Make Your Move Easier | A Checklist

Six Weeks Before You Move

Extra weight can cost you more money. Take a look at what you own and determine what can be left behind

If you have a lot of things you don’t want to take with you to your new home, you may want to have a garage sale

Get a brightly colored file to store all your documentation related to your move. Collect your receipts for your moving expenses -- you may be entitled to a tax deduction

Make a floorplan of your new home and start thinking about where you want to put your furniture. Mark and label specific pieces of furniture on your diagram and put it in your moving folder

Four Weeks Before You Move

Notify the post office, magazines, credit card companies and friends and family of your change of address. The Postal Service offers a kit to make this easier. (You can access this web site on my change of address form)

Contact your utilities -- gas, water, electric, telephone, cable TV -- to schedule for a change-over of the services on the day following your move. Call the utilities in your new area to arrange for service to start the day before your move so that you will have service when you arrive to your new home

Complete any repair work on your old home.

If you’re packing yourself, start by packing things like non-essential clothing, fancy dishes and decorative items.

Keep each box light enough to be handled by any of the members of your family -- not just the strongest person. Keep heavier items in smaller boxes and lighter items in larger boxes

Pick a date for a garage sale and advertise it locally. Maybe some neighbors will want to team up with you.

Three Weeks Before You Move

If you’re a self-packer, start your packing. Label the contents of all boxes

Box essential items together and write, “Open First/Load Last” on these boxes and identify the contents

Make sure you have your driver’s license, auto registration and insurance records

If you’re moving out of town, take along and old phone book

Plan your food purchases to have as little as possible in the freezer or refrigerator at the time you move. Use up all your frozen items

Arrange to clean your new home or plan to clean it yourself as close to move-in as possible

Contact your children’s schools and arrange for their records to be forwarded to their new school district

If you are relocating out of town, make arrangements for a new safety deposit box.

Hold your garage sale

Two Weeks Before Your Move

Contact your insurance company to transfer coverage to your new home

Make arrangements to transport your pets and houseplants

Meet with your bank to change account status

Cancel any delivery services such as newspapers and remember to start up service in your new location

Have your automobile serviced if you’re traveling by car

Empty secret hiding places and remove spare keys

One Week Before Your Move

Mow your lawn

Dispose of toxic and flammable items. Drain gas and oil from gas powered tools

Pack a trip kit of necessary items that should go in your car (checkbooks, cash, traveler’s checks, medications, pet food, contact lenses, child care items)

If you have young children, arrange for a baby-sitter to watch them on the day of the move

Pack your suitcase for the move

Put your open first/load last boxes in a separate place

Pay all your outstanding bills and indicate your new address

One To Two Days Before Your Move

Empty and defrost your refrigerator. Clean with disinfectant and let it air out

Arrange for payment of the moving company if you’re using one

Empty your safe deposit box, take your important papers, jewelry and vital computer files with you.

Write directions to your new home for the van operator and include numbers where you can be reached in transit

Moving Day

Remove linens from the bed and pack in an “open first” box

Review all details and paperwork with the movers and accompany the van operator to take inventory

Give the home its final cleaning or make arrangements in advance to have someone perform this service

Move-In Day

Unpack your car

Review your floorplan and determine where you want your furniture placed

Check to make sure your utilities have been connected

Confine your pets to an out-of-the-way room or board them overnight in a kennel until you’re settled in

Plan to be present when the moving van arrives

Check the inventory sheets and direct the movers where to place the items. Unpack only what you need for the first couple days and give yourself at least two weeks to unpack and organize your belongings