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Two months prior to Moving Day
- Create a floor plan of your new home for furniture and appliance placement.
- Make an inventory of your household goods and begin to remove clutter (start
with the basement, attic, garage, and other storage areas).
- Start a file for all your moving paperwork (estimates, receipts, etc.).
- Arrange to transfer school records.
- Get your new home ready - Contact painters, carpenters, plumbers, roofers
etc., so your home is ready when you arrive. Remember to change the locks on
all the doors in your new home.
Six weeks prior to Moving Day
- Obtain and fill out post office change-of-address cards.
- Subscribe to the paper in your new hometown to learn more about your new
community Make arrangements for storage if necessary.
- Make arrangements for storage if necessary.
- Ask your doctor or health plan provider for referrals, and obtain all medical
records.
- Have antiques, pieces of art, and other valuables appraised.
- Clean all closets and drawers.
- Start using foods and cleaning supplies that cannot be moved.
Four weeks prior to Moving Day
- Schedule disconnection of all utility services at your old home, and connection
of them at your new one. Be sure to disconnect the day after you leave and
connect the day before you arrive. If you have "last month" deposits
with services, such as the telephone company, request your refund.
- If you are moving yourself, reserve a rental truck.
- If you are packing yourself, obtain packing materials and start packing
items you won't need until after you arrive at your new house.
- Arrange for cleaning and repair of furniture, drapes, and carpeting.
- Arrange for special transportation of your pets and plants if necessary.
- Check with your insurance company to see how your possessions are covered
during transit.
- Make any travel plans necessary for your move.
- Check to see if you need any moving permits.
- Plan your moving sale. Remember to check with local authorities about restrictions.
- Collect your important records -- Gather personal and family records, including
medical and dental, veterinary and school records; legal and financial documents;
birth certificates, passports and insurance documents.
Three weeks prior to Moving Day
- Properly dispose of items that cannot be moved, such as flammable liquids.
- Prepare auto registration for transfer (if moving to another state).
- If you are moving in or out of an apartment, arrange for use of the elevator.
- Make child-care arrangements for moving day.
- Hold your moving sale.
Two weeks prior to Moving Day
- Arrange for disposal of anything not sold at your moving sale.
- Service your car in preparation for the move. If you're moving from a warm
climate to a cold one, check your antifreeze.
- Return any borrowed items (including library books) and retrieve any loaned
items.
- Cancel newspaper delivery.
- Notify any creditors of your move.
- Transfer prescriptions and be sure you have an adequate supply of medications
on hand.
- Assemble a file folder of information to leave for the new owner of your
home.
- Change your address - One week before your move, send change-of-address
cards to everyone who will need to contact you.
- Pick up laundry -- Laundry tickets are easy to misplace, so ask for your
things by name and not just by the receipts you have.
- Pack a travel kit: Put aside critical items like a checkbook, credit cards,
personal phone book, ID, flashlight, keys, toiletries, tools, paper plates,
cups, towels, travel alarm clock, aspirin, bandages and games for the kids.
Also, pack a suitcase with clothing and other personal items.
One day prior to Moving Day
- Transfer your bank accounts.
- Take animals to vet for immunization, if necessary.
- Close and empty your safe-deposit box.
- Settle any bills with local businesses.
- Drain power equipment of oil and gas. Drain water hoses.
- Find new homes for plants that will not be moved.
- Confirm any travel reservations.
- Drain your waterbed.
- Defrost refrigerator and freezer, propping doors open.
- Disconnect and prepare major appliances for move.
- Set aside anything that will travel in your car so it will not be loaded
on the truck.
- Pack a box of items that will be needed first at the new house. Clearly
mark this box "Load Last."
- Obtain cash or traveler's checks for the trip and to pay the movers.
- Confirm arrival time of your moving van/truck.
- If moving yourself, dismantle beds and other large furniture.
Moving Day
- Note all utility meter readings.
- Read your bill of lading and inventory carefully before signing. Keep this
paperwork in a safe place.
Delivery Day - Again, be on hand to answer any questions.
- Supervise unloading and unpacking.
- Be prepared to pay your mover with cash, certified check, or traveler's
checks unless other arrangements have been made in advance.
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