Are you sick and tired of the humdrum of your daily routine? Are you looking to get away from past mistakes and current problems? Are you dreaming of a fresh start? If so, it may be time to pack up and move away – far away.
Moving long distance is a great way to turn a new page in your life and pursue a better future. Yet, it is a big decision – and a big challenge – that should not be taken lightly. You need to carefully consider the consequences of such a life-changing step and make sure it’s the right path for you.
Moving out of state will take you out of your comfort zone and away from family and friends – and the relocation process will be difficult, expensive, and stressful. On the other hand, though, moving to a place where you know nobody and nobody knows you will give you the perfect chance to start over and build the life you’ve always wanted for yourself – and it will bring many new adventures and new opportunities to you and your family.
Here are the most essential pros and cons of moving to another state to help you make the right choice and achieve your dreams.
Benefits of moving out of state
Is moving out of state a good idea? It depends on your current situation, your wishes, and your opportunities, but there are many indisputable benefits of moving to a new state:
1) A fresh start
Moving to another state is a chance to start over and change the things you don’t like in your life:
- You will get a new home and a new job, so you will have the chance to create your dream home and find your dream job – and build a happier, more fulfilling, more comfortable, and more enjoyable life for yourself;
- Moving all your earthly possessions to your new state will be both very difficult and very expensive, so you’ll have a good incentive to get rid of unnecessary items and items you don’t really like. You will be able to free your life of clutter and surround yourself with things you truly love;
- You will live in a new area, so everything will be new and exciting – new places to explore, new experiences to try, new perspectives to discover, etc. The change of scenery will break your routine and get you out of the rut;
- No one in your new surroundings will know you, so you’ll be able to start with a clean slate – leave bad habits, bad friends, bad reputation, bad memories, bad experiences, and other burdens behind and become the person you want to be.
2) New opportunities
Moving to a new state will open a world of new opportunities for you – new job options and business possibilities, new educational resources and interest pursuits, leisure activities and entertainment options you have never had the chance to try, etc. You will be able to expand your knowledge, enhance your skills, indulge in enjoyable activities, and improve the quality of your life.
3) Larger social circle
When you move to a new place, you will meet a lot of new people – you will have new neighbors and new colleagues, will join new professional groups, local organizations, and/or hobby clubs, will become a part of a new community, etc. Your social network will expand and you will be able to make new friends and start new relationships.
See also: How to make friends after moving
4) Personal growth
Living in a new environment will broaden your horizons and heighten your self-awareness:
- Getting out of your comfort zone and braving the unknown without the safety net of family and friends, will make you stronger, more resilient, and more self-reliant;
- Encountering different ways of life, cultural practices, and social attitudes will broaden your knowledge and deepen your understanding of the world, making you more tolerant and more open-minded;
- Facing harsh challenges and radical changes will help you find your true self, define your priorities, and gain perspective.
All in all, moving across the country will open new doors to you and will give you the chance to create a better life for yourself. Yet, before deciding to move out of state, you need to consider the negative aspects of such a big change in your life, as well.
Disadvantages of moving to a new state
There are many good reasons to move to another state – unsatisfactory employment options and/or higher cost of living in your present area, discontent with your current situation in life, desire to change the scenery, advance your studies, pursue a relationship, start afresh, etc. Moving long distance, however, is an arduous, expensive, and emotionally-draining process and the outcome is not guaranteed to be a happy one.
1) You will miss your family and friends
Parting with loved ones is the hardest part of moving away. You can stay in touch with your family and friends, of course – they will be just one phone call or video chat away – but it won’t be the same. You won’t be able to give them a hug, share a meal with them, or engage in a favorite activity together – and you will feel lonely. Even after you make new friends in your new area, you’re still going to miss your old pals and your family.
2) You will have to adapt to a new environment
After moving to a new state, you will find yourself in an entirely different environment:
- Your new place won’t feel like home in the first weeks (or months) after the move;
- You will know nothing about your new surroundings (which the best places to eat, shop, and chill out are, where the locals like to hang out, what the community life is like, etc.) and will feel like a complete stranger;
- You will need to find a new doctor, a new beauty salon, a new gym, a new favorite restaurant, etc. and establish a new daily routine;
- You’ll have to get used to a new job and a new lifestyle;
- You will have to find your place in a new community.
See also: How to adjust after moving
3) You may experience culture shock
Even if you’re moving only a few states away, the cultural practices and social norms in your new community may be radically different from what you are accustomed to and may even clash with your previous lifestyle. You may not understand the local slang, may not have access to your preferred brands, may not be able to practice your favorite activities, etc.
It won’t be like moving to a new country, but you may still experience some culture shock after moving to a new state.
4) You will uproot your children
Children thrive on routine and resent change. If you have kids, moving to a new state will greatly disturb their routine and change their lives – they will have to adjust to a new school, prove themselves to new teachers and peers, quit any clubs or teams they belong to, and leave their friends behind.
Moving across the country will also take your children away from their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, etc. and will rob them of the safety and familiarity of their old home. It is going to be tough for young ones.
See also: How moving affects children
5) It will be costly
Moving is an expensive affair – especially so when moving to another state.
Long distance moving costs are based on the distance to your new home and the weight of your shipment, so the further away you’re going and the more belongings you have for moving, the more you’re going to pay. There are some efficient ways to reduce the moving costs and you can find good, affordable long distance movers to hire for your relocation, but you will still have to dig deep into your pocket when moving out of state.
Bonus tip: Despite the extra costs, it may be a good idea to purchase additional moving insurance for your belongings and to have your most delicate and valuable items professionally packed for the long trip to your new home – just to be on the safe side.
Your travel expenses when moving across country will be quite high as well – plane tickets aren’t cheap and if you decide to drive to your new home, you will have to pay for fuel (and you will need a lot of it when driving such a great distance) and meals and lodgings along the way (it will take you several days to reach your new home).
What’s more, your living expenses during the first months after the move will also be considerable – you will need enough money for the down payment on your new house (or for the security deposit and first month’s rent for a rented property), will need to buy a lot of new things for your new home (and won’t know which stores offer the best deals and where to find quality products at reasonable prices), will be eating out often because you will be tempted to try the local cuisine (and your new kitchen won’t be fully functional for quite some time), etc. (See also: How to save money after moving to a new place)
6) There will be a lot of hassle and stress
Moving states is a difficult, multi-aspect process. It requires a lot of careful planning and hard work – you will have to sort out and pare down your possessions, make a moving timeline and a moving inventory, set up a moving budget, research and compare movers, pack your belongings, deal with tons of paperwork, plan your trip to your new home, find a way to ship your pets across country, and take care of many other laborious moving preparations.
Once your move is over, there will be a lot of important post-relocation tasks to complete – changing your address, transferring your driver’s license and car registration, setting up utility accounts, updating insurance policies and electoral registration, finding a good school for your kids and a good GP for your family, etc.
It is all very exhausting and nerve-racking and makes moving to another state quite a stressful experience.
So, to sum it all up: How to decide if you should move to another state? Weigh the pros and cons of moving out of state, consider all the relevant factors, and do what is best for you and your family.
