GETTING READY TO MOVE Hire a Mover Ask friends for recommendations, look online and get quotes from three licensed companies. Decide if the movers or you will pack (you may want to wrap fragile or costly items yourself). Ask if the quote is binding or nonbinding, what charges could arise, and what insurance is included. If necessary, contact your insurance company for additional coverage. Request a copy of the signed contract.
Stay Organized Start a notebook or folder for move-related paperwork, such as to-do lists, contracts, receipts, checklists, and phone numbers.
5 WEEKS BEFORE • Organize your belongings • Conduct a room-by-room survey to determine what you plan to keep, sell, and donate. • Document valuables • Have items such as artwork and antiques appraised in case they get damaged. Photograph or videotape them, and upload the images to your computer/phone --make sure it’s backed up! • Transfer documents • Arrange to have school records transferred to your child’s new district, medical records transferred to new physicians and veterinarian records transferred for the pets. 4 WEEKS BEFORE • Gather materials • Stock up on moving supplies, including boxes, box cutters, tape (packing, masking, and blue painter’s), tape dispensers, wrapping material (bubble, plastic, and tissue paper), and labels. If in doubt, purchase extra; you can return any unused products. Wardrobe boxes, with built-in bars for hangers, can transport clothing as well as light fixtures. Used boxes from bookstores, which are built to carry compact but heavy loads, are excellent for most other items.
3 WEEKS BEFORE • Start packing • Box infrequently used items, including the contents of the garage, the attic, and other storage areas, as well as out-of-season clothing, holiday decorations, books, and special-occasion dishware. Try to limit each box’s weight to enable easy lifting. Fill large boxes with pillows and other light things, and reserve smaller boxes for your heavier possessions. Always reinforce the bottoms with packing tape. Secure fragile objects with cushioned packaging material and painter’s tape, which releases easily. Pack electronics and small appliances in their original packaging or in snugly fitting boxes. • Notify utility services • Request that your utilities and phone and Internet service be disconnected the day after you leave and installed in your new home the day before you arrive. • Call a locksmith • Arrange to have the locks in your new home changed on moving day, or earlier if convenient. • Hire a cleaning company • Consider having housekeepers scrub both of the spaces (so you don’t have to), preparing the new house in the morning before you arrive and tidying up the old one after you leave. • Additionally: clear out your safe deposit box, fill any prescriptions you’ll need, have your car serviced, reconfirm the movers. 2 WEEKS BEFORE • Continue packing • Before you pack the bulk of your belongings, think about whether you’d like to do so by room, by category (such as sports equipment and formal dinnerware), or by another system that works for you. • Change your address • To have your mail forwarded, complete a change-ofaddress form online at www.usps.gov or at the post office. Notify others regarding your move: banks, credit card companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies, utilities, doctors, veterinarian, magazines (www.oneswitch.com).
1 WEEK BEFORE • Prepare your moving papers • Print an information sheet for the movers with the old and new addresses, directions, and your cell phone number. Get a money order, cashier’s check or cash to pay and tip the movers if you have not arranged to pay by credit card. • Finish packing • Box your remaining items, setting aside sufficient clothing for the week ahead, as well as a suitcase or two to transport it. • Create a Last-Out, First-In Box • Pack your day-to-day necessities so that they’re together in one place, including bedding, towels, toiletries, toilet paper, basic tools, cleaning supplies, medications, a camera (to document anything broken in transit), snacks, a few dishes and utensils, and a coffeepot — plus coffee and mugs. Take the box with you in your car. • Stash small valuables • Keep jewelry and important paperwork together. Have a friend hold on to them until you get settled, or lock them in the trunk of your car on moving day.
MOVING DAY
• Do a walk-through before movers arrive to verify everything is packed and afterward to make sure nothing was left. Give your keys to the real estate agent or landlord. Plan to be at home the entire time it takes the movers to get you packed and loaded. • Direct traffic • Arrange for someone to be at your new home when the movers arrive to oversee them and answer questions. • Inspect for damages • Photograph relevant objects before signing the release, also known as the bill of lading. • Start to settle in • Test faucets, toilets, utilities, phones, smoke detectors, and security systems. Turn on the water heater, if necessary. Begin to unpack, discarding anything that no longer serves you. Flatten boxes to recycle, or store them for next time.
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