We’ve laid out our moving tips timeline below. The timeline starts eight weeks from your moving day and goes up until the day you arrive at your destination.
EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Remove unnecessary items from your attic, basement, storage shed, etc. Use things you can’t move, such as frozen foods and cleaning supplies.
- Obtain information about your new community.
- Secure a floor plan of your new residence and decide what household items you want to keep.
- Start a possessions inventory.
- Solicit estimates from at least three moving companies.
- Call your homeowner’s insurance agent to find out to what degree your move is covered.
- Create a file for documenting all moving papers and receipts.
- Arrange to transfer your children’s school records.
SIX WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Contact the IRS and/or your CPA for tax-deductible information.
- Evaluate your possessions inventory. Can you donate anything? Do you need it all?
- Notify your friends, relatives, professionals, creditors, subscriptions, etc.
- Subscribe to a local paper in your new community and familiarize yourself with local government, community, and social news and activities.
- Begin the off-site storage process (if applicable).
- Locate high-quality healthcare professionals and hospitals in your new location.
- Complete post-office change of address cards for the following: banks; charge cards; religious organizations; doctors/dentists; relatives and friends; income tax bureau/Social Security Administration/union; insurance broker/lawyer/CPA/ stockbroker; magazines; post office; and schools.
- Clean your closets.
- Hold a moving/garage sale or donate items to charities.
- Choose a mover. Contact your mover to make arrangements and inquire about insurance coverage.
- If relocating due to a job, contact your employer to see what costs, if any, they will cover.
FOUR WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Start packing!
- Send furniture, drapes, and carpets for repair/cleaning as needed.
- Gather auto licensing and registration documents, medical, dental, and school records, birth certificates, wills, deeds, stock, and other financial documentation, etc.
- Contact gas, electric, oil, water, telephone, cable TV, and trash collection companies for service disconnect/connect at your old and new addresses. Also, ask for final readings.
- Request refunds on unused homeowner’s insurance, security deposit with landlord, and prepaid cable/internet service.
- Notify your gardener, snow removal service, and pool service (if applicable).
- Contact insurance companies (auto, homeowner’s, medical, and life) to arrange for coverage in your new home.
THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Make your travel plans.
- Arrange to close current bank accounts and open accounts in your new locale (if necessary).
- Notify your state’s motor vehicle bureau of your new address.
- Arrange for childcare on moving day.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Arrange special transport for your pets and plants.
- Service your car for the trip.
- Contact your moving company and review arrangements for your move.
ONE WEEK BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR PRESENT ADDRESS
- Prepare detailed directions and an itinerary with emergency numbers for your moving company.
- Settle outstanding bills with local retailers. Pick up dry cleaning, and return library books and rented videotapes.
- Take pets to the veterinarian and get copies of their records.
- Drain gas and oil from power equipment.
- Give away plants not being moved.
- Cancel newspaper delivery.
- Buy two-weeks worth of medication and have your prescriptions forwarded to your new pharmacy.
- Buy traveler’s checks.
- Make arrangements to pay for your move.
