List of important moving documents

Every big life event requires a lot of engagement and a lot of hard work, especially if it entails relocating to another place. With the help of Best Cross Country Movers, you won’t need to worry about being rushed or forgetting something, they’ll take care of everything! Even if you do forget something, one thing that you should not forget is a list of important moving documents! This list needs to be with you during your relocation process at all times. In our article, we’ll outline the most important documents for your relocation!

Where to start before gathering important moving documents?

A question that is always on our minds when we start something new is where to start. As a complex process with a lot of tasks, relocation can be quite stressful and energy-consuming. If you’re moving from Florida on a budget, a good plan can be of great help. Setting the budget for moving and sticking to the plan will make moving much easier. By monitoring the costs, you’ll avoid crossing the limits that you’ve already set. With this comes along gathering information and finding out all the possible costs, so that you can fit everything into your budget.

a calculator and a list of expenses
It’s very important to set a budget before starting your relocation process. Try to stick to it as much as possible

Parts of preparation for relocation

Relocation is a great adventure, an opportunity to start something new in your life. Putting effort into this adventure is an inevitable part hence good preparation is crucial. There will be a lot of tasks in front of you when you start planning your relocation. One of the most important is to find a reliable moving company, which can guarantee you the safety of your belongings. With a lot of experience and good remarks, Florida cross country moving companies can help you with their service. All the companies that are members of this network are licensed and professional and always at your disposal.

What are important moving documents that you should have with you?

Apart from finding the right moving company and packing your possessions properly, do not forget about your important moving documentation. Perhaps this part of the preparation of moving seems like something you won’t neglect. However, a lot of people tend to neglect the important parts of relocating since they have a lot on their minds. This is why we’ll try to provide you with a list of all the important moving documents you should have in mind during your moving process.

Sorting and organizing important moving documents

To have a clear picture of where you important moving documents and other personal documentation is located, organize them properly. Divide them into groups and label them. You can also purchase banker’s boxes for storing them. You can place papers of importance, bills, passports, even the whole folders with documents in those boxes. Do not forget to sort and separate them into different categories.

Some of them should be with you all the time, and other you can pack in the boxes for moving. It is important that personal documents and those with sensitive information be well protected and not disposable to others. We also recommend having copies of all your important moving documents. In case you lose any of them during the move, you will have a backup document and proof if needed.

folders with documents
Don’t put all of your important moving documents in the same folder or box. Try to separate them and keep them protected

It’s not enough to simply gather all of the documents and pack them inadequately. You will have to put some effort into organizing and packing them. This is because those documents are very important and also prone to damage. You don’t want valuable papers being crumped or even torn. Additionally, less time spent searching for those papers means having more time to unpack once you’ve reached your new home.

The list of important moving documents

As we already mentioned, separating them is an inevitable part of the process. We’ll list some categories in which you should divide your documents. We suggest making a pile of property-related documents, moving documents, personal documents, and lastly, financial documents. Now let’s see which documents you should put in which category.

Property-related documents

This group contains documents related to all your contracts with real estate agents, utility bills and selling and buying documents. Don’t forget to include the documents about the insurance of your home, your car, tax papers, and registration documents of your vehicle. On top of that, don’t forget about the lease copies/mortgage of your new and old home. All of these documents will come in handy once you’ve relocated.

Buying real estate in other states

Before attempting to buy real estate, you need to have all of your previous real estate documents available. For those wishing to buy real estate, Iowa is where they should look. It’s been ranked as the state with the cheapest real estate. If you’re planning to settle down there in a house or apartment you own, Iowa cross country moving companies can solve your problem of planning a relocation. They’ll handle the moving process, while your sort out your property related documents.

Another incentive for real estate buyers is a low property tax. Unfortunately, there aren’t any states in the U.S. that have no property tax at the moment. However, there are states with a lower property tax. The one with the lowest property tax is Hawaii. It’s important to keep in mind that real estate in Hawaii is incredibly expensive. The medium price for a home is $1,038,544. Therefore, the low property tax doesn’t make that much of a difference.

Hawaii sea shore
Hawaii is an incredible place for vacation, but not so much for buying real estate as its property is very expensive

On the other hand, the medium price for real estate in Alabama is $204,965. Alabama is also second on the list of states with the lowest property tax. So, if you’re looking to buy a house in the south, keep an eye out on property in Alabama. After you’ve purchased a home, Alabama cross country movers can deal with your furniture and belongings back home. They can transfer stuff even from the other side of the country without any damage. Don’t hesitate to give them a call!

