6-8 Weeks Before Your Move
- Keep all moving related receipts (many moving expenses are tax deductable)
- Obtain Post Office and IRS change of address form
- Research and get to know your new community
- Subscribe to newspaper in your new community to get to know the new community better
- Begin collecting packing and moving supplies if you will need them
- Begin using up unmovable items (i.e. frozen foods, cleaning supplies)
- Make moving arrangements with a moving company
- Contact schools, doctors, dentists, lawyers, and accountants to obtain copies of important personal records
5 Weeks Before Your Move
- Find an auto transportation company and schedule transportation for your vehicles
- If necessary, find temp housing while you wait to move into your new home
- Review travel site for pricing on travel to your new destination
4 Weeks Before Your Move
- Inventory your personal belongings
- Decide which items you will move with you and which items you will leave behind. Decide whether you are throwing out, donating, or selling the items you are leaving behind.
- Find and storage facility for any items you wish to store during your move
- Purchase any airline tickets for moving day
- Submit your change of address forms and inform any friends, relatives, or businesses of your new address
- Schedule the disconnection of any utilities in your current home and also schedule connection of any new utilities at new home
- Advertise for and host a garage sale for any items you wish to sell before moving
3 Weeks Before Your Move
- Make copies of all important documents
- Schedule a one-time home clean for after you move out
- Inform your van line agent if you will need any additional services (i.e. piano moving, packing, unpacking, storage) and if you have added or removed any items on your inventory list
- Finalize your reservation for auto transportation
- Decide on if you are moving your house plants or not. Some state laws prohibit the moving of house plants. Consider giving them to friends or relatives
- Make transportation arrangements for pets. Bring your pet to veterinarian to ensure that all health certificates and rabies inoculations are up to date.
- Return borrowed items (i.e. library books)
2 Weeks Before Your Move
- Transfer all prescriptions to a drugstore in your new city
- Back up computer files onto disks and consider transporting these disks with you. Extreme temperatures can cause damage to your computer
- Make all final packing decisions
- Drain your lawn mower, snow blower, and power tools of all the oil and gasoline for safe transport
- Schedule appliance disconnection
- Inform gas, electric, cable, and telephone services of your move. Have these services disconnected at your current home the day after moving out and have these services connected at your new home on moving day.
- Contact your bank to transfer or close accounts. Clear out safety deposit boxes.
- Assemble a folder of information about your current house for the new owner
1 Week Before Your Move
- Label boxes as “Fragile,” “Do Not Load,” and “Load Last”
- Check you have not overlooked anything in the house
- Confirm your transportation for your family and pets. Confirm your moving date with the van line
- Prepare your car for transport
- Fill any prescriptions that you will need for the next couple of weeks
- Arrange for the payment of van line
- Pack any immediate necessities (i.e. clothes, sheets, bathroom items, disposable plates and cups, snacks, trash bags) in suitcases or duffel bags so they are easy to find upon arrival
Moving Out
- Make sure to be on hand when the movers arrive and throughout the loading process
- Be with the driver during inventory to make sure nothing was forgotten
- Make a final walk through your house to double-check no items were left behind
- Sign bill of lading and check that your new address and phone number are correct
- Leave behind a garage door opener
- Lock all windows and doors and turn off all switches
- Keep all valuables with you (i.e. jewelry)
Moving In
- Upon arrival, check that all of your utilities have been connected and are working properly
- Verify that your mail is being shipped to your new address and pick up any mail that is being held
- Track the shipment of your belongings
