Seller's Guide to Moving

Moving Checklist

So you’ve decided to make a move - that’s great! But are you really ready to place everything you own in boxes, including all the possessions that mean “home” to you and your family, and ship them to another part of the country? Will you be packing the contents yourself or paying someone to do that for you? Will you be hiring movers or working with friends? It’s no wonder that moving is ranked among life’s most stressful events! Thankfully, with the proper planning and preparation, you can make your next move a smooth one.

Moving doesn’t have to be such a hectic event. In fact, doing things in an orderly manner will save you time, money and most importantly, headaches! A good way to reduce stress is to develop a calendar that starts six weeks before your move. This calendar will serve as your “countdown” to moving day. You can even do all this in your day timer! Read through the steps we have outlined below and then mark them down in your day timer so you won’t forget them. Assign tasks to other family members (if you feel comfortable doing so) and verify that they have been completed prior to the next week.

Good luck!

SIX WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

Take an objective look at what you own, and decide what must go and what can be left behind. Are you really going to read those magazines that have been piling up? Will you really listen to the mountain of cassette tapes in your closet? When was the last time you cleaned out your closet? Extra weight costs more money.
Contact at least three moving companies and get estimates to move. In particular, ask them what they’ll do to make your move as smooth as possible. Based on the size of your current home and the amount of “stuff” you will be moving, how many people will they assign to your move?
Organize a garage sale and sell as much “stuff” as you can. Don’t forget the garage and the attic - you’d be surprised what people will pay money for. Try selling some things on E-Bay it’s easy and can be quite fun! Also, you can “donate” items to charitable organizations like the Salvation Army. Make sure you check the tax laws in your state that determine how such donations work and what documentation you will need for Uncle Sam.
Get an estimate from your mover on the cost of letting the company professionally pack all or some of your belongings. If you are relocating and your company is paying for the move, this is a god-send! Even if you are paying for this service yourself, the time and effort you save may be well worth the cost. Remember, the mover is liable for breakage to any items it packs; you’re responsible for damage to improperly packed items that you have boxed yourself. If you decide to let your mover pack for you, begin separating what you plan to sell, give away, throw away and keep.
Start a central file for all of the details on your move. It’s a good idea to buy a brightly colored organizer folder with pockets - you’ll be less likely to misplace it. Make sure to collect receipts for moving-related expenses. Depending on your reason for moving, you may be entitled to a tax deduction.
Create a floor plan of your new home (you can request this from your Realtor) and begin thinking about where you’ll want to place furniture. Advance planning eases the stress of making major decisions when your furniture arrives at your new home. Mark and label specific pieces of furniture on your diagram, and put it in your moving folder. There are also home layout programs available for you computer. If you like to be extremely organized, this is for you!
Think about any changes you would like to make to your new home like paint or carpet - it’s much faster, easier and less expensive to accomplish these tasks when the home is empty.

FIVE WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

Select your mover, and meet (if necessary) to discuss dates and costs.
Decide now whether you want to pack yourself or hire your mover to do this task. Self-packing can save money, but takes more time.
If you’ve decided to pack yourself, you’ll need to begin gathering boxes. Your mover can provide boxes most suited for moving, including special-purpose containers for items like clothing on hangers and lamp shades. If you will have a place in your new home to store the boxes, then we would recommend buying new boxes from the moving company and then saving them. Some moving companies (like U-Haul) will buy back any boxes you don’t use.

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

Notify the post office, magazines, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address. The U.S. Postal Service offers a kit to make this process easier. You can get the kit at your local post office or on-line at http://www.usps.com. An easy way to tell your friends is to have some postcards printed with your new address and the date you are moving. Include a space for a personal greeting.
Contact utilities (gas, water, electricity, telephone, cable TV) to schedule disconnection of services on the day following your move. You’ll want to have the utilities on while you’re still in the house. If you’re planning to move before you sell your home, then talk to your Realtor about what you should leave on and what you should turn off.
Call the utilities in your new town to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you have service when you arrive at your new home.
If you are planning to move major appliances like refrigerators or washers and dryers, talk with your mover to schedule disconnection and servicing a few days before you move. If necessary, arrange for an expert to install fixtures upon their arrival at your new home. Complete any repair work on your old home, and arrange for any critical services needed at your new home.
If you are packing yourself, begin to pack things that you don’t need before the move like china, crystal, specialty cookware, non-essential clothing, curios, art, photos, decorative items, etc. To make this easier, go through each room in your home and make a list of the things you can pack four weeks in advance. Remember to keep each box light enough to be handled by any of the members of your family - not just the strongest person. Heavier items go in smaller boxes, lighter items in larger boxes. Mark each box clearly with all of its contents. In very large letters, mark the room where you would like the box to go in your new home.
If you are planning a garage sale, pick a date at least a week before the move, and advertise it locally. Think about teaming up with neighbors who want to sell some of their old belongings, and plan a neighborhood “super sale.” Leave enough time after the sale to take the things you don’t want to a charitable organization.

