4 Weeks Before Your Move
- Book your move online or by calling the moving company directly to reserve a slot before someone else does.
- Notify the utility services that you are currently enrolled with, as well as your future location.
- Electric, water, gas, telephone, cell phone, cable/satellite TV, internet, sewer, and trash.
- Make travel arrangements for your pets, whether it’s finding them a pet-sitter for the day of your move or to find them a new home.
- Host the garage sale to help with the organization around the house: to help assemble the donation pile.
3 Weeks Before Your Move
- Plan to talk to your moving company to see if they transport plants, as some moving companies have a protocol to disallow certain items in the truck.
- Dispose of any items that are not to be moved to your new house.
- Plan to be busy next week.
2 Weeks Before Your Move
- Notify these professional services prior to your move:
- Accountant
- Attorney
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Financial Planner
- Health Insurance Provider
- Insurance Agent
- Schools
- Notify these accounts and services to adjust new personal information prior to your move:
- Auto Finance Company
- Bank/Credit Union/Finance Companies
- Credit Card Companies
- Exterminator
- Health Club
- Home care service providers (lawn, exterminator, snow removal etc.)
- Laundry service
- Magazines
- Monthly memberships (Nexflix, book of the month, etc.)
- Newsletters
- Newspapers
- Pharmacy
- Store/Gas Charge Accounts
- Notify these government offices prior to your move:
- City/County Tax Assessor
- State Vehicle Registration
- Social Security Administration
- State/Federal Tax Bureau (IRS)
- Veterans Administration
- Confirm travel arrangements for your pets and family members.
- Confirm any parking permits for the moving companies moving container/truck/trailer/POD.
- Plan to use up any frozen foods that remain.
- Keep all important documents and important belongings in a safe yet easy to access spot.
1 Week Before Your Move
- Review your moving plans with your moving company. Email or call with questions.
- Contact your bank or Credit Card Company if you are planning to pay for your move by debit or credit card.
- Print two copies of your bill of lading (BOL) to keep in your move file.
- Notify friends and family of your new address and phone number
- Pack an essentials box to keep with you during the move.
- Drain gas and oil from lawn equipment, gas grills, heaters, etc.
- Drain water hoses and waterbeds.
- Measure furniture and doorways to determine if larger pieces will fit through the door.
- Empty and defrost refrigerator at least 24 hours before the move.
- Fill any prescriptions you will need during the move.
Moving Day
- Review your moving plans with your moving company. Email or call with questions.
- Be familiar with our packing and loading tips and personally supervise hired labor.
- Place carpet, floor and door frame protectors throughout your home.
- Load goods in a pre-designated order, saving "last load" items for the rear of your shipment.
- Check every room and closet one last time to make sure nothing is left behind.
8 Weeks Before Your Move
- Start planning your venture with a moving company and get an estimate for how much your move will cost.
- This could be a good opportunity to ask the moving company on the phone how to prepare for your move. They will provide you with some guidance – some guidance you can compare with to this list.
- Once you get an estimate on your move, create a budget plan for your moving expenses:
- Plan for box packing
- Wrapping fragile items with bubble wrap.
- Parking reservations for the day of your move
- Create an Excel Spreadsheet to help document receipts and other important information (maybe even an inventory list).
- Plan a visit with your new community, and start building your presence – get to know everyone around the block.
7 Weeks Before Your Move
- Start collecting all your medical, dental and prescription records and place them into an easy accessible spot just in case.
- Ask your current doctors for referrals around your new city/location.
- If you are moving across school zones, arrange to have school records and vaccination shot documentation ready prior to moving.
- Gather and hold onto all copies of legal and financial records.
- Call your insurance company to adjust your new policy.
- Plan to transfer or cancel memberships at any gym, health club, organization or group.
6 Weeks Before Your Move
- Start planning out what items you wish to keep/discard. Separate items into those you will
- Plan to make a trip to Goodwill or plan a Garage Sale
- Take a look at all your fragile items and keep in mind which items need to be thoroughly wrapped/protected.
- Decide if you will need to purchase movers insurance
- Sometimes having delicate items/furniture, it could be wise to have the insurance (it’s mostly common for long distance moves, but not so much for local moves)
- Start using up items that cannot be transported in the truck
- Frozen foods, bleach, cleaning supplies, aerosols, paint, carpet freshener.
- Call your insurance company to adjust your new policy.
- Plan to transfer or cancel memberships at any gym, health club, organization or group.
5 Weeks Before Your Move
- Order Boxes and moving supplies
- Begin packing items you do not use often
- Label your boxes clearly, and keep them organized by room.
- Pinpoint your move date and plan a date to call the postal company to file an address change.
