Migration to and from different states is on the rise in 2022, and that means a lot of properties being left behind for newer opportunities elsewhere. Moving homes can be exciting for many reasons, especially if you’re leaving the state for better job opportunities, to live in a safer community, to be closer to family, or whatever other reason you might have. It also means having to sift through all of the junk in your current home so that you leave nothing of value behind.
This article will look at the scale of migration within the US in the past couple of years as well as how to de-clutter your home to ensure a smooth and hassle-free move if you’re one of the millions of Americans moving to another state.
Where are Americans migrating to & from?
The US Census Bureau has reported in late 2021 that the US had experienced the slowest growth on record, but if you look around your city and perhaps even your neighbourhood, you might have a different impression. Whereas low fertility rates and a growing mortality rate have certainly had an effect, much of the migration has come from within various states.
Millions of Americans have left some states, such as California and New York, whereas millions have settled in states such as Florida and Texas in the past decade. This behavior has only accelerated since the pandemic in 2020, with mass migration movements to/from certain states and geographic areas in the US.
To get an idea of the magnitude of migration within the US and to see the big gainers and big losers from 2020-2021, we’ve put together recent census data in the below figure:
Source: United States Census Bureau, New Vintage 2021 Population Estimates Available for the Nation, States and Puerto Rico.
Keep in mind that the above figure accounts for natural changes to population size, i.e. births and deaths. When accounting only for migration, the numbers are more accurately shown in the below table (for the top three big states gaining/losing):
| State | Net Domestic Migration Growth/Decline |
| Florida | 220,890 |
| Texas | 170,307 |
| Arizona | 93,026 |
| California | -367,299 |
| New York | -352,185 |
| Illinois | -122,460 |
Source: ibid.
The big gainers in terms of net migration in the US are Florida and Texas, while California, New York, and Illinois all showed a large net decrease.
Why are so many Americans moving?
People move for all sorts of reasons – some good, some bad. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, most Californians have left for three big reasons: housing, job, or family reasons.
The rapidly rising cost of living in places like California can exacerbate problems with housing supply, job opportunities, and in some cases make other states far more attractive. It’s no secret that California’s taxes are notoriously high, whereas Texas and Florida have no state income tax at all. To be fair, they also tend to have higher sales tax, however.
Another possible reason for the ‘CalExodus’ that has been underway for over a decade (over 7.5 million Californians have left since 2010) may be personal safety. The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program consistently ranks California as the highest state in terms of violent crimes, at 447.4 per 100,000 people. Other urban centers such as New York City and Chicago are also experiencing crime waves that may be driving residents to leave for safer communities across state lines.
Planning to move? What about all your junk?
Packing up and moving is easy if all you’ve got is a suitcase with all of your belongings stuffed inside. Unless you’re an extreme minimalist living in such a way, chances are that you’ll need quite a bit of help packing up all of your belongings and moving to a new state.
While a lot of your belongings are indeed valuable and you’ll want to bring them with you, just imagine how much junk gets accumulated in a home after living in the same place for many years. Even small apartments can get unbelievably cluttered with all sorts of unwanted junk.
The good news is that there are many effective ways to pack up your whole house and move to a new state, and they don’t need to cost you a small fortune. Here are a few tips to consider when moving to another state (or even another city or county within the same state):
Make a simple list
Before moving out of your current property, you’ll need to come up with a plan for all of the stuff inside your property. One good way to sort everything out involves making three categories and to be strict about it, i.e. don’t make “maybe I’ll use this next year” categories, or else you’ll get bogged down.
Start out by going room by room and sorting out everything as either “keep it,” “toss it” or “maybe.” The first two categories will quickly sift out the trash from the valuables, leaving you with just the “maybe” list to sort through, item by item.
If you want more top tips to de-clutter your home, check out our previous blog article on this topic.
Have a garage sale
In your county, you might be permitted to have a garage sale once or twice a year, or perhaps even more frequently. The point is, having a garage sale at your property is a great way to get rid of unwanted junk that others might find useful. An old sofa, for example, might be a great buy for a young couple just starting out their new life on a shoestring budget. You can also get rid of all sorts of old clothes, books, and other items.
Hire a moving company or do it yourself
Now that you’ve got all of your belongings and junk separated, think about how you plan to move all of your belongings with you. For many Americans, it’s easier to call a moving company and let them handle everything for you.
Another option is to rent a U-Haul or a moving vehicle from another company, but you’ll have to do the loading/unloading and driving yourself. If you’ve already got a truck or van and you’re able to pack everything inside safely, that’s another option. Just keep in mind that you’re gonna be guzzling gas with all of that extra weight, but you still might save a pretty penny by doing it yourself.
Get rid of all unwanted junk
Once you’ve organized all of your “keep” list, which are your valuable belongings, you’ll need to address that “toss it” pile we mentioned above. Whether it’s a few boxes of assorted junk, large appliances like stoves or refrigerators, lawn furniture or trampolines, you’ll need to find a way to get rid of it.
Many cities can collect a few bulky items during garbage collection from the curbside, but many do not. You shouldn’t depend on the city garbage collection to pick up a whole house worth of bulky junk! There is a big difference between junk removal and garbage collection, which is why in most cases, junk removal services are the way to go.
Why using a junk removal service for moving is ideal
Junk haulers specialize in junk removal (obviously), but many will also gladly perform full property cleanouts that are ideal for people moving out of their property for greener pastures.
Moreover, they’ll also fully clean up afterwards, leaving the property clean and clutter-free. So if you’re a property owner that just sold to another buyer, they’ll have a nice and clean property to move into. If you were renting, you’ll be in a much better position to get back your deposit since your unit was professionally cleaned out.
Most importantly, however, is that junk removal companies take the heavy lifting off of your hands but also your mind. Moving can be stressful, so having to lug around big pieces of furniture at the last minute can cause unnecessary headaches. Let a junk hauler do it while you focus on the big move.
Use an independent junk hauler
Take the stress out of moving by using a reputable local junk removal company near you. JunkGator has a network of over 500 reliable junk haulers operating independently across the United States, so click on GET QUOTES to find a junk hauler near you today.
