LONG-DISTANCE CHECKLIST
Long-Distance Moving Checklist
Everything to handle before, during and after a move to a new city or a new state, one box at a time.
A move across state lines has more moving parts than a move across town. There are new utilities to set up, records to transfer, a car to register and a longer gap between the day your things leave and the day they arrive. This checklist is built for families heading hundreds of miles away, whether for a new job, to be closer to family or for a fresh start.
Print it, stick it on the fridge and check items off as you go. Start at the top about two months before your move date, and don’t worry if you are starting later. Just work through each section in order and double up where you need to. When you are ready to get a price, A & M Friendly Movers can give you a binding estimate for your long-distance move, so your moving cost is one less thing to wonder about.
Need a different list? See our main moving checklist, the room-by-room packing checklist, or our business moving checklist.
Your Long-Distance Moving Timeline
8+ Weeks Out
- ☐ Set your move date and a backup date, just in case
- ☐ Walk through every room and make a rough inventory
- ☐ Get a binding estimate so your price won’t change after booking
- ☐ Ask your mover about delivery dates and pick one that works
- ☐ Book your move and pay the deposit to hold your date
- ☐ Start a moving folder for quotes, receipts and paperwork
- ☐ Sell, donate or toss anything not worth moving that far
- ☐ Check whether your employer covers any relocation costs
6 Weeks Out
- ☐ Order boxes, tape and packing paper, or have them delivered
- ☐ Start packing rooms and closets you rarely use
- ☐ Measure large furniture against doorways at the new place
- ☐ Decide what goes on the truck and what rides with you
- ☐ Book any storage you need if the new home isn’t ready
- ☐ Plan your travel route, hotel stops and pet arrangements
- ☐ Use up frozen food and pantry items you can’t take along
4 Weeks Out
- ☐ Schedule utility shutoff at your current home for after move day
- ☐ Set up electric, water, gas and internet in your new state
- ☐ Request school records and ask how enrollment works there
- ☐ Get copies of medical, dental and vet records
- ☐ Research vehicle registration and license rules in your new state
- ☐ Look up how long you have to switch your license and plates
- ☐ Submit a change of address with the post office
- ☐ Update your address with banks, insurance and subscriptions
2 Weeks Out
- ☐ Confirm your move date, times and both addresses with your mover
- ☐ Finish packing everything except daily essentials
- ☐ Label every box with its room and a short list of contents
- ☐ Service your car before the long drive
- ☐ Refill prescriptions so you have enough for the trip
- ☐ Set aside hazardous items like paint, propane and fuel to leave behind
- ☐ Disconnect appliances that are going on the truck
Loading Day
- ☐ Keep your essentials box and travel bag out of the loading area
- ☐ Pack a travel bag with clothes, chargers, medicine and documents
- ☐ Walk the crew through the home and point out fragile pieces
- ☐ Keep kids and pets in a quiet room or with a sitter
- ☐ Do a final walk-through of closets, cabinets and the garage
- ☐ Have payment ready: it’s due once the truck is loaded
- ☐ Share your cell number and delivery address with the crew
Delivery Day & After
- ☐ Be at the new home, or have someone there, on delivery day
- ☐ Show the crew where each room is and where big pieces go
- ☐ Check items off your inventory as they come off the truck
- ☐ Unpack your essentials box and make the beds first
- ☐ Note any damage and report it right away
- ☐ Register your vehicle and switch your license within your state’s deadline
- ☐ Register to vote and update your address everywhere else
Easy-to-Forget Long-Distance Tasks
Transfer Your Prescriptions
Call your pharmacy before you leave and ask them to move your prescriptions to a location near your new home. Pack enough medication to cover the drive plus a few extra days, and keep it in your travel bag, not on the truck.
Pack Records Separately
Birth certificates, passports, school records, medical files and your moving paperwork should ride with you. Put them in one folder or a small lockbox. If something is ever misplaced during a move, these are the hardest things to replace.
Plan for the Gap
Your things may arrive a few days after you do. Pack a bag as if you were going on a short trip: clothes, toiletries, chargers, a few kitchen basics and bedding. An air mattress can make that first night much more comfortable.
Check New-State Rules
Every state sets its own timeline for new residents to get a driver's license, register a car and update insurance. Look it up before you move so you aren't scrambling later, and keep your title and registration papers with you.
Long-Distance Moving Checklist FAQs
As early as you can. Starting eight weeks or more ahead gives you the best choice of dates and plenty of time to sort, pack and handle paperwork. That said, plans change. If you are short on time, call us and we will do everything we can to fit you in when a crew is available.
A binding estimate means the price we quote is the price you pay. It is set before you book and it is never changed after booking. That lets you budget for the move with confidence instead of waiting for a final bill. It is one of the reasons we ask for a good inventory up front.
No. With A & M Friendly Movers your long-distance move gets its own dedicated truck. The same W-2 crew that loads your home drives it and unloads it at the other end, with no hand-offs along the way. You also get a guaranteed delivery date, so you can plan around it.
A $100 deposit holds your date and is applied to the move. The balance is due once the truck is loaded. We accept credit and debit cards, personal checks and certified checks. We do not accept cash. If your plans shift, there is never a fee to reschedule.
Hazardous items can’t travel on the truck. That includes paint, propane, fuel, chemicals and ammunition. Plan to use them up, give them away or dispose of them properly before loading day. Keep valuables, important documents and medications with you rather than packing them in boxes.
Yes. Military families get 5% off their total move, and we help with PPM (DITY) moves, including the paperwork. If you are moving on orders, visit our military moves page and call us early so we can plan around your report date.
Ready to Get Your Long-Distance Move on the Calendar?
A checklist gets you organized. A good crew gets you there. With A & M Friendly Movers you get a binding estimate, your own truck and the same crew from your old door to your new one. Call 717-434-6711 to talk with an owner, or request your free moving quote online and we will call you back within 15 minutes, 8am to 8pm.
Ready to start your stress-free move? Contact us today to Get a free moving quote and let the A & M family make your moving experience a delightful one!