Your Checklist of Things to Do When Moving
Getting ready for moving day is something that takes a lot of preparation work. But, how can you be sure that you get through everything as you should? Here’s a quick look at some things you may want to add to your moving checklist when you’re getting ready to go!
Schedule Your Movers
Scheduling your movers is paramount to ensuring that everything goes the way that you want it to go. The fact is, the earlier that you schedule your local movers, the more of an idea you can have regarding your budget and everything that you need to do.
Look around online, compare estimates and prices, and talk to people about who you want to choose from. If you have that moving date scheduled, you can start making goals and figure out exactly how much time that you’re going to have to get through the rest of the items on this list.
Get your moving estimate by using our moving cost calculator.
Inform Family and Friends
When you know exactly what is going on, that’s the time when you’ll want to let your family and friends know that you’re heading somewhere new. You want to have some details in place before you do this – for example, where you’re headed, why you’re headed there, etc. – but not spring it on them a week before (unless it’s a last-minute move).
Start Packing and Purging
You want to start the process of packing and purging items as soon as you can. The quicker that you start that process, the easier it will be for you to get everything done before moving day. Start with larger items and items that are more decorative than anything else.
You want to start by putting together an inventory of what you’re taking with you. Write everything done that you can, because it’ll help you and your movers to keep track of things as they’re loading and unloading. On top of that, you want to split things into what you’re taking with you, what you’re donating/selling/giving away, and what you’re throwing away.
Have a garage sale/moving sale about two weeks before you move. This will allow you enough time to get everything sold and ready to go. And, if you have any items leftover (and you likely will), all you need to do is load them up and take them to your local donation charity or store.
You don’t want to still be packing when your moving company gets there on moving day. By getting ready ahead of time and feeling confident about what you have available, you’ll find that it’s that much easier to make decisions and sort out exactly what will work for your situation and needs.
Change Your Address Everywhere
You want to put in a change of address form with the USPS as soon as you know your new address. When you put in for an address change, you can let them know what date the address change is active – even if it’s a couple of weeks from now.
Then, you want to go ahead and put your address change in with doctors, credit card companies, your bank, and whoever else that you’re going to be continuing service with. Write down a list of who you are going to need to get in touch with and make sure that you do so.
Schedule Utilities Properly
You want to be sure that you do a turn-off date for your utilities as soon as you know your move-out date. There’s no reason for you to pay any extra than what you’re already paying on a home that is sitting empty for a certain period of time. Schedule your turn off date for the day after you move out, if possible.
The same goes for moving in. You don’t want to pay for too many extra days, unless you’re doing a short distance move and you’re going in there to clean and prepare things for your move. Get them to turn it on the day before you move in, so that you don’t need to wait or have them try to turn them on at the same time that you’re moving everything into your home.
Moving Day!
Now it’s moving day. Be sure that anything that isn’t going on the truck is either set aside or put into your vehicle. After all of the items are loaded on the truck, take one last look at the place and do any spot cleaning that you didn’t do ahead of time. Then, it’s time to head out and execute all of the hard work that you’ve been planning for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why have a moving checklist?
A moving checklist provides a number of different benefits to those who are getting ready to move. It keeps things organized, it allows you to feel like you’re making progress, and it makes it easier to tell others what help you need if they ask about it.
On top of that, it can also ensure that you don’t forget anything in the busyness that often accompanies the process of getting ready to move.
Should I pay for movers ahead of time?
A deposit is a normal procedure – usually 5% to 10% of the total estimate that you are given when you sign the contract. But, if a company tries to ask for the entire estimate as your deposit, you may want to consider another company.
The only time that is acceptable is if you’re working through a broker or facilitation service.
What If I have other things not listed on this checklist?
Go ahead and add them! This checklist is meant to be a guide for you so that you can start putting things together and working out what it is that you need to accomplish. Everyone’s situation is different, so add and adjust as necessary.
Concluding Ideas
There are a lot of different ways to take care of your move, and you want to be sure that you look at it in detail by using a moving checklist to help you out. When all is said and done, you’ll have everything in order and you can ensure that you’re able to get everything worked out.
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