Moving Checklist

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Moving Checklist – Two Months Before

Sort and declutter. Start making an inventory list and rid yourself of anything you have no need for.
Instead of throwing away items that you will not need, you should try and donate as much as you can.
Research. Start investigating moving company options. Make sure to invite various moving companies over to give you the price estimates. These are usually free of charge but are worth a lot.
Create a moving binder. Use this binder to keep track of everything—all your estimates, your receipts, and an inventory list of all the items you’re moving.
Organize school records. Go to your children’s school and arrange for their records to be transferred to their new school district.
Create a moving budget. Know how much money you can spend on the move and stick to this plan.

Six Weeks Before

Decide whether you are going to pack by yourself or you are going to hire a moving company to do that for you.
If you are going to pack by yourself, order moving supplies. For packing by yourself, you are going to need to order boxes and other packing supplies such as tape, protective wrapping, and permanent markers.
Use it or lose it. Make sure to use up frozen food and anything else that can go bad.
Take measurements. Check room dimensions at your new home, if possible, and make sure larger pieces of furniture will fit through the door.
By now, you should have enough information to choose a reliable moving company. Make the decision and get in touch with them.
Organize a sale. You may opt for a yard sale or you can put an ad online. It’s up to you. Make sure to get rid of everything that you are not going to need by the day of the move.
Return borrowed items if you have any. You would not want to need to take them with you, especially if you are moving long distance.

One Month Before

Choose your mover and book the moving date. Once you choose the movers you want, get written confirmation of your moving date, costs, and other details.
Begin packing. Start packing the things that you use most rarely. While packing, note items of special value that might require additional insurance from your moving company.
Place the valuable items into a safe box. If you do not have one, you may rent a save for the duration of the move or even a secure storage unit.
Label. Pack your belongings one room at a time and label the boxes accordingly. Don’t forget to pack and label “essentials” boxes of items you’ll need right after the move.
Separate valuables. Valuables such as jewelry and important files should go into a separate box which you will transport personally.
Do a change of address. You can do this at your local post office or on the USPS website.
Notify important parties. Alert the following of your move: credit card, insurance, and utility companies, your bank, the HR department at work, any newspaper or other subscriptions you might have.
Forward medical records. Ask for referrals and arrange for your medical records and those of your family members to be forwarded to your new healthcare facility
Notify the landlord that you will be leaving his place. Usually, a one month notice is enough. It will give the landlord enough time to find new tenants
While you should have eaten your frozen food by now, now is the right time to start using up the things that you do not want to move or take with you. The fewer items you need to pack, the better.
Let your employer know that you are going to require a day off or even two to move.
Notify voter registration of the move so that you will be eligible to vote when the time comes.
Throw a goodbye party at least for your kids. Have children exchange email addresses before you move away. This will help them stay in touch unless they have social media accounts active already. If they do, your work has been cut out for you.
If you are moving cross country, take your car to the repair shop. Have it ready for the long journey ahead.
If you are not an eager driver, you may choose the auto transport service from your moving company.
Look for points of interest online so that you are ready to start exploring your new neighborhood as soon as you move.
Get in touch with your vet and asking for a copy of your pet’s medical records.
Get your pet ready for the move by taking to the vet for a checkup.

Two Weeks Before

Take a day off from work on moving day. Remind your employer when you are relocating and that you need the day off to supervise the move.
Tune up your vehicle. Take your car to a mechanic and check if there are any modification or repairs that need to be done before the trip to your new home.
Clean out your safedeposit box. Plan on relocating the contents of your safetydeposit box to a bank at your new location.
Contact the moving company. Reconfirm the arrangements you made with the movers.
Forward your mail delivery to your new address. You wouldn’t want your mail to be delivered to your old address.
Be mindful of your pets. Depending on how far you are moving, you might want to arrange a particular moving service for them. Alternatively, you might want to leave them with your family while you take care of the move. The third option is to take them with you in your car.
Wash your clothes. Make sure to get over the dry cleaning process before you start packing.
Use your clothes instead of bubble wrap. Socks are great tampon zones and blankets can protect your large pieces of furniture from scratch.
Obtain a cooler. In the case that you do not eat all of your food, you will want it protected from the heat and easily transported.
Collect the keys to your new place in advance. It will give you time to prepare it for your moving in.
Get in touch with your regular babysitter. Arrange that she takes care of your children on the day of the move so that you can get it done with easily.
Alternatively, leave your kids with their grandparents for a week.

One Week Before

Refill prescriptions. Make sure that you secure sufficient quantities of medicine and prescriptions for the first couple of weeks.
Pack your suitcases. Plan to finish most of your packing several days before the moving day.
If you have plenty of electronics at home, you will have plenty of cables to pack. Take pictures of cables so that you know how to get them back in working order.
Back up your computer. You would not want to lose your documents should anything happen to your computer.
Plan your moving route to the smallest bits. Write down alternative routes as well and be ready for the traffic jam.
Change address with the IRS, Social Security, and other government offices.

A Few Days Before

Defrost the freezer. Make sure to empty, clean, and defrost it at least 24 hours before moving day.
Doublecheck the details. Reconfirm the moving company’s arrival time and other specifics and make sure you have prepared exact, written directions to your new home for the staff. Include contact information, such as your cell phone number.
Plan for the payment. If the staff has done a good job, 10 to 15 percent of the total fee is a good tip. Don’t forget that refreshments are always appreciated.
Prepare your new home for your arrival. This means that you should clean it thoroughly before you arrive. It is easier to do that before all of your items arrive.
Drain water hoses from your washing machine.

Moving Day

Verify. Confirm that the moving truck that arrives at your new location is the one you hired. Check the USDOT number painted on its side and the information usually found on the truck itself.
Take inventory. Sign the bill of lading/inventory list and keep a copy for yourself.
Use old rags to protect the floors of both your old and new homes. Old carpets are also good for pushing heavy items over the floor.
Clean the house that you are leaving. Once all of your items are out, make sure to leave the house in a decent state.
Check every corner of your old home for items that you might have forgotten there.
Return keys from the old apartment to the landlord.
Unpack only essentials for the first night in your new home.
Order home delivery food since you are going to be too tired to cook.

Tomorrow and onwards

Start unpacking smartly. Fit large objects first and then move onto the smaller ones.
Leave an online review for your moving company.
Reuse, donate or recycle moving boxes.
Get to know the neighbors.