THREE WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

Take inventory of your everyday household goods, such as cookware, radios, small appliances, etc. Decide which items you will discard or put in storage.
Self-packers: start your serious packing! Label the contents of all boxes (you will thank yourself for doing this when it comes time to unpack), and pack carefully.
Box the essential items together, and write “open first/load last” on these boxes. When you move into your new home, you’ll be able to easily identify these boxes and get to important items like pots, dishes, silverware, alarm clocks, bedding, pillows, towels, cherished toys and essential items for babies or children.
Make sure you have your driver’s license, auto registration and insurance records.
Contact your doctors, dentist and veterinarian to receive copies of medical records to take with you.
Pack phone books from your old town to make staying in touch with old friends easier.
Make personal travel arrangements (flights, hotel, rental cars) for your trip.
Plan your food purchases; you should have as little as possible in the freezer or refrigerator by the time you move. Use up all the frozen items, canned goods and refrigerated foods and buy only what you’ll eat in the next three weeks.
Arrange to have someone clean your new home, or plan to clean it yourself, as close to move-in as possible. Since the home will probably be unoccupied by this time, make sure the cleaning is thorough and covers all those nooks and crannies usually blocked by furniture or appliances. Schedule the cleaning when you know those “nooks and crannies” will be accessible.
Contact your children’s schools, and arrange for records to be forwarded to your new school district. For New School Addresses go to: http://www.schoolmatch.com.
Make new bank safety deposit box arrangements in your new hometown. Make arrangements to safely transfer items from your old safe deposit box to your new one.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU MOVE

If you haven’t already done so, hold your garage sale now.
Check with your insurance company to transfer coverage to your new home.
Make arrangements for transporting your pets and any house plants, because movers can’t take them in the van.
Meet with your bank to change account status or switch to on-line banking (we recommend this).
Call your local pharmacy and transfer all current prescriptions to a drug store in your new town.
Cancel any delivery services such as newspapers and start a subscription to the newspaper in your new town to introduce you to local news and happenings.
Have your automobile serviced if you’re traveling by car.
Be sure to empty secret hiding places to remove valuables and spare house keys.

ONE WEEK BEFORE YOU MOVE

Mow your lawn for the last time.
Dispose of toxic or flammable items that can’t be moved. Drain the gas and oil from gas-powered tools such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers; movers will not take them if they are full.
Double-check to make sure arrangements have been made to disconnect and service your major appliances being moved.
Pack your “trip kit” of necessary items that should go in your car and not the moving van: your checkbook, cell phone, cash or travelers checks, medications, essential toiletries, light bulbs, flashlight, toilet paper, pet food, spare glasses or contact lenses, baby or child care items, toys and car games for children and your notebook with moving information.
If you have very young children, arrange for a baby-sitter to watch them on moving day. Since you’ll have your hands full, the extra attention from a sitter will distract the child’s attention from the turmoil of a move.
Also arrange for a baby-sitter or relative to be available when you arrive at your new home with young children.
Pack your own suitcase of clothes for the move.
Put your “open first/load last” boxes somewhere safe so the mover can identify them and they won’t be in the way during the move. Don’t plan on having the movers read and organize your boxes for you.
Pay all outstanding bills. Be sure to indicate your new address on payment receipts.
Remove any fixtures you are taking with you and replace (if specified in your home-selling contract).
Change the coverage on your cell phone or pager to make sure you will be in range where you are going (and on the way, if possible).

ONE TO TWO DAYS BEFORE YOU MOVE

The movers will arrive to start the packing process.
Empty and defrost your refrigerator and freezer; clean both with a disinfectant and let them air out. Put baking soda inside both to keep them fresh.
Arrange for payment to the moving company. This payment must be made when your belongings arrive at your new home before your belongings are unloaded. Find out your moving company’s accepted methods of payment, terms, and its policy for inspecting your belongings when they arrive to determine if any breakage has occurred.
Empty your safety deposit box. Plan to take important papers, jewelry, cherished family photos, irreplaceable mementos and vital computer files with you.
Write directions to your new home for the van driver, provide the new phone number and include phone numbers where you can be reached in transit - either a car or cell phone or friends, old neighbors, a place of business or relatives with whom you’ll be in contact. You’ll never be out of touch for long, should an emergency arise.
Leave your forwarding address and phone number for your old home’s new occupants.
If your old house will be vacant, notify police and neighbors.
If at all possible, plan on getting to your new home before the movers do so you are organized when they arrive.

MOVING DAY

Remove linens from the beds and pack in an “open first” box.
When the movers arrive, review all details and paperwork. Accompany the van driver to take inventory. Verify delivery plans.
If there is time, give the home a final cleaning, or arrange in advance for someone to perform this service the day after moving out. Your Realtor will have keys and would be happy to facilitate this for you.
Give your home a final walk-through. Make sure that you haven’t left anything behind. Open all doors to cabinets and closets and check the attic and the garage.

MOVE-IN DAY

If you arrive before the movers, take some time to tidy up your home (dusting shelves, etc.) so the movers can unpack items directly onto clean shelves. If you plan to line cupboards with shelving paper, this is a good time to do it. We recommend that you arrange for a professional cleaning prior to your arrival, if possible.
Unpack your car.
Review your floor plan to refresh your memory about where you want furniture and appliances to be placed.
Check to make sure the utilities have been connected, and follow up on any delays.
Be present when the moving van arrives. Be prepared to pay the mover before unloading.
One person should check the inventory sheets as items are unloaded. A second person should direct the movers on where to place items.
Once all items are unloaded, unpack only what you need for the first day or two. Focus on creating a sense of home for your family. Give yourself at least two weeks to unpack and organize your belongings.