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.
