The Ultimate Moving Checklist
Moving is always a stressful time. There are endless things to do and everything is important. Many of us aren’t used to moving and the whole process is just outright nerve-wracking. It’s a hassle to pack up all your belongings and hopes they don’t break or end up damaged.
You have to decide to drive everything yourself or hire long distance movers to help with boxes and large items.
Either way, you end up hoping everything arrives in one piece. Nothing can be forgotten and sometimes it gets a little emotional.
Thankfully, there is nothing to fear. Anything can be overcome with a little forethought and planning. While your to-do list seems to grow endlessly as time ticks down, if you prepare properly it’s easy to handle anything with pride.
In the following, there is a list of items and approximate time frames for when they may be accomplished described in full. By following along and working before the given deadline, you can focus more on living in your new place and less on having to actually move there.
For our purposes here today, we are going to assume transporting your belongings is taken care of. Even when using a moving company like Florida Pro Movers, it is still beneficial to prepare most of your belongings.
The more leg work is done before a moving company arrives the less time it will take and the less money it will cost.
Preparations List
After you’ve decided to move, choose a location, and secured a future place of residence the undertaking of preparing can begin.
Two Months from Moving
First things first, you need to decide on a moving company and check the insurance coverage of your belongings. Anything is possible and it is always important to be protected. The moving companies and your homeowner’s insurance may have some insurance for your belongings.
Yet, it may be necessary to secure extra coverage. This should be done 6 to 8 weeks prior to the move date.
At 6 to 8 weeks out, it’s a great idea to begin gathering all the needed documents for transferring any and all accounts to your new residence. This includes banks, doctors, schools, any services, or online accounts.
You can work with both the current and future schools to make sure the transition is seamless. Being ready to set everything up ahead of time makes life much more bearable.
At about 6 weeks it’s time to start really preparing to move. It’s best to try and thin down your belongings before packing and moving everything. And what better time than when you have to go through everything anyway.
There are several ways to do this and you can even make a little money to help with the move. One could have a yard sale or post items online for purchase. Other items can be donated to charity.
After thinning out your items, or at least deciding what’s going to come along on the move, it’s time to begin packing. There are many “right” ways to pack up but creating a plan, sticking to it, labeling and recording the items, and how they are packed makes life easy.
It’s great to have a master inventory list and all the boxes clearly labeled according to the chosen system.
At this point, there isn’t a vast amount of time before the move. In order to have an empty fridge and pantry, It is time to eat. Anything frozen, dry goods, or other pantry items need to be consumed otherwise they might go to waste. Just avoid purchasing food in bulk and focus on finishing off all the long-term foods tucked away.
You’re Moving This Month!
With just a month left, the bulk of the work can get underway. It’s time to file an official change of address form with the post office. Any other businesses that need the address to be changed can also be done at this time.
It’s important for those with traditional employment to request off at about this time for the days surrounding your move. Without some solid days of packing, moving gets extremely stressful.
Around three weeks, it’s time to record the condition of furniture and other valuable items like appliances. Take pictures and note any existing damage.
Valuables like jewelry, paperwork, or heirlooms should be gathered for separate transportation. It’s a good idea to transport these by hand or use a separate transportation service with tracking and insurance. This way the survival of these items is guaranteed regardless of whatever happens.
Getting Down to the Wire
At two weeks out, it’s time to get serious. Packing should be underway and most of the non-daily necessities can be packed and ready to go. All accounts and formalities should be taken care of and double-checked. It’s time to focus on just getting ready to go.
It’s a good idea to back up any and all computer files, especially computers that are being packed. It’s awful for a computer to break on the way, but it’s even worse if all the files, pictures, and whatever else are irretrievable.
Major appliances need to be properly cleaned and prepared for travel. Freezers need to defrost, and some appliances require a professional to disconnect the gas or water lines. It’s best to get this out of the way instead of waiting until the last minute and possibly getting delayed.
Any necessary prescriptions or medications should be gotten before it’s time to go. There’s going to be a lot going on while finishing packing and then unpacking. Doing this ahead of time ensures that everyone will be safe and healthy during the trip and that there won’t be any hassle if there is an issue getting medication in the new location.
The Time Has Come
This is the week! There is a lot to do but hopefully, the light at the end of the tunnel is bright.
For ease of life, it’s important to have the utilities scheduled. It’s best if the utilities are turned off a day or two after you leave, and the new place is turned on the day before you arrive. It’s a bit of a nightmare to arrive at a dead home without the ability to store food or shower after a long trip or a hard day of unpacking. This is easily scheduled a week out.
It’s a great idea to schedule a cleaning service or plan on cleaning the day after the items are removed from your former residence. It’s also time to dispose of everything that’s not able to be transported like flammable items, paint, aerosols, or other chemicals.
Finally, it’s important to get out some cash for tipping the movers. They work hard and it’s a kind courtesy to reward good service.
Finally, everything is packed and prepared. There is nothing left to take care of, it’s time to enjoy the memories made in this home and consider with excitement all the memories going to be made in your new home.
