Moving Preparation Checklist and Timeline

• Create a moving binder or folder – Use this binder to keep track of everything: your estimates, your receipts, and an inventory of all the items you’re moving.
• Sort and purge – Go through every room of your house and decide what you’d like to keep and what you can get rid of. Think about whether any items will require special packing or extra insurance coverage. Put all items into 3 categories: keep, donate, trash/recycle.
• Consider hiring an organizer – Sometimes a professional can really give you clarity on what stays and what goes. This can be especially helpful if you are dealing with a home left by a loved one who passed away.
• Research – Start investigating a moving company. Do not rely on a quote over the phone; request an on-site estimate. Get an estimate in writing from each company and make sure it has a USDOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) number on it. Look into renting plastic bins so you don’t have to deal with a bunch of boxes.
• Organize Important Documents – Make sure important documents (like birth certificates) are packed in a safe place and easily located.
• Organize school records – Arrange with your child(ren)’s current school to transfer their records to their new school district.
• Take measurements and weight – Check room dimensions at your new home and make sure larger pieces of furniture will fit through the doors, hallways, up stairwells, and other potentially tight spaces. Consider if you will need to remove doors or windows to get them in. Assess the weight of heavier items and how they will be moved. Think about if you will need extra people or machines to carry these items.
• Buy supplies – Get boxes and other supplies such as:
  • Packing tape
  • Colored duct tape
  • Bubble Wrap
  • Press and Seal
  • Stretch Wrap
  • Sandwich bags
  • Permanent markers
  • Clear bins
  • Garbage bags
  • Paper towels
  • Rubber Bands/zip ties
  • Cleaners
  • Specialty containers, such as dish barrels or wardrobe boxes
  • Bottled water

1 Month Before

• Choose your mover - Select a company and get written confirmation with all the details. Make sure you are clear on costs upfront.
• Reserve a truck - If you are not using a mover, reserve a moving truck. Moving companies will be able to help you decide on the size of the truck based on the amount of rooms you are moving. Look into if you will need a parking permit for the moving truck.
• Recruit your friends - If you will need extra hands, be sure to ask friends and family for their help far in advance.
• Decide on packing material - Plastic bins can be rented from various vendors and are a good sustainable solution. However, old-fashioned boxes still work, just be prepared for some recycling post-move!
• Begin packing – Start packing the things that you use most infrequently, like snowshoes, or camping gear depending on the season. While packing, note items of special value that might require additional insurance from your moving company, like a computer for instance.
• Label everything – Clearly label and number each box with its contents and the room it’s destined for. This will help you to keep an inventory of your belongings. Pack and label “essentials” boxes with the items you’ll need right away.
• Change your address – Change your address online at usps.com or use a service like updater.com. It is a good idea to ask a neighbor to occasionally check for rogue items. You should follow up with that neighbor a couple of weeks post move.
• Alert the following of your move:
  • Banks
  • Student loans
  • Employer’s human resources department
  • Magazine and newspapers you subscribe to
  • Credit cards
  • Insurance
  • Utility companies
  • Healthcare providers

2 Weeks Before

• Make arrangements in your new neighborhood - If you are moving into or out of a condo or apartment building, arrange with them in advance for any access you might need, such as elevator, garage, or loading dock.
• Introduce yourself to your new neighbors - Talk to your new neighbors or give them notice that you will be moving in on that day if it will affect their access to the street.
• Take the day off - Arrange to be off from work on moving day and possibly a few days after, or notify your workplace that you plan to supervise the move.
• Contact the moving company - Reconfirm the arrangements and make sure whoever is going to be on-site and handling the move has your mobile number and vice-versa.

1 Week Before

• Pack your suitcases – Aim to finish your general packing a few days before your moving date. Then pack suitcases for everyone in the family with enough clothes to wear for a few days.
• Defrost the freezer – If your refrigerator is moving with you, make sure to empty, clean, and defrost it at least a day prior to moving.

Moving Day

Set up at the new house

• Stock the bathroom and kitchen - Be sure to supply at least one restroom with toilet paper, soap, and towels. Have bottles of water or cups in the kitchen available for everyone.
• Prepare for larger items - Remove any doors off the hinges or windows from the frames if needed.
• Keep supplies handy - Have a designated “supplies station” where people can find tools, measuring tape, cleaning supplies, etc.

Working with movers

• Double check the team - Make sure they are who you hired.
• Take inventory – Check your items are accounted for and look for mishandling. Before the movers leave, sign the bill of lading/inventory list and keep a copy.

Moving with friends and family

• Be hospitable - Remember that these are people who like you enough to spend their day lifting and transporting your stuff usually without compensation, so provide them with food and beverages.
• Be as packed as possible - Your friends and family will be appreciative if you have everything packed in boxes and ready to go when they arrive.
• Have a plan and a pre-move huddle - Get everyone together and let them know the plan for the day: what order you are moving the larger items, who you think would be best to carry what, and other important points that they should know.
• Print out driving directions, just in case - Sometimes there are better route options than what our mobile devices provide. Make sure everyone knows the best route to take, especially if they are driving a larger vehicle than they are used to.