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.
Send Change of Address to:
- Post Office: give forwarding address
- Charge accounts, credit cards
- Subscriptions: notice requires several weeks
- Friends and relatives
- Bank: transfer funds, arrange check-cashing in new city
- Insurance: life, health, fire, and auto
- Automobile: transfer of car title registration, driver’s license, city windshield sticker, motor club membership
- Utility companies (gas, light, water, telephone, fuel): arrange for refunds of any deposits and service in new town
- Cancel/change newspaper delivery
- School records: ask for copies or transfer of children’s records
- Health: medical, dental, prescription histories. Ask doctor and dentist for referrals, transfer
- needed prescriptions, x-rays
- Church, clubs, civic organizations: transfer memberships, get letters of introduction
- Pets: ask about regulations for licenses, vaccinations, tags, etc.
And don’t forget to:
- Empty freezer: plan use of foods
- Defrost freezer/refrigerator: place charcoal to dispel odors
- Have appliances serviced for moving
- Remember arrangements for TV and antenna
- Clean rugs or clothing before moving; have them wrapped or packed
- Check insurance coverage, packing and unpacking labor, arrival day, various shipping papers, method and time of expected payment
- Plan for special care needs of infants and children
And on Moving day:
- Carry currency, jewelry, documents yourself or use registered mail
- Plan for transporting pets; they are poor traveling companions if unhappy
- Carry traveler’s checks for quick, available funds
- Let close friend or relative know your route and schedule, including overnight stops; use him/her as a message headquarters
- Leave all old keys needed by new tenant or owner with the real estate agent
