Moving out of state is a long and tedious process. There are many things to keep track of, and even more things to do. However, if you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t have to be stressful at all. Also, by preparing certain things before hand, you can make the move much easier for yourself. In order to help with this, we have put together a guide on Leaving the West Coast for NYC: a survival kit, to let you know what exactly you need.

Packing

Up first when leaving the West Coast for NYC, packing. Universally this is the step in every move which takes the most time. However, knowing what to pack first is more important than you might think. To be the most effective with your time, you should approach the packing process in a few phases. First, you will want to pack items you can live without. Things such as certain furniture and decorations, and packing flower pots should be done early on. Then, when you’re only a few days away from your move, pack things you can live without temporarily. And lastly, just before moving day, pack everything you can’t live without. This way, you avoid missing out on the items you absolutely need before you move.

Man packing a box for leaving the West Coast for NYC
Packing should be done in the right order for it to be efficient.

Look for help

This step is especially if you plan on making a DIY move. If you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by everything you need to do before you move, don’t be shy about asking for help. Your friends and family can be invaluable help when preparing for a move. And, if you’re organizing a DIY move, they can help out quite a bit with the move itself. Of course, you shouldn’t just ask for help. Make sure to prepare some snacks for anyone who comes to helps, and thank them properly for helping you out.

Stock up on packing supplies

If there’s anything you should always have enough of in a move, it’s packing supplies. There are many stories out there about people lacking packing supplies on their moving because something happens to go wrong on the day itself. As such, you should always have spare supplies just in case. Extra moving boxes, tape, foam wrap and so on on hand will help out if anything happens. Of course, you can completely avoid these problems by making sure you use proper packing material. If you spent a little extra on quality supplies, chances are nothing bad will happen during your move. But, keeping extras on hand is never a bad idea.

Red duct tap in box of packing foam
Extra packing supplies are always a good choice.

Keep track of important documentation

While leaving the West Coast for NYC, things tend to get lost. After all, your home will become a total mess in the days before your move. So, it is very important to keep track of all documentation you might need. Consider putting together a box specifically to store important documentation while you move. This will help avoid any missing documentation after you settle into your new home. There are some things you can’t afford to misplace, such as your ID, passport, driver’s license and so on. So it is best to make sure they don’t get lost in the process.

DIY move checklist

Generally, it is better to hire movers to help you out with a move. However, in certain scenarios, organizing a DIY move is both easier and faster. But, before you go about organizing your DIY move, you should have a DIY move checklist at hand to help you stay organized throughout the process. During a DIY move you will have to rely only on yourself to organize and execute everything. Because of this, having a checklist is invaluable during the entire process.

Notepad on table
Having a checklist will help keep you organized.

Stock up on snacks

Preparing a move is draining both mentally and physically. So, at the end of a long of packing or organizing, a snack or two are exactly what you need. So, keeping a bunch of snacks on hand to keep yourself fueled during the day is an important part of your moving survival kit. This also applies to DIY moves, because you might have to make several trips between your old home and the new one. In this case, having snacks on hand to keep you going between trips is invaluable.

Pack a box of essentials

A useful tip for any move is to always have your essentials on hand. On moving day, there are any number of things that can go wrong. If you hire movers, they could end up being late. Or you could end up dealing with terrible traffic, or a flat tire and so on. For cases like these, keeping a separate box of items you’d need to get through a day is vital. Experts from Mod Movers Monterey CA recommend packing medication, an extra set of clothes, important documentation, blankets and pillows and whatever else you might need in this box (or bag).

Pack a “first day” box

On top of a box of essentials, it is also a good idea to prepare a box of items you will need for your first day in the new home. This box should contain toiletries, clean towels and food. After your move in is done, you will likely be tired. As such, this box will help you settle into your new home without having to immediately go out to buy things. This can be a lifesaver, especially if something happens to go wrong during the move.

Post move documentation

When planning your move, you should research what documentation you will need after the move. This should be done as early into the process as possible. Handling post-move paperwork should be done properly, and you should know ahead of time what you need to do and how to do it.

Afterword

Moving out of state is a stressful process, but the right preparation makes it much less stressful. Knowing what to bring and what to do ahead of time makes it much easier. We hope you found this guide on leaving the West Coast for NYC: a survival kit helpful, and wish you luck.