Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to move to our wonderful area…..what comes next?
60 Days Prior to Move
- Get Quotes from at least three moving companies
- Hire the mover with the best reputation & record
- Use our Moving Box Calculator to determine the number of boxes/sizes you will need
- If you are being transferred by your company, make sure you understand their moving policies.
- Pare down- use up, sell, recycle or donate anything you don’t want to move
- Make a moving folder or booklet- include an inventory of all your household items with a video/photo
- Start planning a garage sale to get rid of all unwanted items.
- Make a packing plan- assign everyone a task- even the kids!
- Unless your company is paying for packers to come in, keep an eye out for items that could be used as packing material.
YOUR RECORDS:
- Contact your insurance agent to transfer medical, property, fire & auto insurance policies, and while you have them on the phone, be sure to ask about coverage while you’re in transit.
- Create a designated folder for moving-related expenses where you can file all receipts. Find out what is tax-deductible.
- Obtain an IRS Change of Address form. Form 8822 by calling 800-829-1040 or visit www.irs.gov
- Notify old and new schools and arrange for the transfer of school records and begin the process of registering in the new schools.
- Notify doctors, dentist and other professionals of your move. Seek referrals and collect all medical, dental and school records to ensure you do not forget to obtain them at a later date. Keep these in a safe place
- Belong to any national associations? Be sure to transfer membership to your new hometown.
Your Family & Pets:
- Make travel arrangements for you and your family. Be sure to arrive well before your movers’ scheduled arrival.
- If you’re nearing a pet’s regular exam, schedule it now and start getting recommendations for veterinarians in your new town.
30 Days Prior to Move
- Check with your mover to confirm the details of your move.
- Reserve a storage locker if necessary.
- If you are packing your own items, begin packing out of season or rarely used items.
- Make an unpacking plan for your new home.
- Make the arrangements to connect & disconnect your cable, internet & utilities
- Create an inventory of your items so you can compare it against the moving companies list
- Are you taking appliances? If so, draw up a plan for how to handle them
- Arrange childcare and pet care for the day of your move.
Your Records-
- Contact or visit your local post office to obtain a “Change of Address” form. You can also find the form at www.usps.com.
- Give a “Change of Address” notice to friends, family, banks, schools, insurance companies, doctors, cell phone provider, credit card companies and publications and newspaper companies.
- Check the requirements for a new driver’s license and complete auto registration at your new Motor Vehicle location.
- Let service providers- landscaping, cleaning services- that you are moving and set up new services in your new town.
Your Family & Pets:
- If time permits, visit your doctor/dentists for a final checkup before your move.
- Encourage & help children make an address book of all their friends
14 Days Prior to Your Move
- Begin cleaning rooms in your home that are empty- such as closets, basements & attics. Also, check to make sure you haven’t let anything go unpacked.
- If you are moving plants, check out their special needs.
- Arrange for any services you need to be done in your new home before your arrival: carpet cleaning, painting, wood & tile floor cleaning
- Organize important documents- will, passports, deeds & financial statements- to carry with you on the move. Make copies that you can leave in your belongings but carry the originals with you.
- Find pharmacies in your new town that you can transfer your families’ prescriptions over to. Make sure you have enough medications to carry you through until you set up your new doctor.
Week of Your Move:
- Pack any items you have not had a chance to pack yet.
- Call your mover and confirm your move date
- Arrange for payment for movers, include a cash tip per mover- a customary amount $4-$5 an hour per person. An example of an 8 hour day would be $40 per mover.
- Confirm closing/move-in dates with your real estate agent, confirm dates with storage people.
- Discuss your contingency plan if the movers are running late.
- Disconnect and disassemble your computer & peripherals Back up your computer files on the cloud or disc drives first….and then carry them with you.
- Dispose of paint, oil and weed killers. Drain fuel out of mowers. Discard propane tanks from grills.
Your Records:
- Make sure all scheduled deliveries (newspapers, etc) have been canceled & redirected to your new home.
- Open a banking account. Don’t close your old ones until you move. If you bank online, be sure to update your address.
- Get together all keys, alarm codes, garage door openers and place them in a folder or box so you will be prepared to hand them over to the new owner or real estate agent.
- Return any borrowed items from friends, library or local stores.
- Engage your kids in the process- have them color code boxes, etc
- Plan for easy meals you can prepare while using up the food in your refrigerator.
On Moving Day
Put together a moving day “survival kit” with items you’ll need for the trip and immediately after you arrive at your new home.
- ID
- Your wallet, checkbook and/or ATM card
- Bottled water
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap
- Prescription medicines.
- Non-prescription medications
- Snacks that don’t require refrigeration or cooking.
- Paper cups, paper plates, utensils & napkins
- Towels
- Sheets
- Scissors and tape
- Closing documents if you’re buying a new home.
- Important files & medical records
Tool kit
- Pet food, litter, water.
- Empty, clean & defrost your refrigerator.
- Notify the police in your town if your home will be uninhabited for a long period of time.
- Write out a list for your movers of things they’ll need, phone numbers, the exact address of the new home and a map.
- Check the inventory list and sign it. Put your copy in your moving folder.
- Read the Bill of Lading carefully and sign if it is correct.
- Make sure you have the moving company’s information & contact numbers with you.
- In your new home, tape names to doors, to assist the movers. map out the floor layout so movers know where furniture is to be placed.
- Do a walk-through with your real estate agent.
ENJOY YOUR NEW HOME!!