Moving Checklist!

Your moving checklist is listed below. Bookmark or print out this page so that you can refer to your checklist in order to make sure that you have covered all of the bases. Start at the top and work your way down (Some people prefer to just go down the list and start with the items that they think are more important, such as setting up new services, and that is fine as well). Just make sure to check off each item as you go! Everything on the list may not pertain to you so just use the items that do. It pays to get started as early as possible!

Your Moving Checklist! (Click Here for a Printable List - opens in New Window) - - OR - - (Click Here for a Smaller, Printable List)

q1) Start off by creating a file for your move. This can be a spiral bound notebook, folder for containing your notes and important papers, a file on your computer or any combination of these. This is also a good time to create a folder that contains important information about your existing house as a favor to the new occupants.

q2) Check with your tax accountant, preparer, filer or the IRS in order to see what expenses can be deducted on your next tax return. It's a good idea to have this information up front because it may affect how you intend to arrange your move.

q3) Consider a subscription to the newspaper in your new hometown. This is a good way for you to begin learning about events and the local culture. If you already subscribe to the newspaper in your current town then this would also be a good time to set a cancellation date for that service. For more information about the town that you will be moving to you can look up and call their Chamber of Commerce and request that they send you a residential information packet. This is also something that a realtor would be happy to provide for you.

q4) Start doing some research about the community that you will be moving to. You can find online community guides and newspapers by doing a search on the internet.

q5) Make a decision about what you are going to do with your plants. Should you keep them or give them away? Plants cannot be loaded with your other household goods so you might as well decide what you are going to do with them. It's better to start trying to find them a nice home rather than just tossing them in the garbage on moving day.

q6) If you have decided to let a professional moving company move you then now is the time to call for estimates from 3 professional movers. You can get more or less estimates but three is the general rule. Remember that the lowest quote is not always the one that you should settle on. You can read more about getting estimates in our tips section.

q7) If you are planning to move yourself, call around to get moving truck estimates and also decide what type of moving equipment and supplies you will need. At this point you don't have to make any commitments. You're just getting estimates so that you will have a rough idea about how much this is all going to cost and what to expect come moving day.

q8) Make a rough sketch of the floor plan in your new home. Write down where each of your major pieces of furniture will go. It may already be too late for this but when you are looking at homes to buy, you might consider taking a measuring tape and notebook with you so that it will be easier to draw up a floor plan.

q9) Make arrangements to get your medical and dental records from your health service providers. This should include prescriptions and shot records as well. Make a point to ask your current family doctor if he or she can refer you to a health care provider in your new town. If you have health care coverage then you can contact your health insurance provider in order to see what medical services and doctors are available in your new community.

q10) If you happen to have school-age children then you need to contact the schools and arrange to have your child's school records transferred to their new school district.

q11) Make copies of your most important legal and financial records. Put the copies in your moving folder or another safe place.

q12) If you have pets, arrange for any existing veterinarian records to be transferred to a vet in your new town. Also, some states requites that you have current health certificates and rabies inoculation records for your pets. This is also a good time to make travel arrangements for your pets.

q13) If you are moving to a new state then you should call your insurance agent to see what changes you can expect in your new location. Find out if moving is covered on your insurance policy. If not then you might consider moving insurance.

q14) Consider any memberships that you may have in your local community. This could be with health clubs, your local golf club, men's or women's clubs, or any other type of organization that you may have joined. See if you can end, sell or transfer your membership.

q15) Make a list of the items that are valuable, difficult to replace or most precious to you. You might want to consider shipping these items by certified mail or carrying them with you in your car when you move. By making this list, you might be able to avoid accidentally including these items in a box that ends up at the bottom of a bunch of other boxes.

q16) Make a list of contacts. This can be close friends, relatives and places that you do business with. These are people who need to be notified that you are moving. This is a special list of people and contacts that you will treat differently than everyone else who will be taken care of with the generic "Change of Address" form.

q17) Go through your whole house. Start at the furthest point from your front door and work your way to the front door while you make an inventory list of all your possessions. When you are done inventorying all of your possessions then you will need to decide what you are going to keep and what you are going to get rid of.

q18) Once you have decide what items you are going to get rid of, it is now time to start planning for a yard sale or to contact local charities to have them come by your house and pick up your unwanted goods. If you do have a garage sale then be prepared to give some of the stuff away. People come to garage sales in order to find extreme bargains. In most cases you are not going to get rich by having a yard sale. Some people prefer just to donate their unwanted items and then use their donations as a tax write-off.

