Find a new house. Hire some movers. Enjoy a gorgeous sunset from your new patio. If only it were that easy, right? Google “Top 10 Stressful Life Events” and you’ll find moving into a new home is on nearly every one of those lists. The good thing is that with a little planning and organization, moving doesn’t have to send you crying into a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey! We have a great checklist that can help keep you organized and make sure nothing slips through the cracks, from months before the move through moving day.
Moving Checklist Part 1
6-8 Weeks before Moving
This is the time to start planning the details. This may seem like a long way off from moving day, but it goes by surprisingly quickly, and you want to get your ducks in a row at least this early in the process.
Make lists of which items will be going to your new home and which things you are planning to put in storage. Take some time here and really think about each item. You don’t want to move something into the new home just to move it to storage a couple of weeks later.
Make lists of which things you want to move yourself and which things you’ll leave to the movers. Maybe you are super anxious about anyone even looking at (let alone touching) Great Grandma’s China set…in that case you better be the one to pack it and move it.
Donate or dispose of items that you no longer need. No sense in moving things you don’t want, need or use anymore. Again, really think about them. If you haven’t used something for six months, it is safe to say you probably won’t use it again. If you are unsure and can’t part with it just yet, add those items to your storage list. But otherwise, get rid of it.
If you’re going to use movers, you’ll want to get estimates from several companies. Discuss details such as cost, packing, timing, licensing and so on with them. Even if you think you are going to do it all yourself, it can’t hurt to get some quotes. You may be surprised at how much help you really need, and it could be worth it (and less stressful) to let someone else handle it.
Call your insurance agent(s) to transfer your Auto and Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance policies. This could even be the time to get new quotes and save some money on your existing policies.
Create a file (or big envelope) for any moving related receipts or paperwork that may be tax-deductible. And, put everything in there that you use for the big move – that means boxes, moving services and even the pizza for your helpers. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to write a lot of that stuff off – check with your tax person or accountant for more details after you are settled into the new home.
Place all medical records, prescriptions and vaccination records in a safe place. Don’t forget Fido and Fluffy’s records, too! It may even make sense to make copies of all of these important docs and store them in a safe place outside your home – like your storage unit or Mom’s house. The last thing you want to do is lose this stuff!
More coming in part 2!
