When moving, a lot of things go through your mind. You are thinking about what items to bring, which to discard, whether the new place is ready, and will the movers arrive on time. There is so much going through your mind that it is inevitable that you will forget something. That is why it is essential to develop a checklist. A checklist will be a healthy reminder of the essential task in hopes of making the move smoother. Many apps can help with this task, but a checklist is pointless if the right things are not on the checklist. You can have a checklist, but if the right things are not on it, you can still find yourself lost and running around at the last second. So, it’s crucial to have the right items on the checklist. But that begs the question, what should be on a moving checklist?
Moving Checklist at Different Time Frames
Below, we will discuss what should be on a moving checklist at different time frames before the move and much more.
8 Weeks Before the Move
- Reach out to different moving companies and compare estimates
- Begin decluttering. Remove items you do not wish to bring along to the new residence or want to part with
- Collect boxes from stores, friends, and other areas. Place labels on the boxes designating them for specific items
- Begin using up any food that may be unable to make it during the transition to a new location.
- Make a separate list of all the items in each room of the current residence.
- Change your address through the postal service.
- Reach out to utilities, trash service, internet providers, etc. Inform them of the move and that you wish to pause, stop, or transfer your services to the new location.
- Call all other necessary providers, such as doctors, children’s schools, current employers, and subscription services, and inform them of the move. Gather all the required paperwork from them and change your address.
- For canceled utilities, contact new utilities in your new location and begin plans with them.
- Look into your new home and the neighborhood.
- Develop a budget for the move.
Four Weeks Before the Move
- Notify your insurance company of your move and wish to change your address.
- Make a final decision on a moving company and do all the necessary paperwork.
- Cancel any local memberships(gyms, local clubs) you are currently connected to.
- Begin packing items you do not use regularly. Make it a habit to pack items day by day. Refer to your checklist of items in each room to ensure everything gets accounted for.
- Plan out the move by determining the route you plan on taking to the new residence.
- Disassemble any furniture you have
- Obtain all essential records, financial, medical, legal, birth certificates, and passports for you and the family. Place them in one place and safely secure them in a separate box.
- Pack other essential personal items like jewelry and any on-hand cash.
- Call your bank to either change address or outright cancel the account
- Update your driver’s license
- Change your prescription delivery location.
Two Weeks Before the Move
- Reach out to the moving company to ensure they have the correct move date and ask any additional questions.
- Take your vehicle to the mechanic to ensure there are no problems.
- Move your digital records and critical digital assets into one place and save them on a thumb drive or a cloud.
- Collect all your bills and receipts on hand and place them in a folder
- Inform your mail service of the move and where they should begin sending the mail from now on
- Bring in a dumpster to dispose of bigger items like chairs and tables.
- Continuing packing all non-essential items.
- Begin positioning things for the move. Move boxes closer to the door in one location. Move bigger items from inside to outside.
- Return items you previously borrowed.
- Fill any current prescription you now have
- Inform neighbors of the impending move to prepare them for the chaos.
The Week of the Move
- Cleanout the refrigerator and freezer
- Clean the house
- Day by day, disconnect appliances throughout the house based on their current level of necessity and pack them into a box.
- Check for deliveries. If they do not arrive before moving day, change the delivery address to the new location.
- Withdraw additional cash
Moving Day
- Keep pets or children secure until it is time to get on the road.
- Wake up early
- Watch over every item as it gets loaded onto the truck. Look over each box to make sure it is properly closed and has its labels.
- Walk through the old home to ensure you have everything, turn off the lights, and lock the windows and doors.
- Sign all the necessary paperwork given by the movers
- Assist the movers with bringing the items on the truck
- Check the boxes in the truck to ensure they are secure.
- Take a final look at the house from the outside—reminiscence about all the experiences you had at the house.
Why Do You Need a Checklist?
Some people believe they can remember everything necessary to move with their minds. While there may be some who can, for the vast majority of people, the list of things they need to keep track of is too long. During a move, a person may have to contact people they had never contacted before and collect documents they had forgotten existed. Someone may move once in their life, so typically, they are not prepared for the chaos that comes with it.
A checklist will help you stay on top of all the necessary calls and habits to adopt for a move. It’s a reminder to ensure you are prepared on the day of the move and that all the proper arrangements will be handled when you arrive at your new location.
The last thing you want is to arrive at your new location and realize you forgot something at the old home or have to wait another day or two to have internet or trash pickup.
Conclusion
There is no shortage of things that can go wrong on a moving day. You need to do so many things, contact so many different people and organizations, and collect documents; it’s too much for one person to manage in their mind. However, the probability of encountering any issues reduces if you prepare for the move. You should not be making preparations for a move a week or two before the move; these preparations should occur months in advance. By creating a checklist and sticking to it, you can ensure a safe, chaos-free move. However for worry free moving you can also hire Professionals at Ouch My Back Moving Company.