q19) Now it is time to get moving boxes and other types of packing supplies. This means that your moving date is drawing nearer.

q20) You can now go ahead and start to pack the items that you don't use very often. Take a look at the item in question. Have you used it within the last 6 months? If no, then go ahead and pack it. While you are packing your items that have not been used in the last 6 months, keep an eye out for stuff that you have not used in the last year, or years. Make plans for getting rid of the stuff that is rarely if ever used. Now that you have an inventory list and you have started to pack some boxes, you will have a better idea of whether or not you are going to need to use public storage for some of your possessions. If you do need to store some stuff then you should make arrangements for that now.

q21) Back to looking at your new location. When thinking of your imminent move, you may want to plan ahead for parking. Whether you are moving yourself or using some time of moving service, we are going to assume that their will be a moving truck involved in this whole affair. Moving trucks are generally large in nature. Plan for this and make any reservations that may be needed for parking.

q22) Now it is finally time to file for a change of address. Whew!!! and you thought this was the first thing that you would need to do! If you do not yet know what your new address will be, you can ask the postal service to hold your mail in their office that is located in the city that you are moving to.

q23) Set Up Your New Services. Call the utility service companies that you use. Schedule disconnection of all utility services at your old home, and also setup connection for services in your new city. Be sure to disconnect the day after you leave and connect the day before you arrive. If you have "last month" deposits with services, such as the water or gas company, request your refund. Make sure that your phone and electrical services are still available to you for the entire day of your move.

q24) If you have pets then now would be a good time to make some travel arrangements for them. Be sure to get their medical and immunization records all lined up.

q25) Arrange for someone to care for young children on moving day. There's no way around it. Moving day is hectic!

q26) Advertise in the local newspaper and make plans for your garage sale. You can also call it a 'yard sale' or 'moving sale' if you prefer. This is a good opportunity for you to get rid of all that stuff that has been accumulating over the years. If you are having a professional moving company move you, they will be charging by the pound. Try to concentrate on getting rid of the unwanted heavy items that you posses.

q27) Return any library books that have not yet been returned. Also be sure to pick up your dry cleaning and any items that you have out for repair. If you have loaned anything out to neighbors or friends, now is a good time to get them back.

q28) Make a plan to dispose of flammables, corrosives and poisons. It is not as easy as just dumping them out. Contact your local disposal station to find out what their policies are. Most of the time they will have a special procedure for you to follow. If you have a propane barbecue then take the tank to the store where you usually get them replaced. You can get a new one from somewhere near your new location. Moving companies will not transport propane tanks, even if they are empty.

q29) Get the oil changed on your vehicles and have them serviced, especially if the service due-date is approaching.

q30) Contact the auto licensing department and prepare for your automobile registrations to be transferred to your new address. If you are moving out of state then you will need to contact the auto licensing authority where you are moving to.

q31) If you are going to be moving into or out of an apartment that has an elevator, make arrangements so that you can use the elevator on your moving day.

q32) Get your banking details in order. If you will be keeping the same bank then you may only need to submit a change of address to them. You also need to notify any creditors of your new address. If you will be changing banks then you should visit them in person. Also remember to clear out any safety deposit boxes that you might have. This is also a good time to get traveler's checks or any cash that you may need when you travel to your new home. If you are using a moving service then you may also need to get a certified or cashiers check to pay them with.

q33) Make a meal plan for your final week in your existing residence. Try to Plan your meals so that you can empty your refrigerator. Also keep in mind that some appliances and cooking utensils may already be packed at this point.

q34) Pack up the last of your items. Keep a box or two set aside for your "last box" items. These boxes will contain the items that should be the last to go on the truck and the first to come off. Pack these boxes with your essential items.

q35) Get all of the water out of your garden hoses and your waterbed, if you have one.

q36) 1 day prior to moving you should defrost and clean your refrigerator.

q37) If you use a professional mover, give them a telephone number and address where you can be reached in your new town.

q38) After everything is loaded into the moving truck, go through the entire house and make sure that nothing got left behind. Be sure to check crawlspaces, attics and other storage areas and places in the house that you don't normally visit.

q39) Sweep, dust, vacuum and clean the house for the new occupants. Consider leaving them a note welcoming them to their new home.

q40) Pack up your cleaning supplies and kiss your old home good-bye!

Final Word: Do make a checklist and start organizing your move as early as possible!

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