Household Moving Tips

Moving your home is a big job.

But with a little planning, packing up all of your worldly possessions and moving them to their new home can be relatively smooth task. The following tips can help you develop a schedule that keeps you on-track and make the whole process before, during and after your move.

Before you move:

• Take inventory of your belongings and start deciding what stays and what goes. Check with your local trash pick-up service for special instructions before putting large items out for pick-up.
• Contact health providers and dentists for referrals in your new area. Collect copies of medical records and renewable prescriptions.
• Contact your insurance provider to arrange a transfer of coverage to your new home. Also make sure that moving is covered.
• Notify your children’s current school administrator, as well as one in your new location, about your upcoming move.
• Check and clear your tax assessment.
• Service appliances before you move if you are taking them with you. If not, contact a local charity to donate them.
• Obtain copies of your pets’ veterinary records to bring with you and ask your veterinarian for a referral for your new area.
• Notify the post office of your upcoming move and obtain change-of-address forms for each member of your household.
• Arrange for cancellation or transfer of utilities and services.
• Inventory all of the high-value items in your home and note any pre-existing damage.
• Sketch a floor plan for your new home, indicating where furniture and appliances should go.
• Drain water from all garden hoses, dispose of gas from lawn and garden equipment, and dispose of all clippings and trimmings.
• Pack cleaning supplies and toiletries in a crate to be loaded last and unloaded first.
• Defrost and clean refrigerators and freezers.

During the move:

• Plan to be around while the movers are packing to answer any questions.
• Confirm your delivery date, new address and a phone number where you can be reached during the moving process.
• Make a final sweep of your house to check for any missed items.
• Lock all doors and windows, turn lights out and transfer keys.
• Plan to arrive at your new home at least a day ahead of your movers to make sure that utilities are connected.
• Review your floor plan and make any adjustments for the placement of major items in your new home.

After your move:

• Assess completion of the move and rearrange boxes and furniture as necessary.
• Take inventory of any items damaged during the move.
• Make a list of items that need to be addressed.

Packing

Most moving companies offer a packing service that will ensure that your valuables arrive at your destination intact and undamaged. If you choose to pack your possessions yourself, remember that careful packing is the key to guaranteeing that your items arrive undamaged. Here are some other useful packing tips:

• Items of greater value often require special insurance and will have to be identified to your mover. If you are doing your own packing, consider contracting with your moving company to pack just these items for you.
• Do not pack perishable, flammable or corrosive items.
• Carry sentimental and irreplaceable items yourself, rather than handing them over to your mover.
• Don’t use newspaper as a wrapping or cushioning material. The ink can rub off on your breakables and be very difficult to remove. Bubble wrap and bubble bags are ideal cushioning material.
• Do not wrap computers and/or monitors in moving blankets. The dust particles in moving blankets can harm your electronics. Consider using bubble wrap and/or protective bags.