to Washington, and then there are a lot of smaller tasks. Naturally, we tend to focus on the big ones and leave the smaller tasks until the last minute, but that’s not the best idea.
You need to get the logistics out of the way sooner rather than later. You need to enroll your children in a school, arrange for some time off work, and do all the other little tasks such as changing your address on all relevant documents and platforms. We know it’s tedious, but the sooner you do this, the better!
Go on a scouting trip first
As mentioned earlier, something you may want to consider when moving to Washington is to take a small, short trip to the area to get a better feel for it before you commit to moving there.
After all, it’s a big risk to move somewhere without seeing the place first, so we’d recommend booking a weekend in Washington so that you can look at different homes and neighborhoods and get a better idea of what your life in Washington will be like. If you’re not sure where to live during this scouting trip, you should consider booking a few nights in a Washington Airbnb.
Make sure you have the paperwork
As we said earlier, moving to Washington really isn’t that different from moving anywhere else. So, as with all moves, there’s a lot of paperwork involved, and you need to make sure that you have all the necessary paperwork and documents with you at all times.
This includes having things like proof of residence for your new home, as well as any documents you may need for your transport – for example, you need to make sure that you have a valid Washington driver’s license, that your car is registered in Washington, and that you have Washington car insurance.
In conclusion
We know that planning a move isn’t easy, and if it’s a long-distance move that you’re planning, it can be even more challenging. That being said, we hope that this post gave you some valuable information that can help you if you are in the process of moving to Washington.
The key to any successful move is always to plan ahead and be prepared, so if you follow the steps in this post, it should hopefully make the entire move much easier and less stressful for you.
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