While you’re feeling excited about moving from California to Tennessee, you’re finding it all to be more than a little overwhelming.
Finding a new house, a new job, and new schools.
And then there’s the intimidating task of packing.
If you’re feeling stressed at the thought of moving, you’re not alone.
Whether you are relocating to a big city, a suburb, or a quaint Tennessee mountain town, Next Moving can help.
Read on to find out the details of moving from California to Tennessee, what to consider before your move, and what Next Moving can do to make your move easier.
A Checklist for Moving from California to Tennessee In 8 Simple Steps:
If you’re among the Californians moving to Tennessee, you’re not alone.
Tennessee grew by 8.9% between 2010 and 2020, boosting the population of the Volunteer State to over 6,944,000 residents. While Tennessee is only the 36th largest state in the country by area, it ranks 20th when it comes to the most densely populated states.
At Next Moving, we know that moving across the country comes with a unique set of complexities, and we want to make your moving day as easy as possible.
That’s why we created our “Moving from California to Tennessee Checklist.”
All you need to do is follow our step-by-step guide to have everything ready to go on moving day.
#1: Research
If you are moving from California to Tennessee, the first thing on the agenda is to decide exactly where you want to move and spend a little time researching your new community.
Take into account all the important details like:
- The type of neighborhood you prefer
- The style of housing you want
- Schools
- Childcare
- The proximity of your home to jobs; and
- Nearby shopping
Spending the extra time evaluating the area will go a long way towards helping you find the location in Tennessee that’s perfect for you and your family.
#2: Set the Date of the Move
The next thing you’ll want to do is pinpoint your moving date.
As you’re deciding on the big day, you will want to consider:
- The starting date of a new job
- School starting or ending dates
- Childcare availability
- Summer vacation; or
- The holiday season
#3: Find Long-Distance Movers From California to Tennessee
A couple of months before moving from California to Tennessee, you will need to put the finishing touches on your moving budget and start getting cost estimates from moving companies.
It’s recommended that you get at least two or three estimates, to give yourself something to compare.
Of course, if you’re moving from CA to TN, you’ll want to go with an experienced moving company — one that’s familiar with the beautiful state of Tennessee and understands the easiest way to get your belongings to their new destination.
With many years in the moving business, the team at Next Moving is your perfect choice.
And, since we’re fully licensed and insured, you’ll have one less thing to worry about, knowing your items are in qualified and experienced hands.
Give Next Moving a call today for your free moving quote.
#4: Start Packing About 1 Week in Advance
The easiest way to pack for a cross-country move is to let someone else do it for you.
That’s why you’ll be glad to know that Next Moving is a full-service moving company.
Our experienced moving team will pack up your entire house — in only a fraction of the time it would take for you to do it yourself.
And our team is specially trained to pack your fragile and valuable items, like dishes and artwork.
If you decide to go ahead and pack up your home or business on your own, you’ll want to be sure to order all of your boxes and moving supplies at least six weeks before packing time.
That way, you’ll avoid the stress of having to run all over town searching for moving boxes in the final days before moving.
Be sure to remember to clearly label every box, taking note of the contents as well as its final destination in your new place.
#5: Notify Utility Services
About one month before moving from California to Tennessee, you’ll want to be sure to notify both your current and future utility companies about your pending move.
Get in contact with these departments to cancel, transfer, or set up new services:
- Electric
- Cell phone
- Water
- Gas
- Sewer
- Trash service
- Cable/satellite
- Internet
#6:Update Your New Address
The USPS recommends that you file a change of address form approximately two weeks before moving from California to Tennessee.
And be sure to share your new address with your:
- Family and friend
- Insurance company
- State/Federal Tax Bureau (IRS)
- Auto finance company
- Bank and financial institutions
- Credit card companies
- Health club
- Pharmacy
- Monthly memberships like Netflix and Book of the Month
- Newspapers and magazines
- Home care service providers, like lawn care, exterminator, and snow removal
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Social Security Administration
- City/County Tax Assessor; and
- Veterans Administration
#7: Counting Down to Moving Day
About a week before moving from California to Tennessee, you’ll need to tie up any loose ends by:
- Calling your credit card company and bank letting them know that you’ll be traveling. This way, you’ll be able to avoid fraud alerts — or the embarrassment and inconvenience of having your card declined for suspicious activity.
- Preparing your appliances for moving day by draining all oil and gas from grills and lawn equipment.
- Defrosting your refrigerator and freezer 24 hours (or more) before moving day.
- Getting refills for all prescription medications.
- Packing a traveling bag of clothes, toiletries, and any other items you think you’ll need for your trip.
It’s also helpful to pack a box with items you’ll need to have access to when you pull into your new home, such as:
- Toilet paper
- Paper dining products and disposable silverware
- Tools
- Scissors
- Light bulbs
- Toilet paper; and
- Trash bags
You can either carry this box in your car or place it as the final item in your moving van. This way, it will be easily accessible when you arrive at your new home.
And don’t forget to do a final walk-through of your old home. You’ll want to check every room and closet one final time before you pull away to make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.
#8: Move In
Welcome to the gorgeous state of Tennessee!
Now it’s time to get the moving van unpacked and get everything inside.
Sound overwhelming? Not if you hired a professional team of movers. They’ll make this step a breeze because full-service movers pack and unpack.
No need to throw your back out getting your mattress up three flights of stairs or scrambling to round up strangers to help you unload a fully-loaded moving van.
When you’ve hired the pros, your only job is to act as a traffic director, letting the movers know where you want everything to go.
When you pull into your new place, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to do a quick walk-through, just to make sure everything is as it should be.
And, within the first few weeks of moving from California to Tennessee, you’ll want to:
