Countdown to a smooth move:
6 Weeks Before Your Move
Take an objective look at what you own, and decide what must go and what can be left behind. Books you've read and will never read again? Records you haven't listened to since college? The pan with a broken handle or the children's long- neglected games? Extra weight costs more money.
If you have a lot of things worth selling, you may want to organize a garage sale.
Start a central file for all of the details on your move. It's a good idea to buy a brightly colored organizer folder with pockets - you'll be less likely to misplace it. Make sure to collect receipts for moving-related expenses. Depending on your reason for moving, you may be entitled to a tax deduction.
Create a floor plan of your new home, and begin thinking about where you'll want to place furniture. Advance planning eases the stress of making major decisions when your furniture arrives at your new home. Mark and label specific pieces of furniture on your diagram, and put it in your moving folder.
Four Weeks Before Your Move
Notify the post office, magazines, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address. The U. S. Postal Service offers a kit to make this process easier.
Contact utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV) to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move. You'll want to have utilities on while you're still in the house. Call the utilities in your new town to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you have service when you arrive at your new home. And don't forget to arrange for an expert, if necessary, to install fixtures upon their arrival at your new home.
Complete any repair work on your old home, and arrange for any critical services needed at your new home.
If packing yourself, start packing seldom-used articles like fancy dishes and glasses, specialty cookware, non-essential clothing, curios, art, photos, and decorative items.
As you pack, remember to keep each box light enough to be handled by any of the members of your family - not just the strongest person. Heavier items go in smaller boxes, lighter items in larger boxes.
If you are planning a garage sale, pick a date at least a week before the move, and advertise it locally. Think about teaming up with neighbors who want to sell some of their old belongings, and plan a neighborhood "super sale."
Three Weeks Before Your Move
Take inventory of your everyday household goods, such as radios, pots and pans and small appliances. Decide which items you will discard or put in storage.
Self-packers: start your serious packing. Label the contents of all boxes, and pack carefully.
As best you can, box essential items together, and write "Open First/Load Last" on these boxes. When you move into your new home, you'll be able to easily identify these boxes and get to important items like pots, dishes, silverware, alarm clocks, bedding, pillows, towels, cherished toys and essential items for babies or children.
Make sure you have your driver's license, auto registration and insurance records.
Contact your doctors, dentist and veterinarian to receive copies of medical records.
Pack phone books from your old town to make staying in touch with old friends easier.
Make personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars) for your trip.
Plan your food purchases to have as little as possible in the freezer or refrigerator by the time you move. Use up all frozen items, and buy only what you'll eat in the next three weeks, because you can't ship them.
Arrange to clean your new home, or plan to clean it yourself as close to move-in as possible. Since the home will probably be unoccupied by this time, make sure the cleaning is thorough and covers all those nooks and crannies usually blocked by furniture or appliances.
Contact your children's schools, and arrange for records to be forwarded to your new school district.
Make new bank safety deposit box arrangements in your new hometown. Make arrangements to safely transfer items from your old safe deposit box to your new one.
Hold a garage sale now.
Two Weeks Before Your Move
Check with your insurance company to cancel current coverage or transfer coverage to your new home.
Make arrangements for transporting your pets and any house plants, because movers can't take them in the van.
Meet with your bank to change account status.
Transfer all current prescriptions to a drug store in your new town.
Cancel any delivery services such as newspapers. Consider starting a subscription to the newspaper in your new town to introduce you to local news happenings.
Have your automobile serviced if you're traveling by car.
Be sure to empty secret hiding places to remove valuables and spare house keys.
One Week Before Your Move
Mow your lawn for the last time.
Dispose of toxic or flammable items that can't be moved. Drain the gas and oil from gas-powered tools such as lawn mowers and snow blowers; movers will not take them if full.
Double check to make sure arrangements have been made to disconnect and service your major appliances being moved.
Pack your "trip kit" of necessary items that should go in your car and not the moving van: your checkbook, cash or travelers checks, medications, essential toiletries, light bulbs, flashlight, toilet paper, pet food, spare glasses or contact lenses, baby or child care items, toys and car games for children and your notebook with moving information.
Also arrange for a baby-sitter to be available when you arrive at your new home with young children.
Pack your own suitcase of clothes for the move.
Put your "open first/load last" boxes in a separate place so the mover can identify them.
Pay all outstanding bills. Be sure to indicate your new address on payment receipts.
Remove any fixtures you are taking with you and replace (if specified in your home- selling contract).
One To Two Days Before Your Move
The movers will arrive to start the packing process
Empty and defrost your refrigerator and freezer, clean both with a disinfectant and let them air out. Put baking soda or charcoal inside to keep them fresh.
Arrange for payment to the moving company. This payment must be made when your belongings arrive at your new home - before your belongings are unloaded. Find out your moving company's accepted methods of payment, terms, and its policy for inspecting your belongings when they arrive to determine if any breakage has occurred.
Empty your safety deposit box. Plan to take important papers, jewelry, cherished family photos, irreplaceable mementos and vital computer files with you.
Write directions to your new home for the van operator, provide the new phone number and include phone numbers where you can be reached in transit - either a car phone or friends, old neighbors, a place of business or relatives with whom you'll be in contact. You'll never be out of touch for long, should an emergency arise.
Leave your forwarding address and phone number for your home's new occupants.
If your old house will be sitting vacant, notify police and neighbors.
Moving Day
Remove linens from the beds and pack in an "open first" box.
When the movers arrive, review all details and paperwork. Accompany the van operator to take inventory. Verify delivery plans.
If there is time, give the home a final cleaning, or arrange in advance for someone to perform this service the day after moving out.
Move-In Day
If you arrive before the movers, take some time to tidy up your home (dusting shelves, etc.) so the movers can unpack items directly onto clean shelves. If you plan to line cupboards with shelving paper, this is a good time to do it.
Unpack your car.
Review your floor plan to refresh your memory about where you want furniture and appliances placed.
Check to make sure the utilities have been connected, and follow up on any delays.
Confine your pets to an out-of-the-way room to help keep them from running away or getting unduly agitated by all the activity. You might even consider boarding them overnight at a local kennel until you're settled.
Plan to be present when the moving van arrives. Be prepared to pay the mover before unloading.
One person should check the inventory sheets as items are unloaded. A second person should direct the movers on where to place items. Once all items are unloaded, unpack only what you need for the first day or two. Focus on creating a sense of home for your family. Give yourself at least two weeks to unpack and organize your belongings.
General Tips:
Please don't make travel plans for packing, move out, move in or unpacking day. Plan on being occupied with the service being provided for the entire day.
Keep your telephone functioning through the planned loading day. Likewise, try to have your new telephone installed and functioning for move in day at your new (destination) residence. You or the movers may need to communicate with the outside world.
All personal items of high value such as jewelry, coins, prescriptions, etc... are best carried with you when traveling to your new residence.
Remember; note missing or damaged items on the Household Goods Descriptive Inventory upon delivery. Failure to do so could result in denial of your claim!
Remember that when filing a claim for missing or damaged items, you will be required to substantiate any loss with a proof of value and ownership. This can be accomplished in the form of cancelled checks, sales receipts, a homeowners policy or appraisals.
Never throw out an item that has been damaged! The van line's appraiser or repair firm may want to inspect it and if you dispose of a damaged item your claim may be denied due to the article not being available for inspection.
If you cannot be at your residence on the day of packing, loading, unloading or unpacking; you will need to name an agent or representative to act on your behalf and to supervise the movers, as the mover's may have questions which will require immediate answers.
You or your company has been provided with an estimate for the cost of your move. Only the services detailed on this estimate are approved. Any additional service that is required should be approved by you or your company before it can be performed.
