Six to Eight Weeks before Moving Day:

• Set a date for a visual survey of your home and the items you are moving.

• Make necessary travel arrangements like airline, hotel, and rental car.

• Save all moving receipts – these may be tax deductible.

• Place all legal, medical, insurance and tax records in a safe and accessible place.

• Keep contact information for relocation personal handy.

Four to Six Weeks before Moving Day:

• Notify the post office that you are moving.  An online Change of Address form is available on the United States Postal Service Web Site.

• Prepare a list of friends, relatives, business associates, and others who should be notified of your move.  The following checklist will be helpful.
• Utilities
  • Electric
  • Gas
  • Water
  • Telephone
  • Sewer District
  • Trash
  • Cable/Satellite
  • Fuel (Oil/Propane)
    

• Personal Accounts
  
  • Pharmacy
  • Dry Cleaner
    
  • Lawn Service
    
  • Banks/Finance Companies
    
  • Credit Card Companies
    
  • Laundry Services
    
  • Auto Finance Company
    
  • Health Club
    

• Professional Services
  
  • Doctor(s)
  • Dentist
    
  • Accountant
  • Lawyer
  • Broker
  • Insurance Agency

• Publications
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Newsletters
  • Professional Journals

• Government Offices
  • Dept. of Motor Vehicles
  • Social Security Administration
  • State/Federal Tax Bureaus
  • City/County Tax Assessor
  • Veterans Administration

Two to Three Weeks before Moving Day

• Have a “garage sale” or use an online auction service to dispose of unwanted items.
• Donate unwanted clothing or household goods to charitable organizations.  Obtain receipts showing the items “approximate value for possible tax deductions.”
• Begin to use up supplies of canned goods, frozen foods and other household items.  Buy only what will be used before moving.

Notify your Relocation Coordinator if you have added or subtracted from you planned move or if there are any changes in dates.  Be sure to supply your coordinator with destination address and phone numbers where you can be reached.

Preparing the Family:

• Take the family for a farewell visit to some of the places that hold happy memories.

• Have a going-away party for the children and their friends.

• Have some fun for yourself…an open hour or an informal dinner or barbecue.  Keep it simple.

• Make family travel plans.  Reserve hotel rooms and airline tickets as needed.

• If driving, have your car serviced for the trip (check tires, brakes, and windshield wipers, fluids, belts, etcetera).

Preparing Household items:

• Federal law requires that you dispose of flammables such as fireworks, cleaning fluids, matches, acids, chemistry sets, aerosol cans, ammunition, and poisons such as weed killer.  Drain fuel from your power mower and other machinery.  Discard partly used cans of oil, paint, thinner, bleach, or any other substances that may be flammable or combustible or those stored in containers that may leak.  Please read the complete list of banned items.

• Refillable propane tanks must be purged and sealed by a local propane gas dealer.  Discard non-refillable propane tanks which are used for barbecue grills.

• All major appliances must be prepared for shipping.  Either have this done by a certified technician or have your relocation coordinator set up a third-party company to perform this service.

• Set up a date for having your utilities disconnected.  If possible, plan to keep utilities in service through moving day.

• Have rugs and draperies cleaned.  Leave both wrapped when they are returned from the cleaners.

• Obtain a written appraisal of antique items to verify value.  Avoid waxing or oiling wooden antiques (and fine wood furniture) before moving because some products might soften the wood, making it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads.

• Do not clean your upholstered furniture before moving.  Moisture could cause mold if furniture must be placed in storage.

One week before Moving Day

• Firm up moving dates – please remember to expect delays/extensions, or closing dates.

• Confirm reservations and/or moving day help.

• Decide what to do with house plants.   Alternatives:  Give them to friends or relatives, donate them to a hospital or other organizations, or include them in a garage sale.

• Plan for special care needs of infants and/or pets.

• Obtain enough money or traveler’s checks to cover cost of moving services, meals, etcetera.

• If you are traveling:  Make sure you have tickets, charge cards, or traveler’s checks.

• If you are driving:  Check oil and add gas to your car.

• Arrange old and new:  Keys, medical and dental prescriptions, utilities, bank account, school registration.

• Take pets to the veterinarian.  Most states require health certificates and rabies inoculations.  Make sure their collar is secure.

• Arrange for transportation of pets.  Take them in the car or send via air.  Consider boarding pets either at destination or at a kennel near your present home until you have settled in the new city.

Day before Moving day

• Collect things that you definitely want packed together, such as children’s toys, and place in separate groups.

• Unplug all electronic appliances 24 hours in advance of a move, except plasma televisions, so that they will be at room temperature on moving day.  This includes home computers, stereos, and audio/video equipment.

• Organize and set aside those things that you’re taking with you so that they don’t get loaded in error.

• Pack a box of personal items that will be needed immediately at your new home.  Have this box loaded last.

Moving Day

• Make sure there is someone home all day to answer any questions the crews may have.

• Record all utility meter readings (gas, electric, water).

• Read your bill of lading and inventory carefully before you sign them.  Keep these -and all related papers –in a safe location until all charges have been paid and all claims, if any, have been settled.

• Personally attend to your valuables.

• Double check all closets, cupboards, and drawers for any articles overlooked.

• It is your responsibility to see that all mechanical and electrical equipment is properly serviced for shipping prior to the arrival of the moving van.

• Take a last look around
  
  • Water shut off?
  • Furnace shut off?
  • Light Switches turned off?
  • All utilities arranged for disconnection?
  • Windows shut and locked?
  • Old house keys surrendered?
  • Have you left anything?

After Moving Day

Make sure the following are complete or updated with change of address

• Post office

• Banks

• Credit card companies

• Subscriptions (including newspapers, magazines)

• Voter registration

• Driver’s license and car registration

• Insurance: Homeowners, auto, life, medical and dental

• Service providers: Cellular, internet

• Church

• Employer, friends, relatives