Relocating for Work: 7 Tips for Moving Interstate
Relocating to an entirely new state for a new job or big promotion stirs up equal parts excitement and anxiety. While embracing bigger roles in better locations career-wise is important, relocating your whole life also means committing to a major upheaval.
Of course, the planning details compound stresses further - finding new housing, updating accounts, transferring records, and not to mention safely transporting every possession you own without anything getting lost or damaged on the way.
The logistics of moving everything hundreds or thousands of miles away can become utterly overwhelming for one person to tackle alone. Attempting to single-handedly pull off an interstate relocation while still working risks burnout fast.
By getting organised, you can pull off the move so that the fresh start feels exciting instead of exhausting. The key is relying on checklists and professional support in place well ahead of time before all of the chaos. Here are our tips to lead you through a smooth interstate transition:
1. Hire Professional Interstate Removalists
Hiring a speciality interstate removalist is one of the best things you can do to make the transition easier. They take care of the logistics of moving all of your things so that you can focus on the seemingly countless other chores and get on top of that never-ending to-do list. You can find interstate removalists on Muval.
2. Thoroughly Research the New Location
Put the time into properly researching your soon-to-be state. It is important that you are aware of the economic and social factors that will affect choices throughout the move. Where will you live? What school will your children attend? How is the public transportation? Where are the emergency services and how close will my new home be to them? These are questions that you should be asking yourself (and Google) before even arriving and starting your new job in your new location. It is also a good idea to explore local Facebook groups or get in touch with people you might know who are residents in the area to get further insights into day-to-day life in the location.
3. Secure Housing & Set Up Utilities in Advance
Line up permanent housing, connect utilities, and transfer medical/financial records ahead of move-in dates. Having these extremely important tasks already handled prevents chaotic gaps from the need to live in hotels initially. It’s also worth taking the time to discuss renting furniture with landlords if your items will take time to arrive, and make sure to start job and school enrollment processes early too - all preferably before you even arrive in your new city.
4. Designate “Open First” Essentials Boxes
When packing your things, mark certain boxes as “Open First” with colourful labels so that you have all of the necessary items on hand as soon as the boxes come in. Fill these with items you’ll immediately need during the move like basic tools and snacks. It doesn’t seem like much, but you’ll thank us later.
5. Gather Important Documentation in One Place
Keep important documents like passports and birth certificates together in a fireproof portable safe for easy transport during the interstate relocation. You’ll need to include updated pet registrations too (which people often forget). Quick access to paperwork makes changing official residency addresses and transferring services so much easier.
6. Set Up Mail Forwarding Promptly
Submit mail forwarding requests with AusPost several weeks in advance to make sure that mail reroutes to your new address with minimal delays between closing on properties. Because delays happen, providing temporary address adjustments to key contacts adds that extra level of protection that allows for your peace of mind in an already stressful time.
7. Update Accounts with Address Change
Inform all necessary contacts about your address change 1-2 months prior to physically moving (if possible). With all of the digital government accounts and bank apps nowadays there are many different places you’ll need to update your address. Double-checking closer to move dates doesn’t hurt either.
Final Thoughts
Using these tried and true tips will hopefully result in a less stressful interstate relocation when needing to transplant your whole life across Australian state lines for your career. Our last tip is to not be afraid to ask your employer for assistance. Helping employees move is good for businesses, and they should be there to support you with anything you might need.
Our recommended preparations were put together to help prevent unnecessary chaos so that you can focus energy on getting settled in unfamiliar surroundings and exploring your new home. So, enjoy and happy moving!
