Moving Tips

1. What, Where and When Decisions
Before you call a moving company, decide what, where and when early in the planning. What's the best way to dispose of items you don't want in your new home? Identify furnishings that won't fit and things your family has outgrown. What furnishings will you replace within two months? Keep receipts if you give to charity. Try to arrange your move during the least busy period of the month. A high percentage of moves occur during the last week, and the busiest months are in the summer.

2. Who Will Move You?
Before you decide whether to move yourself or to have a professional move you, answer these five questions:
• Do you have adequate physical strength and endurance?
• Do you have at least two helpers, at least one who is stronger than you are?
• Can you be sure to have adequate time off work to complete the move on schedule?
• Will your homeowners policy cover potential loss in case of accident en route?
• Can you carry everything through doorways, up stairs without damage?

3. Packing for Your Move
Packing is both art and science--art in combining just the right items in each box to arrive damage-free, science in producing an inventory that enables you to quickly find anything you need at a moment's notice after arriving in your new home. Some helpful hints:
• When possible, combine items that will go together in your new home.
• Pack heavy items in smaller, heavy duty cartons.
• Clearly mark room destination on TOP and at least ONE SIDE of every carton.
• Remember, your mover won't know which child is which, so tag bedroom boxes with BR-1 or BR-2 and tape the same tags on appropriate bedroom doors.
Be sure to have these items readily available (pack them separately or carry them with you):
• Children's health records (schools require proof of immunization)
• Documentation for your lender including back tax returns, last two pay stubs, bank statements for last six months.
Some items should be moved with you:
• Family records
• Passports
• Insurance, health and other related paperwork
• Photo albums
Don't Forget Pets, Plants and Perishables:
• Moving is especially tough on pets. Have them groomed on moving day and make plans early for their transit to your new home.
• Some states don't permit plants to cross the state line. Plan to give away your plants to people you know will care for them.
• Four weeks prior to moving, begin the process of winnowing down your freezer's content to avoid throwing out large quantities of food.

4. Records, Valuables and Notifying Utilities
Gather records and memorabilia and make plans to move them as carefully as possible including:
• Family medical and tax records
• Diplomas, school records
• Family genealogies, pictures
• Business, social organizations other memorabilia
• Notify utilities, media and others before the move. Check this list of businesses to be notified:
o Electric power company
o Water company
o Natural gas supplier
o Local telephone companies
o Long distance telephone company
o Television company
o Stock brokers, mutual funds
o Credit cards, banks
o Magazine, book clubs
o Religious organizations
o Country, boat, sports clubs

5. Moving Ideas for Kids
To the younger members of your family, moving can be downright frightening. Communicate openly and realistically with all family members as early as possible. Here are some other helpful hints you can use: Tell children what is happening and include them in the process of selecting the new home, if possible. If children feel included in the decision-making process, and "take ownership" of their new home, the transition will be easier.
• Don't try to get rid of children's favorite items at this time even though it might make moving simpler.
• Don't throw away personal stuff behind a child's back.
• Negotiate what goes and what stays.
• Bring pictures from the new home and school, as well as special things about the area, according to their interests.
• Ask the new coach, scout leader, teacher, etc., to call your child.
• Don't forget grandparents, cousins, and your extended family, close friends of adults and children. Share the excitement and responsibilities.
If every family member takes responsibility for an age-appropriate part of the move, yours can be an easy move.

Moving Checklist
8 weeks before the move.

• Call for estimates from three professional movers.
• Draw a floor plan of your new home. Use decorating charts and grid to place furniture to scale in each room and decide which furniture to move, which to dispose of and which to replace or add.
• Call Chamber of Commerce in your new town and ask for their "residential information packet."

6 weeks before the move.

• Inventory all possessions now. Decide what to move, sell, replace or donate to charity.
• Complete U.S. Postal Service change of address forms; mail to media, stores, organizations.
• Obtain copies of all medical, dental, legal, accounting, veterinarian records.
• Make arrangements for record transfers between schools on both ends of the move.
• Ask tax advisor to review potential moving-related tax deductions and potential tax liability.
• Itemize moving-related costs with mover including packing, loading, special charges, insurance, etc.

4 weeks before the move.

• Repair, send out for re-upholstery, or clean furniture, drapes, carpeting as necessary.
• Advertise a garage/yard/tag sale to dispose of unneeded furniture, accessories, clothes, etc.
• If a professional mover is packing your goods, schedule packing day(s) one or two days before the move.
• If you move yourself, order adequate boxes, packing materials and tape now.
• Arrange for short-term or long-term storage if you will need it.
• Make travel arrangements for pets, including necessary medical records, immunizations, etc.

3 weeks before the move.

• Assemble sufficient supply of packing materials, equipment.
• Pack items you won't use immediately or that will go into storage.
• Contact utilities on both ends of the move, order termination or turn-on for occupancy date.
• Confirm final travel arrangements for family and pets.

2 weeks before the move.

• Prepare auto(s) for trip to new home. Check tires and have car(s) serviced before the move.
• Terminate newspaper and other delivery services.
• Confirm new bank accounts by phone or fax.
• Schedule an appliance service firm for moving day to prepare major appliances for the move.

1 week before the move.

• Gather important papers, records, valuables, for protected shipment to new home or safe deposit box.
• Notify friends and neighbors of new address and phone number, if possible.
• Make plans for young children to be cared for on moving day.
• Fill any necessary prescriptions and gather medications needed for the next two weeks.

Week of the move.

• Defrost refrigerator and freezer. Give away all food in both units.
• Plan simple meals for moving day (or take out food) to avoid using the refrigerator.
• Pick up cash for your trip and a certified check for the mover's invoice.
• Pack items you need to take with you including valuables, financial records, personal papers.
• Pack signed bill of lading and inventory where they can be easily reached at your destination.
• Carefully mark “LAST BOX PACKED-FIRST BOX UNPACKED” containing tools, flashlights, etc.
• Give the mover a telephone number and address where you can be reached in your new town.