Make your move less stressful

Making Your Move Less Stressful... A Checklist To Make Sure Things Get Done

Things To Do ASAP After Deciding To Move 

❑ Contact a moving company and tell them the dates you plan to move.  Set up a date for an agent to come over and survey your goods.  Unless you’re given a binding estimate, the cost can vary, depending on the actual weight of items and any extra services. 

❑ Decide if you are going to pack for yourself or have the movers do it. 

❑ Transfer or resign from organizations and associations. 

❑ Collect suitable containers & packing materials if you plan to do the packing yourself. 

❑ Start to use up things that can’t be moved, such as frozen foods, canned goods, and flammable household aerosol cleaners.  Buy only what you will use before moving. 

❑ Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business firms, and others who need to be notified of your move. 

❑ Consider having a garage sale to dispose of unwanted clothes or furniture. 

❑ Assemble packing materials: Boxes, felt-tip markers, large self-stick labels, newspapers, utility knife, packing peanuts or bubble wrap, packing tape, furniture pads, dolly, scissors 

❑ Pack an “Instant Aid” box containing things you’ll need upon arrival: Sponges, paper towels, powdered detergent, paper plates, toothpaste, light bulbs, hammer, trash bags, hand soap, toilet paper, scissors, utility knife, coffee cups, tea kettle, first-aid kit, snacks, pencils and paper, masking tape, bath towels, and shelf liner 

Things To Do 30-60 Days Before The Move 

❑ Establish credit in your new city.  Arrange for a transfer of bank account funds and the contents of your safety deposit box. 

❑ Check personal insurance policies to see whether moving is covered.  Transfer fire, theft, and other personal property insurance to ensure coverage at your new home. 

❑ Gather information on prescriptions.  Get current phone numbers and addresses of your doctor and dentist. 

❑ Arrange to transfer school records and secure transcripts from the local school district you are leaving.  Get copies of your records from doctors, dentists, accountants, etc. 

❑ Plan to cancel all utilities. 

❑ Pick up all dry cleaning and anything left at the tailor. 

❑ Set a date to cancel the newspaper. 

❑ Alert the post office that you will be moving.  If you don’t yet know your permanent address, the post office can hold your mail for you.  Send out change-of-address cards. First-class mail is forwarded free of charge for one year; newspapers and magazines - 60 days. 

❑ Take your car in to have it checked for the upcoming road trip. 

❑ Transfer all prescriptions to your new pharmacy. 

❑ Have rugs and draperies cleaned and keep them in bags until the movers arrive. 

❑ Take pets to the veterinarian.  Most states require health certificates and rabies inoculations for  licenses. 

❑ Collect all items being repaired, cleaned, or stored. 

❑ Return library books and anything else you may have borrowed.