For a Successful Move follow the moving tips in this 8 Week Timeline
- Take Inventory of all belongings. Sort and organize by importance and pack the items that are less important first. Only pack items you are moving. Place other items to the side or in a “for sale” box. Take pictures of your household before starting to pack for insurance purposes if hiring a moving company or for your knowledge.
- Organize and create a filing system with important documents. Keep all your moving receipts. If you have information like paint samples / formulas for your house make a file for the new homeowners that will be helpful.
- Research moving options: Moving companies or move yourself costs. Weigh that against each other in terms of cost vs. stress. Personally I have always found movers a fantastic buy as it makes the move much more stress free and easy.
- Pick a place to store the packed boxes. Maybe a spare room or designated areas in a room. Otherwise the house becomes a puzzle to navigate.
- Gather packing supplies, moving boxes. You will need lots of packing supplies from boxes to tape and maybe totes if you prefer. See blog on where to find free moving boxes that are sturdy. Where to get moving boxes
- Declutter, donate, sale or throw away: Get rid of things you no longer need or use.
- If you have not worn it in a year, donate it.
- If you have not used something in several years, donate it or toss. Ask yourself will I use this in the future or will it be tucked away in the new house to not be used?
- Sell items for extra cash. Yard sale, Craigslist, Face book Market place are some places to post. Invite friends to shop your house for items you won’t take.
- Label all sides of your boxes. Boxes are not always placed where you can read the side you need. Organize by room. Tip: Use colored labels /tape or mark each room with a specific color to quickly locate boxes when coming in. Green to kitchen, blue to bathrooms, red to living area, etc. Example: Green – dishes, Green – pots, pans. Number boxes also. Keep a detailed list of the boxes. That way when you arrive, you will be able to verify all boxes have arrived. Your list will also quickly help you find a particular box.
- Have a special box for items like school documents for new school, prescriptions from your current doctor and possible referral for new doctor, etc. Important items that you need to find quickly. Items like car registration, last oil change paperwork that won’t be needed as soon can go with your other boxes of paperwork that you will need in the future.
- Valuable items like antiques may need to be appraised for insurance purposes. Take pictures of those items if hiring a moving company or for your knowledge. If possible take valuables like jewelry with you.
- If you have pets, gather any information needed to transfer veterinary records to your new pet doctor. Ask for a referral to a new veterinarian as well if you don’t have one. If your animals have travel anxiety, talk to the vet about their travel needs.
- Prepare your outdoor furniture and outdoor items with garage items for the move. Determine what will go and what will be sold or donated.
- Have your mechanic do a checkup on your vehicles. Be prepared knowing the vehicle is ready for a road trip.
- The lender will require homeowners insurance on the new home so it is good idea to start shopping for a new local company if needed. Bundling all lines of insurance normally gives you a discount. Also check on special coverage for your jewelry, computers and high value items.
- Start to weed out your pantry and refrigerator. Slow down on grocery purchases as there will be less to pack or worry about on the move. Have that refrigerator almost empty the week before. Empty those catsup, mustard, pickle jars so you don’t have to pack them. Don’t want to have to throw out food or worry about it on the move.
- Contact the local chamber of commerce in your new city for a city guide. They can be packed with great information.
- Consider packing items that are heavy like books in a rolling suitcase. Pack smaller items in unusual places like inside a crock pot, roaster, laundry basket, etc.
- Refill any prescriptions and stock up on needed medications, especially if moving away from your current doctor. Hand carry those items.
- Put in forwarding address with the post office. If you use checks may want to order new ones with the new address. Update with companies such as banking, retirement accounts, and any stores that ship items to you. Remember things like the DMV for your driver’s license and license plates. Do not complete too far in advance as post office may return to sender. Plus you don’t want to surprise the current home owner when they start to get your mail before you have closed on the house. It might insult them.
- Pack away jewelry and any other valuables separate to be moved with you personally on moving day.
- Create a folder that will stay with the old house with all receipts, copies of warranties, and manuals.
- Back up ALL your computer files. Store on a protected drive that you hand carry with you. Plan on moving the computer in a protected environment or pack with very cushy packing. Abrupt movements can ruin the hard drive as they are more fragile than many realize.
- Properly dispose of hazardous items that you will not take with you. Leave paint and other items that might be handy for the new buyers for touch ups.
- Do not pack all your cleaning supplies as you will need some for cleaning the house one last time. Also take with you in separate box for cleaning at the new house.
- Unplug refrigerator / freezer a few days before the move so it can defrost and be ready for the move.
- Put together a box of items like water, paper towels, paper plates, snacks, cups or toilet paper, trash bags or items for both your journey to the new home and for the new homeowners as those items might be useful for both.
- If moving yourself, use furniture covers or shrink wrap items for protection against scratches and dings. Maybe rent a dolly for the heavy items.
- Get all the laundry done so will be ready at the new home.
- Do NOT remove the TV mounts from the wall unless the buyers have been advised as part of the contract. In Texas those are items are to remain unless excluded by seller.
- Walk through the house to make sure everything is packed and moved. Check cabinets, pantry, closets, attic, crawl space and garage, storage buildings.
- Leave copies of all types of keys: door, mailbox, gate, storage building and garage door openers. Codes for security system and other items.
- Another tip is to leave your contact information for the buyers to forward mail.
- Take your last pictures inside or the last photo in front of your old house.
If you follow the moving tips in the 8 week timeline, you will have a successful and less stressful move. Enjoy your move and relax when you are finished.
