How to plan and organize your next move – the 4 week checklist!
The 4 week checklist provides buyers and sellers the best way to plan and organize a move while maintaining some sanity! Here’s the countdown to moving day:
4 Weeks Prior to Moving
- Reserve a rental truck or contact a moving company
- Get moving supplies (boxes, tape, packing materials, etc.)
- Make travel arrangements if moving out of the area
- Save moving receipts; some are tax deductible
- Gather and keep together legal, medical, financial forms in one place so that they won’t be packed up.
2 Weeks Prior to Moving
People/companies to notify of your move:
- Change address at post office or www.usps.com
- Relatives, friends and businesses
- Doctors, dentists, etc.
- Utilities – gas, electric, water, garbage, telephone
- Cable/Satellite
- Banks – bank accounts, credit card companies, lenders
- Lawn service
- Newspaper delivery and other publications and delivery services
- Insurance companies
- Gym
- Automated online services such as online prescription services, clubs (i.e. Fruit of the Month), and other services that routinely mail items to your home.
Government Offices to notify:
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Social Security Administration
- Update Voter Registration (if moving within the state, you may be able to update this at a drivers licensing office)
- Return library materials
- Empty gym locker or items that you have stored in other locations such as a club, gym, office, storage facility, etc.
Preparing Household Items:
- Dispose of flammables such as fireworks, cleaning fluids, matches, acids, aerosol cans, batteries, light bulbs, ammunition and poisons such as weed killer properly and per federal law.
- Drain fuel from gas-powered lawn equipment.
- Discard used cans of oil, paint, thinner or any other combustible materials.
- Discard BBQ propane tanks
- Call a technician to prepare major appliances for shipment
1 Week Prior to Moving
- Decide what to do with household plants and outdoor potted plants and garden structures.
- Take pets to the vet if the state you are moving to requires health certificate.
1 Day Prior to Moving
- Set aside items that will be packed on the truck and items that will go with you.
- Put non-essentials on truck first, leaving bed mattresses and kitchen items last so that when you unpack, those items can be set up first.
- Defrost freezer and clean out refrigerator.
- Unplug electronic appliances hours in advance so that they are not hot and will be at room temperature for moving.
Take one last look around:
- Is the water shut off?
- Furnace/A/C shut off?
- Light switches off?
- All utilities arranged for disconnection?
- Windows/doors shut and locked?
- Old house keys and garage door openers surrendered?
Moving Resources*
www.uhaul.com – for truck rentals but also great for getting boxes and other packing supplies.
www.pods.com – for packing and storage solutions. They deliver a pod and you pack it up and they get it to your next home or will store it for you.
www.allwestmovingandstorage.com – a moving and storage company located in Lacey, WA.
www.olympicmovers.net – a moving company.
www.1800GotJunk.com – junk removal services.
If you don’t need full moving services but just a few strong helpers for the heavy items in your move, contact me. I can also provide contacts for house cleaning services.
*I have only used U-Haul and PODS for my own personal moving needs and had a positive experience. As with hiring any company, please do your research to decide which company best meets your needs.
Check out these other links:
7 Garage Sale Tips for those that Detest Garage Sales
How to Reduce your Real Estate Tax Bill
Places in Olympia to Recycle, Donate or Sell Unwanted Items
And to make sure that you make it through your move, check out this “Happy” video and you’ll feel better, less stressed and rejuvenated to pack some more boxes! 