Utility bills

Before embarking on your move, be sure to turn off all of your utility bills. Nowadays, utility bills seem to be skyrocketing. Not long ago those bills used to be at least 10% lower. For some people, that becomes a large financial burden over the years.

If you wish to settle down in a state with cheap utility bills, check out these states New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Idaho… More and more people seem to be moving to Colorado in recent years. If you want to become a resident of this state as well, Colorado cross country movers will be more than happy to accompany you during the relocation process.

Personal documents

Make sure to have your personal documents on you such as your social security card, birth certificate, passport, and visa. Be sure to keep this pile somewhere you’ll be able to find it even after you’ve relocated. Most people tend to put away these documents somewhere and forget about them. We suggest dedicating a drawer in your home to these documents.

If you are moving with kids, make sure you pack all their personal documents too. It is important to have your child’s documents from the school, especially the school records. There will be a lot of paperwork when transferring to a different school. And having these documents will come in handy and speed up the process. Consequently, your kids will be in their new school in no time.

driver license
Keep all of your and your family’s personal documents close, because there is a big chance you might need them during the move

In the group of personal documents, you should include your marriage certificate, death certificates, and military attendance records if applicable. Do not forget veterinary documents for your pets. Medical records of the whole family, prescriptions, vaccine information, organ donor cards, and driver’s licenses should be here too.

Driver’s license

In some states, you’ll need to transfer your driver’s license. After you’ve moved to Arkansas with the help of some of the best cross country moving companies Arkansas, you’ll need some help with the process of transferring your driver’s license. We’ve made a list of which documents you need to transfer your driver’s license to Arkansas:

  1. Your out-of-state driver’s license.
  2. Proof of legal presence in the U.S.: e.g., U.S birth Certificate; Valid U.S. Passport.
  3. at least 2 Documents proving your identity

Passport

Everybody knows passports are important. But they’re even more important in states that don’t issue a state ID that lives up to federal ID minimum security requirements. This means you’ll require a passport even for domestic flights. So, if you’ve arranged a relocation to Pennsylvania with Pennsylvania cross country movers, be sure to have your passport with you at all times. Other states that don’t issue a state ID are Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Washington.

a person putting a passport in their bag
Some states don’t issue a state ID, so be sure to have your passport if you move there and fly domestically

Financial documents

In the financial documents folder, you should ensure to have items such as credit card bills, income tax papers and bank account statements. Do not forget about saving and bank transaction statements and tax deduction bills. These are the documents with very sensitive information, so try to keep them only for yourself and the members of your family. The same applies to your personal documents as well.

Income tax papers

Only 9 states in the U.S. don’t levy a state income tax. Those states are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If you want to move to a state that doesn’t levy income taxes, we recommend Nevada. With sunny weather and endless job opportunities, you’ll definitely benefit from their policies. Be sure to acquire the help of Nevada cross country movers if you want your relocation handled by highly trained professionals.

Moving documents

When we say moving documents, perhaps some people don’t know which ones we’re thinking about. This is why we’ll mention most if not all of them. We will give you an insight into the most important moving documents one by one.

a person signing a contract
There are certain documents you’re given by your moving company. Don’t forget to bring them during your relocation
  • Bill of lading is a document that presents a contract between you and your moving company. It normally includes the specification of all the items that you are moving. The content should be the same as those on the order of services (includes pick-up and delivery dates, estimate details, and special services).
  • Moving estimate is a document that you will receive from your moving company. It contains transportation charges, parking services, labor, insurance, and any special services. There are three types of such documents: non-binding estimate, binding estimate, and binding not-to-exceed estimate. Look carefully at what is included before agreeing and making a contract.
  • Inventory documentation – After packing your items, you will have an inventory form issued by your movers. There will be a description of all your inventory on the truck and a note of item condition. Take a careful look at the list and compare it to your list of inventories.
  • ‘Rights and responsibilities’ document- Every moving company should provide you with a copy of ‘Your Rights and Responsibilities when you move’, according to FMSCA. This document should provide you with information on how to handle complaints and questions regarding your move.

The bottom line

Before moving to your desired state be sure to check out their state regulation laws. We’ve tried to sum up some of the most important information regarding out-of-state moving. Hopefully, our article helped you remember which important moving documents you need to bring. Additionally, we hope we’ve brought your attention to how important it is to keep those documents secure and close to you. Enjoy your move and don’t forget anything!

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